Iphone and Travel

For many years, I watched all my friends strut around with their Iphones in and out of fashion events, parties, and nightclubs in New York and Los Angeles.  It was like the coolest thing to have and if you didn’t have one you were “Out.”

For years, I was “Out” and I refused to conform to the “Apple Iphone World.” For years, I was content with my Ipod shuffle that held 200 songs or so. It was not about having all the expensive gadgets to be in trend. When you have an Iphone, you are making a statement and I was not interested in making the statement.  It was my responsibility to sometimes send text messages or look something up with my friends Iphone. The touchscreen was actually hard for me to use and I didn’t understand how to properly use it-true fact. 

Often when traveling, I saw American’s and travelers with these Iphones. It looked convenient and like something that would be handy for information.

After 5 years of not having an Iphone, I conformed when returning from Morocco and received a Free Iphone 5.  I still did not want to get one when I came back, but it was Free.  It’s not a great excuse as values and morals trump materialism, but not in this case.  I hopped on board to the Iphone world and as I figured-it’s a point of no return.

There is no possible way to say that having an Iphone while traveling is not useful. It is extremely useful for me to write and connect to WIFI to communicate back home.  I am behind with technology as I just started using Whatsapp this year and was not even aware of how you could connect for free with the world.  It would have been great to use on my first trip and preferred over facebook, which I will not use anymore. 

Abroad, it’s not so cool to have one when you are a traveler because practically everyone does.  Although, it is still very cool for one person- the local.  The local who can’t afford one and the local who wants one so badly-it’s a reason for me to not have one. 

The biggest thing I do not like about having one is presenting in front of others.  When I use it for Notes constantly, I have it out and it is always on display.   It is very exciting to a local who sits and stares at it with such envy as if you had a thousand dollars sitting in your hand.  In some countries with the value of the Iphone, it is almost $1,000.  This part of having it is what makes me want to not have one.  The last thing I want to do is present materialism as flashy, cool importance.  That sends the wrong message and I have to provide clarity to children and adults. 

For example, a man singing a trumpet in the middle of the market stared at my phone and asked about if it records.  I told him that it does record, but it has limited space.  This is a Belizian man who is very poor and probably can’t afford to buy groceries for a full week. 

He says to me, “I’m going to get the newest version of that very soon.”

Pris: “Really? How much do you think a new one costs here.”

I don’t know, but I want it. 

Pris: Okay why do you want it?

To record video.

Pris: Don’t you think you could use something else to record? Something less affordable?

Yeah I could

Pris: What if you didn’t record and you just kept playing beautiful music for people? The Iphone holds no importance in your self-expression. If you really have a purpose for a video camera, then you can buy one second hand.  The only reason I have this phone is to voice record and write-that’s it. It’s not important, it’s just an electronic. 

Okay, that’s very nice. Thanks so much young lady. Thank you.

You’re welcome. God Bless and Take care.

These conversations happen frequently with locals who don´t have a smart phone, but they desire it so badly.  While it´s not important, the world of Apple makes it important. At the end of the day, our human values trump the phone because it holds greater importance to our being and growth. The Iphone will never outshine the interpersonal interaction-never, never, and never. 

Electronic Overload

Just yesterday in the local cafe, I saw an American guy about 24 and he was sitting with his Mac Book, his Ipad, Iphone, and an professional Canon camera. I sat and looked at him and shook my head thinking, "Really?  We are in a developing country and you have thousands of dollars of electronics sitting in front of you. It is just mind boggling to me to think that people have little awareness into their physical location and how they impact others.  Of course, these are his personal items that he is allowed to carry, but he is in a local cafe in Guatemala not in a 5 star hotel in Switzerland. 

One has to access their environment before exposing all these electronics to the world.  In posh cities like New York, Miami, LA-flashing all these electronics looks cool, but in a developing country you are just making local's mouths drool. They would love to have all those electronics and they may just have one or two of those items.   Although, if they do it took them time to save up and buy them.  People with Iphones have to work for them and they hold such high value to their phone because if it ever disappears , they are back to their $20 Samsung.  

Many times, I observe the expression of people who are staring intently at an electronic.  When I see this face, it just confirms my theory and at the same time it makes me feel bad.  Many believe that having this electronic will take them to a different status, but in reality it just depreciates ones real value.  A person is just fine with their interpersonal interaction and they do not need this item to boost their self worth.  It is a false belief and that is what makes it the most sad is those who believe it will change them or make them a better person.  It's just a materialistic thing and it serves a purpose. There are so man amazing electronics for travel, but when do we decide enough is enough?

As for myself, on my last trip, I had a cheap camera, mini laptop, and an Ipod shuffle.  This trip, I have a mini laptop, an Iphone, and a cheap camera.  It was something I debated frequently before leaving whether I should bring an expensive camera or a nice video camera.  I received a nice gift of a brand new professional Canon, but I just couldn't take it because the thought of it being damaged, but mainly it would be an "electronic overload." To bring a cheap camera, a good camera, an Iphone, and a computer. There is not a true necessity for each one of these items and in reality just one would suffice for the whole trip.  While one of the main purposes of this trip was to record my travels and interactions with people, it clearly became less important with this trip. The blessed interaction is present and that cannot be denied.  The video camera would assist at confirming this connection and skill, but it's saved  for another trip.  

As far as this traveling generation, it just seems like a big "electronic overload" to me.  With the kindles, the Iphones, the Ipads, the cameras, the underwater cameras, the action recorders, and the computers. It's just too much technology for an average human being to have to take in.  How can a local person even comprehend having all this when they have to work 2 jobs just to support their family?  While these electronics are advertised and becoming popular in developing countries, we are communicating to people that they are important to have when health, education, proper nutrition, and good interpersonal relationships are more important.  They are not important rather the human being is important. One  may think, "Well that is easy for you to say when you have an  Iphone and a computer." The ability to detach from these materialistic items is what is truly important for growth. 

 For me, it's not about the electronic rather it's about the interaction.  Of course not everyone is an extrovert and wants to go sit and talk to locals all day, but putting in more effort with locals and less effort into technology can make a difference.   That tourist sitting  with their 5 electronics should be out having a real conversation with a local.  Many tourists sit all day with their electronics without spending one minute with a local.  It's the nature of tourism and electronic obsession does not help the matter.  

Get out of the Apple world and into people world!