The space program and living abroad

What is the relationship between the space program and living abroad? OK, this is going to be a stretch. One of the major justifications for the space program is that it drives technological innovation. Now living abroad may not drive global technological innovation, but it certainly increases individual technological mastery, adoption, and some innovation. I have lived outside the U.S. (not counting living in southern Louisiana) four times in four different technological eras. There is nothing like living abroad to force yourself to learn particular technological skills.

England and Europe in 1975--mastery of the phone that eats coins as you use time; use of a particular "magic" phone box in London that allowed you to make calls to the U.S. at no cost if you would use a particular sequence of numbers. Yes, it actually worked. I'm not saying where it was :) Ability to write and send letters in multiple countries and find American Express offices to receive mail in any city. Mastery of good printing to use in writing academic papers for class (no typewriter available). Traveller's checks. Card catalog at a library about 40 miles away. No phones, no computers, no internet, no contact with home. How did my parents ever let me do this at the age of 18???

Canada in 1995--Fulbright application submitted in 5 hard copies. Money came in a check to establish a Canadian account with a cash card--what is that? The internet at work was nice to use. We did have a phone in our apartment which had to be put in our name so bills had to be changed, etc. And we had Canadian TV and CBC news. And our car was full of books and photocopies on the way home. We took lots of photos and slides which had to be developed. I wrote letters to arrange for all of this. I did take disks home with all my notes but no attachments to email available. We had to close the account and take the balance of the money home.

New Zealand in 2002--no need for an account because I just used my U.S. bank cash card as either credit card or to withdraw cash. I had to pay the phone bill, etc. ahead before I left and leave signed checks for other bills. I could see my balance and charges but that was it. The digital camera with the floppy disk was nice while it lasted--1 gbyte. We had to take film to make sure we had some. Our suitcases were full of documents to take with me and we destroyed a suitcase coming home with printed matter. The CDs that the girls brought with them weighed a ton and we had to get a CD player. The dial-up internet at home sufficed. We missed U.S. TV. My mother called us on the phone each Saturday on time purchased on the internet--cheap at 5 cents a minute. And then we had to buy speakers that plugged in to use with our computer and the wall to play music on the computer and a printer that matched their power. I bought a little transistor radio to get the news--usually which roads were closed on the South Island due to cattle or sheep being in the way. I had to order my absentee ballot before I left. We sent emails with photos attached. Very little mail went back and forth, except for a package with Butterfingers for my daughters. And our two laptops weighed a ton to bring along. Someone at home has to look through the mail and decide what to do with it. I joined a local bookclub.


Hong Kong in 2010--Fulbright application all on line with no hard copies. I had to learn on-line banking so I could continue to pay bills at home and had to learn to do the same with Hong Kong system and account--two passwords. Money automatically placed in my accounts. Who has ever heard of sending emails and photos? Why not just learn to establish and maintain a blog--another password. Of course, who would use film in a camera? I just put the digital camera in my pocket and download pictures when I wish and post on the blog. And what a blessing--I can listen to NPR, Newshour, and my regular radio stations on line through our computer and broadband network. Of course we had to have cell phones so we went and bought a couple cheap ones and then went to 7-11 to get a sim card to put in the phone that gave it a number and minutes. We just recharge by buying more time through 7-11 and when we go to China we will take that Sim card out and buy another for China. We text and call each other. I have EVERYONE's phone number I know in HK in my phone--no hard copy. CDs? Who has ever heard of CDs? We have all our music on either our ipod or Blackberry that I brought with me which we can hook into our speakers that we borrowed here. Printed matter is a thing of the past. I just make PDFs or file and putting them on a jumpdrive or my computer or email them to myself. There is that wonderful Octopus card that we put money on for transportation--just scan it at the 7-11 and hand them the cash. No English TV? We do have netflix at home but were blocked from accessing our on-line movies because we were in Asia. No problem--it did take a huge amount of technological innovation and learning--we hook to Calvin College through a VPN (virtual personal network) so that it thinks we are in the US. Oh the joy of a Friday night movie in English. Of course you have to get a cable that connects the TV to the computer and then a long extension cord and long broadban cable so that the computer can stay connected to the network but be placed in the middle of the room, close enough to the TV to be hooked to it. Just don't trip over all the wires. And when you move the computer and speakers another direction you can listen to NPR while doing the dishes. And skype. What can I say? I talk with family and friends daily AND SEE THEM. OK--another password. I can see when they are on without scheduling an appointment. I can even walk to the kitchen and make a cup of coffee while talking with them. And I can have two friends on at once for a conversation. I can talk to both of my parents at the same time. My daughter does facebook while being on-line with a friend. It is like they are sitting next to each other and working on different projects, occassionally talking to each other. And we can talk to our cat! (not that he pays attention). My daughter at home holds up the mail for me to see so I can decide which pile it needs to go in--she sends me PDFs of bills I need to pay on line. And if she pays something for me I can immediately transfer money to her account. Book club? I attended my own book club via skype and saw everyone--it was on a book about women in China. OK--I didn't get to taste all the good food that usually comes with the book. Maybe the next time I go abroad...