the end of the road

Veo al final de mi rudo camino, que yo fui el arquitecto de mi propio destino. 

I see at the end of my rough journey, that I've been the architect of my own destiny.
- Amado Nervo

I feel pretty comfortable driving in Mexico. Actually, I feel comfortable driving just about anywhere. And I'm almost always the driver. Rental cars don't bother me. I like getting to test drive different cars. Every time I've gone to the Yucatan to volunteer with Proyecto Itzaes, I've rented a car. And the only mishaps I've had have been regarding the actual renting of the car. No matter what time you arrive, the process of filling out the rental paperwork and getting to drive away in your newly rented car takes several hours. I don't exactly know why, but it just does.

This is how much Mexican country-side I typically drive through

But then, while driving through the Yucatan last month, my car rental luck ran out. A rock hit the car's windshield. And at the very most top part of the windshield, half on the plastic that seals the glass to the roof. But just low enough to embed itself at least partly in the glass. But just high enough that I didn't know that was the case. However, once the crack started to spread in a long line down the window, I realized exactly what had happened. In the five minutes it took us to get home the crack had successfully run the entire length of the windshield. And it was only getting longer. I panicked. I didn't know what to do. This had never happened to me before. Not even in the US. I once had a windshield bashed by some thugs with baseball bats in Potrero Hill. But never a rock in the windshield. I guess it was about time this finally happened to me.

I quickly tried to decide what should I do; get an estimate from a nearby mechanic and pay for the repair before the rental was due back? Or break down and call the rental car company, knowing it would be a long painful process. I knew I couldn't drive the car again, so I had to do something. I called the rental agency. They were so nice. Surprisingly nice. With amazing customer service. I had never experienced this before. I was still skeptical this would go off without a hitch, but the nearest car rental depot (not the one we originally rented from) would send a driver out to our home, bringing a replacement car for us. It sounded too good to be true. Especially because I had to head to a village for an appointment and wouldn't be home for a few hours. They assured me they would sent someone in a few hours. It would all work out.

When we go home from Dzemul, there it was; a brand new, identical but red (our first car was turquoise) rental car, along with two patiently waiting agents. Though I had arrived only five minutes past my scheduled time, it seemed like they had been waiting for quite a while. When I asked the rental agents the length of their wait they politely responded that they had been there for an hour. Yet they didn't seem restless. Perhaps they were enjoying the sun, sand, and ocean. Yes, they assured me, the windshield will need to be replaced. ¡Que mala suerte!

So there we were, new and improved rental car at our disposal. Which was convenient. Because we were planning to leave the beach, drive south a few hours to my favorite ruins (Uxmal), and many hours later arrive at Bacalar, situated just south of Playa del Carmen. On the other coast. It was about a six hour drive but we planned to make it into one long day of driving and sightseeing along the way. We set out very early in the morning.

And we were driving along just fine. Highway driving in Mexico is pretty self explanatory. The highways are nice and new, although mostly two lane. Since the speed limits are high (at least 110 kph), it's completely normal to pass slow moving vehicles. When the roads aren't curvy or dangerous. I'm a pro at passing cars on single lane Mexican highways. It takes a lot of patience, but you can always eventually pass.

Which is why I was very perplexed when I quickly came upon seven cars going slightly slower up ahead of me. They were clearly waiting to pass a slow moving van. Wow, I thought, they must have some serious patience to wait so long to pass. But in time, I knew, we would all make it safely past the slow moving vehicle. We had many many more hours to drive; we couldn't exactly afford to drive so slowly for a very long time.

None of the cars ahead of us were going particularly slowly, nor were they inching to pass the slowest car at the front of the line. I thought about it for a split second before heading on to pass the cars myself. There was no use in waiting, after all. Except that the roads through the Yucatan can be windy. So I wouldn't have enough time to pass all seven cars at once. I started passing them two at a time. I passed the first two cars. They seemed content to be where they were. Hmm, I thought, maybe they're driving in a line. I wonder why. I can't be sure, but it doesn't seem as if they are trying to pass the front car. So I quickly passed the next two cars, and then the next two cars. Eventually I was right behind the slow moving van. And that's when I saw it. The giant picture of the Virgin Mary staring right at me. It was posted conspicuously in the rear view window.

It looked like a regular covered truck to me

Because it was a hearse. Carrying a corpse to its final resting place. And we had placed ourselves prominently first in line at a funeral procession. I swallowed hard. Was what I had been doing wrong? Was I not supposed to weave in and out of a funeral procession? Was there some tell tell sign early on in this process that I had completely missed? Or did I not know what was going on until just that moment? And once I realized where I was, was it wrong to try to head out and pass the hearse? So I did just that. I waited for a clear view of oncoming traffic and sped over and passed the hearse. What else was I to do? They were going far and long; but they were also going slow. They didn't need me embedding myself in their mourning processional.

So we drove on. And on and on and on. We were going to take Highway 184 from Uxmal to the Caribbean coast. Highway 184 would meet up with Highway 307, the main road from Cancun all the way down to Belize. We'd hit into 307, turn right, and drive a few miles down the coast to Bacalar. We'd been driving for hours, but we started passing the signs telling us that 307 was just ahead.

According to Google Maps, Highway 184 bisects Highway 307

Which it probably was. But we'll never know for sure. Because we never merged onto Highway 307. We never go that far. Instead, we drove on Highway 184 until the road just ended. That's right, the highway just stopped. So we stopped. And then we looked around. There were people coming towards us on foot. They were walking over with suitcases and backpacks. They were getting into taxis. They were driving away, the only direction the road went - back to where we had just come from.

I found a narrow place to turn around. And then attempted to ask a taxi driver for directions. He and his friends laughed as us. The road didn't intersect with the coastal road, at least not yet. The road would be built, someday. I couldn't believe it. The maps/gps indicated we could drive right on through. Except that we could see right in front of us; there was no actual road. Only a parking lot. The taxi driver drew us a map; we'd have to backtrack for a while, then turn off and pass through three villages before finally hitting 307, south of where we were. But we would hit it eventually. In only a few hours time.

So then I asked about the people coming towards us, from what appeared to be the other, coastal side. No one could answer me. Apparently there was an airport some place nearby. But that didn't explain the cars and people I could see ahead of us, driving inland from the coast to meet us. Except we wouldn't meet. Because there is a strip of highway missing. That just hadn't been built. Instead of continuing on the way we had planned, we had made it to the very end of the road. So we turned around, drove back back, turned off at a random desvio, and ended up in paradise. Because that's what happens in Mexico. Paradise is always just one wrong turn away.

Bacalar

read on

“Lovers of print are simply confusing the plate for the food.” 
― Douglas Adams

I've been long overdue for a post about digital books. I don't know why I haven't written about this hot topic yet. Digital books, e-books, i-books. Whatever you want to call them, they are now an integral part of my everyday life.

So why have I been avoiding the topic? Because I don't have any hard set opinions on which is better. 

Here is where I'm coming from (and what I'm debating).

1. I am completely undecided about digital books vs actual books. Because I read both. I know this may be hard to believe, but I currently have two hardcover books checked out from the public library, along with an audio book (which I refer to as a "cd on tape"), and at least a dozen e-books on my iPad (by way of the Kindle app). Yep, I've got books in all formats. So which is my preferred method? I still don't know. I read them all, with no major problems. +0

2. I do not believe there are any long range studies that conclude without a doubt anything about the use of e-books. How can there be? The internet/e-book world hasn't been around long. I'm not saying I don't see any studies posted. I do. It's just that every week a new study comes out, typically contradicting last week's study. How about we hold off on any e-book "conclusions" until significance has been taking into consideration? +0

3. The data does show, however, that reading online does not damage your eyes. I heard this rumor throughout college, as my classmates found themselves needing glasses more and more. This is not the fault of reading on computer screens. This is a result of aging and lots of reading in less than ideal circumstances (too close, not enough light). And I speak from experience: in the fifteen years that I have been reading 8+ hours a day on screens of all shapes and sizes, my eyesight has never gotten any worse. I will need "reading glasses" in a few years, but that's from the decrease in elasticity in the crystalline lens in my eyes, not from a lifetime of reading online. +1 digital reading.

4. I had a horrible first experience reading online. It was in the form of the GRE exam I took my senior year of college. I didn't know until I went to register for the test, but the only way the test could be taken was on a computer. Not a huge deal for the vocabulary section, but a horrific way to attempt to answer the questions about the passage. This was over a decade ago; reading online was not interactive at all. You couldn't touch the screen, let alone highlight a word, see the whole passage alongside the questions, or go back to the passage. You had no choice but to read the passage as it was printed on the screen, half at a time, and then answer the questions on a new page. No exceptions. No underlining, no going back, no fun. It turned me off to reading online for a long long time. +1 actual reading. 

5. The book writing and publishing industry seems to be doing okay with the mass switch to digital books/reading. Unlike the music industry, it's a lot harder to pirate copy a book than a song. I have yet to unlawfully obtain a digital book. It's not a battle I see being waged. If anything, we are seeing more books because of digital publishing. Case and point: Fifty Shades of Grey. Sigh. Not a selling point for digital books. +1 actual books.

Is this what the library is starting to look like?

In summary, the digital world has yet to win me over. But it's not because it's bad for me or my eyes. It's more a behavior change. I mean, eventually my computer went from my desktop, to my lap, to my hand. It appears books are following this same course. I have found that e-books travel well. Although computers/phones/tablets eventually run out of power. And they are hard to take to the beach. And I can't exactly read them in the bath. But they're portable. And they contain entire libraries of books in one single click. So, I'll give digital reading another go around. But for now, nothing beats turning the pages of an actual book.

Final count: 
Actual books/reading: 2 points
Digital books/reading: 1 point

Conclusion: Reading always wins

emotional

emoji
a small digital image or icon used to express an idea, emotion, etc., in electronic communication.
"emoji liven up your text messages with tiny smiley faces"      

The word emoji means “picture letter” in Japanese. But when were these pictures developed? Wasn't it just yesterday I didn't even have a cell phone or computer? According to my lengthy web-based research, "although emoji weren't officially part of the Unicode Standard until 2010, the colorful cartoon symbols have been a major part of Japanese smartphone culture since 1998, when they debuted as a cute software feature on local phones".1 These guys date all the way back to the late 1990s.

What are these annoying little faces, hearts, and animal pictures found in all the text messages, emails, and Facebook posts I see? Why they're emojis, of course. But where did they come from? How did we get from no cellular devices to text messages filled with emojis?

The other day I received a text message from my mother, appropriately (right?) using an emoji.

Am I proud of her? For using an emoji? Not really. Because she is a writer. And because I am a writer. I rely upon the written word to convey message, tone, intention. I have written 20 blog posts in this space and have yet to reply upon the emoji. My mom doesn't need this picture crutch either. I believe she is witty enough to send her love without pictorially kissing me. That's okay, because I do use xx (an emoticon, see explanation below) to send her kisses. 

But it's when someone is trying to convey humor with a jk or lol or even a  that I think "really, that's all you've got?" I wish my texter would come up with some clever wording to express himself. If he did, I'd understand his text was not to be taken seriously. 

So is using an emoji a crutch? Is texting not supposed to be quick, easy, no thoughtfulness in expression techniques needed? I don't know. I suppose the answer is yes. But that only makes me dislike texting, along with the emojis, even more.

I only like emojis for their artistic value. I know this is strange. I don't value the emoji for its ability to wink at me with a cartoon character representation. I enjoy the facial expression that marks the wink.

Oh yes, I almost forgot: what is the difference between an emoticon and an emoji, you ask? Simply put, an emoticon is a symbol made with keypad characters. The ;-) wink I am a fan of (occasionally). 

An emoji, on the other hand, is a cartoon drawing of a face winking, the now present in many of my text messages. And, just in case you are new to the world of emoji, do not worry. There is an Emojipedia, to look up all meanings emoji. You can practice using them thanks to the addition of the emoji language keyboard on smartphones.

http://emojipedia.org/ has emojis for just about everything.

Now that you know what an emoji is, you can feel free to never use one again. No, not seriously. Promoters of emojis (cell phone companies) are pushing the benefits of emojis. "In a time of text messages with 140 or 60 character limits, and emoji being a single character, it could go a long way."2 This makes me sad.

References:

1. http://www.fastcodesign.com/3032434/where-do-emoji-come-from
2. http://www.iemoji.com/articles/where-did-emoji-come-from

memory keeper

You don't take a photograph, you make it.
~ Ansel Adams

A year ago I bought a camera; my first DSLR. It also happened to be my first single lens reflex camera of any kind. I carefully inspected my dad's Canon SLR from 1978 (the A-1, Canon's a runaway best seller) before finally deciding which camera I should purchase for myself. Even though I can't convert his SLR over to digital, I can convert his lenses. But that's something I may do some day far into the future.

For now, I live in two worlds: the world of digital photography and the world of print photography. I have two different cameras to serve me in these parallel domains. I have two different media. Actually, I have three. I grew up with my father making slides. He even had a mount for his SLR. He'd set the camera up over the open reference book and shoot textbook photos for slides. This is how he gave presentations up until about two years ago. Then he switched to PowerPoint. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the sound of the slide carriage advancing.

I was home vising my family two months ago when my Aunts came over to go through my grandmother's old boxes. My grandmother passed away 20 years ago, and my dad had stored all her possessions in our crawl space. All her remaining possessions fit into two storage boxes. It took us hours just to go through one box.

My grandmother is the student in the middle of the first row.

What did we find? Important documents, memorabilia, sentimental letters, and many photos. But mostly we found slides. 

We also found a lot of photos in terrible condition. But I couldn't just throw them away. I'll fix them up, I thought, as I put them in my keep pile. I planned to bring them back to San Francisco with me, scan them, and make them beautiful again. 

  

This is how far I've gotten fixing our old family photos. I don't know how to use Photoshop. I don't have a fancy computer. Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. But I know I have to keep trying. Because what if it works? What if it turns out technology can not just preserve, but also save, old memories? These memories are so old, the people who actually lived them have long since passed. My grandfather passed away over 33 years ago, his parents long before him. I now have in my possession photos of his parents' parents, going back hundreds of years. 

My great-great-grandmother. Don't get on her bad side.

So what am I fixing the photos for, when all I have are faded photos and hundreds of negatives? How do I even know what I've got? Scanning negatives as a novice is not easy. I'm getting the hang of it, but there are a lot of photos go to through.

In the midst of discovering what is on these negatives, I know that I've got someone's memories. I'll keep going through the negatives until I've scanned them all and seen what's still there. Because somehow these are my memories now too, even if they occurred long before I was born. Unlike digital photos, there is information scrolled on the backside of the photos; names and dates and even phone numbers. I know who, when, and where I'm looking at. What better time is there to make these memories my own as well?

            

My great-grandmother        The backside of the photo

I'm going to have to score +1 for the real deal photos. And thank my grandmother for keeping them tucked safely away among her most cherished possessions. I can't say I treat any of my digital photos with the same care. I still cherish actual old family photos. So, dust off your photos and look at them. And just because they aren't in good condition, or were overexposed, don't throw them away. Because you have memories that are often worth holding on to. And ones worth discovering; those that you didn't even know existed until now.

More family photos found in the box, restored by yours truly

My Dad's family

Aunt Ferne's graduation

Aunt Robin

Dad's family on vacation

app obsession

I have too many mobile apps on my phone. Or perhaps I don't have enough phone memory. Either way, I frequently find myself running low on phone space. Because I like apps. Well, to be more specific, I like the concept of apps. I like learning about new apps. I like searching for new apps. I like reading reviews of new apps.

Oxford Dictionary Definition of an App

But then I never actually use these apps. Okay, it's not true to say that I NEVER use the apps. I like Yelp. And Facebook. And Instagram. But have I even once opened Yerdle? No. But I might. You never know, it could come in handy. I might suddenly decide to trade something online. So, I'll just keep the app for now.

Yerdle

But I'm running out of memory. Darn 16GB iPhone. Why must I have to delete a selection of already downloaded apps? What if some day my contacts all move to TextMe and I'm behind because I don't have it? Or what if I really want to use Khan Academy and I can't just type "Khan Academy" into a browser on my phone? What will I do then? It'll be a godsend that I already downloaded the app. Wait, what folder did I place it in again? Eeh, I'll just go to Safari and type in the website. This is fastest, and I already have Safari open...

Which begs the question: Are apps even all that important? Or do they just make my phone look busy? And pretty? I have at least 50 apps I'll never use. I'm not exaggerating. I won't join Yerdle. Or TextMe. Or even Blinkist. But I just read about Blinkist. It's supposed to be awesome. If only I could remember what the app does. Oh well, I'll just leave it on my phone for now.

Blinkist: An app about books, maybe? Or blinking?

I checked online to see if my behavior is out of the ordinary. It turns out I am just like all other mobile technology users. Yahoo says that, "between 80 and 90 percent of apps are downloaded, used once, and eventually deleted by users. But deletion often comes only when your device is performing so poorly that a massive overhaul is necessary." Good thing I still have my Yahoo app to research my behavior.

I think it's time to bite the bullet and delete some of these never been used apps. It's true that too many apps slow down your phone. So, goodbye Lens Ink Free. I have no use for you, Symbol. Ohh, but Symbol offers accents. So maybe I won't delete them just yet. I no longer need Cell Splat (I never did), but I'll keep Words with Friends. In my case, it should just be called Words with Mother. She's the only person I play.

And I am not allowing myself to download any new apps this month. Ooh, but I just read really good reviews on the Royal Baby App. So maybe just that one is okay. I'll use it for sure. Princess Kate may be having twins.

You can download the royal baby app here: http://royal-baby-app.en.softonic.com/iphone

wassap?

More people in more places can now compete, connect and collaborate with equal power and equal tools than ever before.
~ Thomas Friedman

I'm learning a new language: Spanish shorthand. It's found mostly in texting. It's similar to Spanish, except that spelling doesn't matter, there's no time for adding in accents, and abbrevs. are all the norm. There's a steep learning curve. Or, as we say in Spanish text language, "x apre."

Here's a typical text message from a friend in Playa del Carmen

The same message in regular (aka longhand) Spanish would read 
"no te preocupes" or "don't worry"

My learning of shorthand comes mostly in the form of instant text messages sent to my iPhone through the wonderfully popular global app "WhatsApp?" The beauty of WhatsApp, aside from its surprising dependability, is that all messages are free. It doesn't matter where the messages are sent from or to whom they are sent. All you need is a smart phone, a WhatsApp account, and the phone number of all your friends and acquaintances. It really is that simple. Videos and photos are instantly sent and received via cellular service or an internet connection. I love the pictures I've been getting from Mexico.

Vero sent me a photo of her son Ian making pot holders!

She is great about sending out photos and videos from her phone.

I'd first heard about WhatsApp on the cusp of its impending sale to Facebook. What I've recently learned about WhatsApp is that it has existed for years. And, more impressively, so solidly has the product established itself, that it has become a part of everyday conversation around the world. Its global recognition is up there alongside Facebook. When I'd meet someone new in Mexico, something that happened several times a day, introductions were always followed by "tienes wassap?" I'd pull out my phone and enter in my new friend's contact information. I even got really adept at knowing which country codes to add. +1 in iPhone speak equals 011. Sneaky, huh?

With WhatsApp I am in constant communication with my friends over in Mexico. I love being able to practice my Spanish and learn Spanish texting shorthand. But I don't love the constant pinging of my phone. A ping means I have a new message. Although it's never just one ping. It's typically a steady stream of messages coming through. And the now all too familiar pinging sounds are definitely not restricted to occurrences solely during daylight hours. 

But this is not a shortcoming of WhatsApp. It's the price I pay for keeping my phone on, with the volume up, letting the pings come through and distract me. What can I say? I like being connected.

Want to try WhatsApp? https://www.whatsapp.com/download/

Look me up and send me a message. (Just try to make it during a reasonable hour). 
I'll get right back to you.

packing for Mexico

I leave for Mexico in 5 days and yes, I'm packing already. I am not a procrastinator. Especially when it's something I want to do. I'm packing early for a reason: to see if everything I plan to take will fit in my suitcase. Actually, I have suitcases. I'm checking a bag, but also get to carry on a small bag, with another backpack as my personal item. These items will all be heavy and bursting at the seams. But it's all for a good cause. Okay, most of it is for a good cause. 

The libraries need books. That's something I can get behind. But they also need Legos and origami paper (which I realize I could just convert from regular paper, but why settle for less than the real thing if you have a couple of Gringas heading down from California to shower you with gifts).

How do I pack for a month in Mexico? I'm not the light traveler I used to be (see my first post, entitled a digital revolution (and revelation) for the exhaustive packing list of electronics I plan to pack into my three bags). When I returned from Honduras, I could fit everything I owned in a car (which I didn't even own). Now I not only own a car, and a bicycle, and an entire house full of furniture, but I also have furniture in my parent's basement. Does anyone really need this much stuff? Don't worry, this will not be another one of the posts about how I simplified my life. My life is not simple, I have "stuff" I use all the time, and I'm planning on keeping it.

But, aside from all my cameras and computers and charging cables, what else do I pack? I have so many unanswered questions - what do people wear in Mérida? In the libraries? At the ruins? What I'm really trying to ask is, "do I want to look ridiculously American? Or do I want to try to blend in a little bit?" And how am I going to deal with the heat? I've been in San Francisco way too long. I'm always cold, don't have air conditioning, and don't even own a single pair of flip flops (I bought a pair for the trip!)

So, here is what I really think as I pack. What will the final ratio be between items for Karen and items for the Yucatecos? At quick glance, I estimate 50/50. But I haven't packed any of my clothes yet. 

My suitcase so far

The Harry Potter in Spanish is for the kids. As are the Legos. 

The hat and shoes will be donated when I leave. 

So really, I'm not packing 50/50. I'm at 95/5.

how to write an iBook - part 1

A few months ago, I met a professional colleague. We were comparing tablets/digital book reading apps, when she showed me her iBooks. She had created them by writing the code herself. They were fun, beautifully laid out, and, most importantly, interactive. There were pictures and stories narrated by her daughter. There were student drawings and activities and a page inside an iBook where you can practice writing your signature directly on the pad. I was sold. Actually, I was more than sold - I joined the company. And that is how my partnership with Sue was born. I knew a good (actually, a great) idea when I saw it. This is where my allegiance with StoryRobin, Inc comes from.

What do I do for StoryRobin? Well, aside from editing content and writing our business plan, I am going to write an iBook. The iBooks (StoryRobin is up to about 10 at last count) are Sue's lifeline. Trained as an Art Docent for her daughter's school district, Sue works with fellow docents to create the best, most educational, most accurate iBooks about different artists. From Georgia O'Keeffe to Leonardo da Vinci, Sue is passionate about her final products. 

Yesterday, Sue shared her "secret sauce" with me. 

I'm heading to Mexico (the Yucatan) next week. Why not ask the Yucatecos to help me write an iBook about Mayans? I can't wait! I have big plans for this project. Write the iBook, visit the ruins, learn more than what's in the Encyclopedia, take pictures, and ask the children of the Yucatan to add their content; original drawings and stories. Oh, and translate it all back and forth (English to Spanish then back to English).

But first, Sue has to tell me "how to write a StoryRobin iBook." While I don't want to give away our secret formula (we are selling these iBooks for profit after all), I do want to keep my audience in the loop as I go through the new process of writing my own iBook. It's not that frequently any more that I have access to students interested in drawing and art.

Plus, Mayans are cool. The whole lunar calendar, codexes (sounds cool), and human sacrifices (Sue told me NOT to mention anything in the book about cannibalism/sacrifice). Easy enough.

I spent the day creating an "Outline" for the iBook - what will we cover, what do students already know (or assume) about Mayans, where should be focus (the Yucatec Mayans, of course). What I ended up with was a perfectly cited research paper. In a word, boring. No wonder I need to Sue.

Take out the words, and add in the pictures (example below).

So, how to write an iBook - part 1 is under way. Stay tuned for parts 2 - infinity. I have a feeling this is no small undertaking.

Sue's comments:

• Add stories.
• Add something related to today’s life.
• Add pictures.
• Include more fun facts.

My response:

Ceramic cacao vessel lid from Tonina.
Cacao beans guarded by monkey

Photo courtesy of Maya Exhibition, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau

life before technology

I took part in a sociological study; one that I think about often.

In the village I called home from 2004-2006, a few of my neighbors had
televisions – and cable. What kind of cable tv worked out into the rural
countryside of Honduras? I don't know. What I do know is that one single cable
made its way into my village, and snaked it's way throughout the more posh
parts of town (some streets had nice houses, while others had shacks with no
electricity). 

What's important about this "cable" is that what it truly brought with
it was Telenovelas. If you aren't familiar with a Telenovela, a Spanish soap
opera, it's a 5-6 month long saga that plays out for one hour, four nights a
week (Monday-Thursday).

Here is the opening from one of my town's favorite Novelas: Rubí. It was quite
addictive, honestly.



With the injection of a steady stream of Telenovelas into Pulperias up and down my street, I witnessed dramatic changes. Changes in behavior and vocabulary. Changes in teenage drama and a staggering increase in teen pregnancy rates.

I saw a direct link between the plotlines of these Novelas, and the dramatic issues the teens in my town would complain about. How did I know their problems were Novela driven? 

Let's take a look at the plot of Rubí: Rubí starts dating Alejandro, but when she finds out that he comes from a middle-class background and is not rich, she decides to dump him. She then decides to seduce Héctor, who is wealthy but engaged to a friend. When Hector dumps his fiance, and marries Rubí, she decides several years later she wants Alejandro, because he is now rich (she even kills Alejandro's fiance). These were not the problems common to the teenagers in a rural Honduran village. But they were now the exact problems the students (many my students) would complain about. So and so is rich (a ridiculous concept in Gualaco) and must be "seduced". I could hear the students repeating lines from Rubí verbatim. How did I know? I watched Rubí for background.

What I want to know now is this: what has technology brought and changed? Are the inhabitants of Latin American villages smarter, now that they are "more educated"? Are students who have never set foot outside the village more worldly now? Are their babies healthier because they can look up answers to common infant illnesses?

Or have computers (and the internet) just brought easier, more universal access to Novelas? Are students concentrating on teenage drama and sex scandals more than homework assignments? Haven't Americans been caught doing the same? Perhaps technology really does even the playing field. We can all spy on Kate Middleton bathing nude, if we so choose. We can spend our hard earned Pesos on an hour of internet, instead of on a Coca Cola. There isn't any more money in my village, just another way to spend it. 

I can't wait to see how the Mayan students of the Yucatan choose to spend their limited (albeit no cost) internet search time. Will they look up maps of the world, answer math problems, sign onto Kahn Academy, or read books online? Will they watch YouTube and Vine and Telemundo? Or will they do all these things? I have my suspicions (social networking - but which ones?) 

I can't wait to see how life before computers becomes a fading memory.

a digital revolution (and revelation)

It all starts like this:
I joined the Peace Corps in 2004. I didn't bring a digital camera with me. I didn't have an iPod, iPads weren't invented yet, and I didn't have a laptop. I brought the following gadgets to reside with me in my rural Honduran village for two years:
- CDs (music, media, and blank)
- a portable CD player
- a 35mm film camera
- 4 books

While in Honduras, I acquired the following:
- a digital camera (to replace the film one I had lost during a boozy night at the Mangosta)
- a flash drive (to replace the CDs that melted. yes, CDs melt in the Carribean heat)
- a portable DVD player and pirated DVDs from the street vendors in Tegucigalpa
- a cell phone (there were some family emergencies that I felt necessitated a cheap Honduran cell phone)
- a bicycle (which was stolen when I lent it to a friend)

A typical afternoon spent in my house in Gualaco, Honduras

No technology needed to color, draw, and paint (circa 2005)

In 2014, I head to Mexico for one month with the following technological devices:
- an iPhone (4s, so not totally up to date)
- an iPod (the nano 6th generation is a runner's dream gadget)
- an iPad (that I bought for cheap off Craigslist)
- an Ultrabook (Acer Aspire)
- a DSLR camera and 4 lenses
- 2 physical books for reading (I don't do the Kindle thing, which I'll get to later)
- 3 Harry Potter books in Spanish (for the libraries).
- I plan to pick up a TelCel Sim card while in Mexico (I'm job interviewing & don't want to miss a call)
- a UV water filter

What does all this mean? In a period of 10 years, I've gone digital. And not just digital, but to the cloud. Gone are my physical DVDs. By the wayside are my jump drives. All my documents are on Dropbox. And Google Drive. And iCloud. And on my external hard drive. It's all virtually there, right at my fingertips. Where are all my old, useless (I deem them as having no use) gadgets? Given away to the lovely people of Honduras, thrown away, or, hopefully, recycled. 

I'm heading to Mexico in two weeks to install computers into libraries spread throughout the Yucatan. I'm setting up libraries (my very favorite places on earth, which are filled with books) with computers. Why? I don't know. But, armed with my gadgets, I'm ready to find out.