Kate discovering a whole new world--without technology!

Recently I can’t help but think about everything I’m going to miss when we leave Cape Town in less than 3 weeks. Yesterday the thing on my mind was technology, or rather the lack there of. I can’t help but dread going back to my blackberry, having wifi on my ipod touch, youtube, tivo, the list goes on. I never thought I’d say it, but being without these things for so long has been nothing short of heaven. I lost my cell phone about 2 months ago, and because getting a new one requires both a passport and proof of residence (something I still don’t have) I’ve been without any sort of phone since that fateful day. At first it really bothered me, having no way to contact anyone, but I’ve grown to absolutely love it. And for all you readers worried about the safety that a phone provides, worry no longer, I’m very good about making sure I’m ALWAYS with someone who has one. Not only is being out of contact extremely refreshing, but so too has not having present the constant distraction that seems to come with cell phones these days. I’ve come to despise the day that I’m responsible for not only responding promptly to calls and texts, but to emails too. Furthermore, the experience I’ve had without my precious dvr has really made me question how necessary things like these are; things that seem to have become almost necessities in many people’s lives. I promise life is enjoyable even without your favorite TV show, or TV in general, and I’ll be the first to admit that I too was skeptical of this before journeying across the ocean. Recently I’ve been questioning if I’ll even pick those same shows back up when I get home. I have gained more from interacting with people on the street (people who I probably wouldn’t even see at home because of how focused on my cell phone I was) than I ever could from a cell phone, reality TV show, or useless youtube video. I guess the point of this post is to encourage everyone to step out of his or her “comfort zones,” and get away from technology, even if it’s just for a little! I promise you’ll survive.