I went online for the first time in january 1996. In those days, at least in Brazil, the Internet was still limited to government institutions and a cousin of my cousin worked for the WHO and had Internet through his job. We browsed a couple sites (one on the castles of Ireland), which was ok, and then we went on mIRC. It blew my mind. The idea of being able to meet people from other parts of the world, so easily, was life changing for me. I remember getting home and telling my dad “we have to get Internet.” It took us a few months – our computer was too old, didnt have a proper modem – but in June 1996 I was logged on and have been ever since. I’ve met a lot of people on the internet since then – including my husband.
While at the beginning it was all about meeting new people, learning new things, practicing language skills, now it has become a lot about keeping in touch. Having moved to a new country thousands of kilometers away means I don’t get to see my family all that much. I’ve also made my best friends in university here in Canada but the reality of grad school is that eventually we all graduate or quit and move away. And let’s not even mention our friends in Barcelona.
Lately, the best part for me has been rediscovering old friends or distant relatives with whom I used to be close but haven’t seen in many years. Having them on Facebook means we now feel like we are part of each others lives once again and although in some cases you might find you’ve grown in different directions, in others it can be the opposite – I’ve been finding out how incredibly fascinating and interesting some of my cousins and old friends are. And to me, that’s what’s all about. Making connections.
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yes Alexandra, Internet is something we need soooooo much!! We can be in contact with family, friends, the whole world!!!!!! I met my husband in the Internet too, lol.
I visited your blog sometime ago and returned today because I liked it very much.
Big kiss my friend……….judy