Internet is great.

I can’t imagine my retirement without the internet. I was born in Czechoslovakia, live in Australia, but above those two, I am a citizen of the world. I could spent all day sitting at the computer and browsing through newspapers, forums etc. Sometimes I spend hours responding to newspaper articles only to scrap it. Too many responses – nobody is going to read it anyway.
We are fortunate to have enough money to travel overseas every year, mostly to Europe of course. We were in Venice last May, and who knows, I may be in Perugia in a month or so.
We travel independently. We could not do it without internet. I spend months researching our next trip, book hotels for every night, cars, ferries as much as possible. I collect plans and maps, notes etc, and just before we go I transfer everything onto my laptop. It makes travel easier and we are more relaxed.
On the trip I like to be in touch with our two daughters, scan the news, weather, shift money around etc.

Now about the disconnect – actually you better ask my wife. But I never was good at talking, anyway. Engineers don’t do that. She has her books, the bible, and she joined a walking club with other ‘senior’ ladies who like to talk. But occasionally we watch TV together or a DVD. We are good friends and I think she is happy.

There is another disconnect – from the surroundings. There is so much info from everywhere that I don’t care about Melbourne or Australia too much anymore. And although the beach is only about 40 minutes away, we go there only a couple of times a year. And the laundry door needs repainting. Next year, maybe.

Good, Rebbecca, that you now understand why people like internet. Please, if you have to charge for it (and we don’t expect something for nothing), do it in a way that doesn’t put your customers on the wrong foot.

It has been a pleasure to visit your part of the world.

Josef

One of my fondest memories is going into HSBC in Hong Kong to change traveller’s cheques and being to told to hang-on. I thought there was a problem with my cheque but the counter staff came back with a letter from my mother set via the bank instead of poste restante. What a thrill to get some mail and hear from home and so unexpected.

Beautifully expressed in your winning style, Rebecca.

I agree that the connections I have made online have been very gratifying and often segued into “real” relationships. The key is balance, as you so wisely say!

Does that make the old school expat experience more “real”? Are we justified in the “I used to walk to school in six feet of snow barefoot” attitude towards these young whippersnappers? I’m not sure. Sometimes I think that these kids actually have it harder with the siren song of home so strong and present and feasible in moments of indecision. I was often resolute in my ignorance; had I been tempted every day with a steady stream of homesickness inducing information from the States I may not be where I am right now.