Same Same But Different

Does this scene look familiar? I see it all the time, everywhere. Not just teens or young people, but children, working adults, middle-aged folks, even the elderly. We're practically glued to our mobile devices. A lecturer once said of her niece, "Like any teenager, her cell phone is an extension of her hand." Well, it's not just teenagers anymore.

Today's newspaper supplement called "Digital Life" had an editorial by the editor saying that he misses taking public transport because he can't play games, interact with his friends or listen to music all at the same time, while driving a car. In a country where public transport is the norm, I completely agree with him.

What has our world come to? I was chatting over Skype with an Australian friend yesterday. I said that his friend has all my contact info: cell phone number, email, skype, Facebook, but we still have yet to meet in person, even though I was the one who helped get her settled into Singapore and into a local church! A few South African friends visiting Hong Kong for the first time commented that everybody in the train (including old folks) were playing games on their phones. In South Africa, on the other hand, people would be talking to each other, even if they were perfect strangers.

Different cultures of the world are vastly different. Each of us in different countries do things that outsiders will never understand. We even speak different languages that have to be learned. Yet, we really are the same - united by technology and global brands such as Apple and Samsung. Mobile devices can be found even in a remote village. So what next? Are we different or the same?

I would like to maintain the good things of tradition and custom, while wholeheartedly embracing the new technology. I still want to learn languages to touch the heart of a people group - something technology can never do. We are human after all. So, let's reach out to a new culture today! Enjoy learning! Fun Language Tools