Getting connected

I tell them that they should not have any trouble getting online in Turkey as there are Internet cafes everywhere and wireless Internet is common. This is especially true in the urban areas, but you’d be surprised by the number of Internet cafés outside the major cities.

However, I have found that when I travel in the States, this is not always the case. To be fair, there are not that many Internet cafés, but you can pop into a local library and get a visitor card to use the computers.

There are places where some American homes still do not have easy Internet access or the plan is expensive. Some of my friends who live in such areas told me that they could get service but it would cost through the tooth and they could not justify it.

One dear friend of mine said, “Living out in the flatland of Texas with open range and cattle would have to provide enough distraction, until the prices come down.”

Turks love the Internet.

There are still places where cable may not be available around Turkey, but in comparison to my home country, Turkey has done well in this area.

A couple of years ago I set up a writer’s studio with a friend in the Thrace region, near Tekirdağ, along the Marmara Sea. The building did not have telephone access from the start. We drove around the town to see if it would be possible to go to an Internet café to send files, when necessary. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of Internet cafés. Some were small and dinky with rows of computers which are usually used by neighborhood children enjoying their favorite game and others are nicely furnished cafés with wireless available. We were set -- our minds were at rest -- no problem.

When I shared this with a few friends back in İstanbul they thought I had gone mad. No Internet in the studio?

It was as if I had announced that I had plans to be anti-social and cut myself off from the world.

I tried to explain that I would have Internet when the telephone/ADSL was available but for the moment it wasn’t.

Actually some of my friends back in the States confided that they have had similar responses when they have told their friends and relatives that they can’t afford cable in the home right now.

During this economic crisis some people have had to choose to discontinue their cable Internet service for a period.

Next came the hard part. Have you tried to go more than a day or two without easy Internet access? The withdrawal period was not as easy as one may think. You may find that you experience some pretty peculiar behavior. All of a sudden you have more free time than you are use to.

Having this experience of being disconnected for a period of time actually opened a new perspective on things for me:

Time for me to actually talk more with people.

Time for taking longer walks by the sea with the dogs.

Time to enjoy the beautiful gardens the local Turks tend to so carefully and take pride in.

Time to admire the quince and cherry trees in blossom.

When needed, I make my way to the local Internet café. My inbox keeps filling whether I have an Internet connection or not. Getting out to use the local Internet café provides opportunity to meet other people.

Now that ADSL is available in the building I need to decide whether I want to give up what I have discovered by not having Internet. After all, not having it there gave me more opportunity when I was doing some creative writing to actually think creatively and use my imagination.

Have you had an experience of not being connected? No access to the Internet? How was it for you?

I hope as some of you celebrate the Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı: Eid al-Adha) you’ll be able to connect with your friends and relatives.