sundayscribblings

Every now and then we hold a conference, chat conference online that is, my 5 other siblings and I. One brother chillin’ in Tokyo, 3 brothers in the Philippines (different locations) and my only sister in my parent’s house also in the Philippines.

I say I have to thank the internet so badly. It is saving me lots of airplane tickets as well as scary telephone bills. Eleven long years ago, I always find myself sulking in my school dormitory with nothing to do on weekends. I don’t count tons of Japanese language as “something to do”, it was “something to do or die thing…”

Oh, I wish blogging is as hip then as it is now!

On Friday nights then, I would phone home and act surprised every time I get my phone bills. Whoa! almost half of my meager scholarship allowance goes to my telephone bills. Weeks came and went and so were most of my money. But I did not complain, I don’t have any form of connection with my “other” world. That time, the internet and email was already existing and kicking in some popularity but in that part of the world that is called the Philippines, only well off individuals own a PC and back then my family is not among those individuals (we are not rich now but we were able to buy a PC already).

I would write letters in the middle of my boring classes and religiously send it every weekend but I still phone them. Nothing feels like hearing voices of loved ones on the telephone, made me feel I am not alone, that they are around me, only invisible.

Now, as I speak, the internet cafes in my once silent town is multiplying like mushrooms, looming here and there. The internet, what I call, the gateway to the rest of the world has found its way into the homes of the common people even not rich nor famous.

I chat with my family, I hear their voices over IP phone, free! I am forever grateful to this technology. I plug in my webcam and they see me, they love looking at my growing daughter and I don’t know if they will ever know how much it means to me to see them even in my PC screen.

My family and I have electronic proximity. Much as I want to take the next available flight home, money matters matters alot especially now that I have my own family so the internet is the next best thing there is.

I am thinking: if internet was this active then, I would have saved on all that telephone bills and become one of the richest girl in the world now.

This writing exercise is fueled by the writing prompt “now and then” at Sunday Scribblings.