The interwebs are closed? Oh Noes!

If someone told me a year ago I'd be writing in a blog, I'd have scoffed at them. I don't enjoy writing, or so I thought. I never kept a journal, never developed a taste for writing poetry, or descriptive or creative writing. In High school I wrote what I was told. In college, I wrote a whole slough of dry, boring research papers, followed by a whole bunch of equally dry and boring analyses of music; reducing wonderful works of art to numbers and symbols.

Now I just write. Persuasive or expository arguments, narratives of my adventures, (they're more fun when you call them that, try it). I've even tried my hand at descriptive writing, once properly motivated. It's interesting how addicting this has become. There's something significant differentiating writing here than just writing into a word document. Something about being plugged in.

If someone reads this, it means they have internet access. Something I've taken for granted since I started college. It's frustrating having my computer with me and not being able to call up video or reference when talking with my friends. I've become so dependent on having so much information at my fingertips, it's frustrating when I can't just open up my macbook and find out what I want to know. 

I'm addicted to the internet. 

Here, the Locutorios hold varying hours and there are times when they just close. That's it. The internet is closed. That's a thought that's just incomprehensible. "So?" you say, "What are you whining about, you're in another ephing country, go out and enjoy it!" I am and I do. The problem is, there's nowhere to go at some times. The whole city freezes at some points, and everything opens much later than I can work around. My afternoons are spent doing homework and trying to connect to life back at home, while waiting for dinner (10:00) or to head out with the gang (try 12:00 or later). I usually open my computer for music while I'm reading or doing homework, in the afternoons when everyone else is asleep (they're planning on being out til 4:00 or even 6:00 am). Grappling with my internet addiction has been a larger ordeal than kicking my caffeine habit. Actually, that hasn't happened either, soda down here is made with sugar instead of corn syrup and the coffee is just plain amazing.

Just think about how much effort you put into maintaing a persona on the internet. Between Facebook (or myspace), instant messaging, email, and, for me, now this blog; it's become something more than just an idle hobby or strictly a means of communication. 

Now imagine what happens if you are severed from this connection, your only connection to everything comfortable and familiar, by a stupid sign that says "Cerrado."