Off the Map

For a developed Western nation, Australia seems to lag behind when it comes to wireless Internet availability. Many cafes don't offer free wifi and if they do, it often comes with a 30 minute time limit. What do they expect people to do on the web in 30 minutes? I can't even make it through my junk email folder in that amount of time. So if you've been checking for blog posts or waiting on an email reply for me, I sincerely apologize for the delay.

I have to say, despite the challenges it has created for staying in touch with friends & family back home, the lack of connectivity has been refreshing. I don't have a smart phone here. In fact, the coolest feature my little Nokia phone has is a built in flash light and FM radio. Without 3G, I'm not on Twitter every hour. If I want to know what's going on in the world, I have to pick up a paper, and I turn on the news to hear the weekly weather forecast. Without constant Facebook status updates at my fingertips, I'm forced to make a conscientious effort to stay in contact with friends, whether that's giving them a call or meeting them for coffee on the weekend. I no longer waste hours of my day reading blogs, browsing Pinterest, and online shopping, which has left me time to enjoy's life simple pleasures like reading a novel or taking a stroll through Centennial Park.  

The last time I lived abroad, in Germany, I really struggled with maintaining a sense of presence. Working at a social media company and having unlimited wifi in my apartment meant I was always plugged in and aware of everything that was going on  back home. When I saw photos, updates and pictures of the gorgeous weather in Texas that I was missing, I began to develop a fear of missing out (FOMO). Things are much different here in Australia and though I miss everyone from home dearly, the lack of technology in my life has made me less homesick and able to enjoy living in the present moment.

This blog was meant to be one of my major projects while traveling. And after a two month technology hiatus, I've finally purchased a pocket wifi device which allows me up to 6GB of data usage. Hopefully I won't burn through that in one month, and I'll be able to update this blog on a more regular basis.