It is one in the afternoon and I am six hours into my twelve hour adventure in the real world...you know, that world without internet or video games? It's not so bad, really. I woke up just after seven and shut off my phone and computer. I had some breakfast and did the usual morning crap. After all that, I cleaned my room [this part probably sucked the most...cleaning is awful to begin with, but take away music and it just becomes painful]. This, unfortunately, only took up about an hour of my day, so when I finished I pulled out some knitting that I have been neglecting for the last month or so. I spent the next few hours sitting on my front porch and working through some leg warmers....perhaps this is what my life will be like as an old woman who is, presumably uninterested in video games by that point in her life [I really hope this is not the case, however]. Eventually, my brain guilt-tripped me into getting some homework started. I didn't really need to stay at home, as I didn't require the use of internet nor electricity, so I grabbed my backpack and headed to the park. I've been here for a good while now and I've completed quite a bit of reading and I even hand wrote my group's boss project proposal :) Even blogging has taken a bit of a twist today. Rather than composing this entry on my laptop in a tiny white text box, I am laying in the grass and writing it out in my notebook [I'll transcribe it to the internets later]. Anyway, it is a super nice day, so I am headed off for a run. I shall report on the rest of my day later.
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It's about a day after my twelve hours of technology-free time ended. I've had some time to think about it and I've come to the conclusion that I really enjoyed being off the grid. I am considering making it a weekly thing, actually. What I missed the most was not texting nor was it Facebook....I missed music the most. I found myself going for the computer and my phone at numerous points during the day. As I was getting ready in the morning, I walked over to my computer thinking I could just check to see what the weather was going to be like....nope. Later, I was getting ready to head to the park and I went to grab my phone...and had to just leave it there. I did find that I felt a little less secure leaving my house without my cell phone. I eventually got used to it and simply made my way through...getting a lot of knitting done in the process :)
While I was thinking, I also figured out that I have unintentionally done this no technology thing before. I spent about a month living in a monastery in the rural northern mountains of the Dominican Republic this past summer. During that time I was able to access the internet maybe half a dozen times and only for very brief amounts of time. It wasn't so bad :)
I keep planning to get into a routine where I keep away from technology on a weekly basis. (For example, only check Facebook on Fridays...) However, I can never get into it! I've given up Facebook and the cell phone sporadically before, and I have also found those times to be refreshing.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty easy to make the excuse that "I need technology" at school. And, I guess I do in some cases, but not to the extent that I make all of the excuses for. Thanks for the challenge!
What all did you do in the DR?
Nicole, fantastic idea about going to the park and getting away from the couped up feeling of being confined in an apartment all day long. I often have the urge to do this just because I can't stand artificial lighting after a while and breathing the same stifling air that gets trapped indoors. Now when I do get out "into nature" I always enjoy it and can relax and become less distracted. Back at my other college I remember going to the park and reading _One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest_ the entire afternoon and how serene I felt in the outdoor atmosphere. So props to you on embarking on these little diversions away from modern technology/concrete cities.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I almost didn't know there was a young dominican child in that picture because all I could see at first was cleav.
Sarah: You're welcome! I'm happy to hear you've had some of the same experiences that I have. As for the DR, I took Spanish classes in Santiago while living with a host family. Then we grouped up and moved to the monastery in el Mango. While we were there, we built a community center about 15 miles up the road that will service about 12 local communities. About 5 miles further from the community center, we held a summer camp at the local primary school. I think there are about three albums of pictures from my trip on my Facebook page if you're interested in seeing anything else :) I'd also be more than happy to talk with you about it whenever!
ReplyDeleteDenny: I agree with you whole-heartedly there...I can't stand the feeling of being couped up and sitting in the same room for too long. I think that's one reason that I don't mind just sitting on my front porch to do homework or knit...even if it's freezing outside. As for your P.S., I replaced the picture >.<
I feel like as the time went on being off the grid became easier. I had so many things running through my mind that I could do. Of course one of them being homework. I read outside too, and even baked! I've had a positive impact from this experience.
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