Jul

16

By Karin ter Horst

A story from a Dutch intern in Nigeria

Really, I couldn’t wait to open my inbox in my internet browser. I hadn’t used my laptop for a whole week so it took some time to starting up. I entered my password to log in and saw 81 new mails. Where to start?! I scanned quickly all the messages on my screen: mails from my Dutch friends who were missing me, photographs from my father and invitations for summer parties. Besides these messages there were also less attractive messages, like reminders for library books and bank accounts.

This was the first time I had access to the World Wide Web after one week staying in Nigeria. For me, it’s a new record! Never in my young life had I lived such a long period without Internet. Although I was busy with learning to eat Nigerian spicy food last week. Besides I also had to learn some Pitching English and a few African dance moves from students in Lagos. So actually, I didn’t have the time to think about using Internet or checking my Facebook. Maybe you think it’s crazy, but in the Netherlands I’m used to do it at least four times a day!

My whole life I wanted to visit Africa. This summer I got the chance to do a development internship in Lagos. So that’s the reason why this internet addicted Dutch girl came to Nigeria. In this country you have to pay for every minute you’re online. Normally I should take all the possible time to answer my messages and to upload some new photographs on my travelblog. But now I will be as fast as I can, because of my host family. I made a plan to read all these 81 mails. I decided to start with the most urgent mails. So I sended my dad a mail that I’m still alive in Africa.

In the Netherlands it’s normal that everyone has access to information and communication technology (ICT). Additional you can use broadband Internet for a standard amount a month. That makes it’s possible to search, learn, shop and communicate on your personal computer (PC) or laptop: at office, home, school and university, wherever you want. Nowadays there are a lot of people who are using the Internet on their laptop or mobile phone when they are travelling. Children with the age of four years are already playing educational games on the PC and young people build their social networks by chatting and social media, for instance Facebook. Another possibility for foreigners, for example, is to call with family in other countries with Skype. Internet makes the world smaller and accessible.

The man was head of the family and was all day working, that’s what the traditional roles were in a Dutch family, 50 years ago. Women stayed at home to take care of the children and to clean the house. Nowadays, the most Dutch women have a job also, mainly part-time. It’s normal to go studying after primary school. Both, for boys ánd girls. To be honest, girls finishing their university in average earlier than their male fellow students.  For so far the access and use of ICTs is the same for boys and girls to raise their goals. But one thing has to be said: Boys will spend more time on online gaming.

Then, my time was up, I had to turn off my laptop. The Korean girls who were also staying at the host family really wanted to chat with some friends in South-Korea, so they were waiting. But I forgot almost the most important thing: my mail inbox from the university. So the last thing I did was checking if I received some results of exams by mail. That wasn’t the case, the only thing I received was a message that I should order my new books for next college year. But that’s an issue to worry about later. First I will enjoy Nigeria. With or without Internet.


Comments

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

Blogroll

WP Themes