No internet, no problem

When I read @Bloghound's Off-Grid Freedom, I instantly remembered the time when I first experienced being in a slightly off grid location. Again another first time for me. What are your experiences of doing things for the first time? I have shared some of my first time experiences here already like the time that I had my first job, my first domestic and international trip even my first heartbreak. Isn't it exciting to do a thing for the first time whether it is safe or dangerous, we are thrilled to do it because we have not experienced it before?

Have you ever experienced a moment where you are in an off grid location? For how long? What did you do during those times? Have you ever imagined yourself being in a place that has no signal and that means no internet as well? I am from the generation where I grew up playing street games like patintero, taguan, tumbang preso and a lot more. I can say that we were the luckiest for having been able to experience playing outside. Then there was the birth of brick games. From brick games to Game Boy to other Nintendo game consoles to Sony Play Stations that had made our childhood even more fun.

Then internet was introduced. I was already in high school when we learned about the world wide web. That time our connection was through a dial up and we would buy prepaid internet cards just to surf the web. I forgot how much our cards cost that time but it was expensive as it was per hour. Until some companies have started to sell internet cards for longer hours but it was still expensive. Sometimes 1 card is just enough to do a research or do emails because of the slow internet speed that we have here in our country. If you think 30Mbps is slow then you have not experienced how slow it was back then. It can really test a person's patience. LOL.

I have experienced a life with and without internet. So I have no problem being in an off grid location BUT I think I could only last for a day or 2. At this day and age where we rely so much on internet whether for work, entertainment or even convenience, a day or probably 2 is long enough don't you think? I for instance am relying on internet and my smartphone because this is where I get money to pay for my bills. So when my phone died on me 2 months ago, I was missing in action for more than a week and so does my earnings. However, if I have a physical job, I would only need my phone during break time and when I am about to go home because I always message my mom and/or my dad.

There were 2 moments in my life where I have experienced being in a slightly off grid location. The first one was in an unfamiliar place in Tagaytay.That time there was still no Waze and it was the age of Nokia 3310. Our ride when we went there didn't showed up on the day that we were suppose to go back to Manila as the driver had some important things to do and said that he would pick us the following day. We were there for less than a week with no neighbors in the area. Seems scary right? It was what we felt during our first night but we got to enjoy by drinking every night and playing board games during the day. We did not have any adult supervision that we did all the cooking and even went to a public market to buy the ingredients. When we told that our parents that we have to stay for another night, they got worried so one of my friend's dad drove all the way from Quezon City to an unknown place in Tagaytay or in Alfonso Cavite to be exact to pick her daughter. He can only take a few people with him since he was using a sedan car and I was able to go home with them. It was really an unforgettable experience for all of us since it was our first time to be away from home and without any adults to look over us.

The second time that I was in a slightly off grid location was when I went to Potipot Islands with my cousin and his family few years back. We were 3 adults and 1 kid. We just had our phones to take pictures. We can actually use our mobile data but that can drain our battery and we needed to save it because we need to contact our boatman the following day. We did have power banks but we have already used it during our travel. We did not expect that there would not be any charging outlets in the island. Past midnight we were able to charge our phones from a sari-sari store or a convenience store in the island. There were a lot who had their phones and power banks lined up that we only got to charge ours by that time. Even if we did had our gadgets charged, we decided to still save our battery.

I loved that moment because it was my first time to experience building a tent and sleeping on it with the beach that was just upfront. The sound of the waves did calm and relax me. I think it was one of the trips wherein I have been one with nature and in which I have slowly started to let go and accepted whatever life has to offer. I slowly learned to love myself again no matter what size or how heavy I was that time. I admit that I was kind of scared (again) because of a lot of things. When we got to the island, there were plenty of people and I instantly thought about how are we going to sleep, are we safe and how are we going to guard our things when we are going to swim or when we are sleeping. I think it was only me who was thinking about it during that time. My cousin and his wife had already experienced hiking probably twice but I do not know if they have already slept on an island before. So I just hid my valuables somewhere inside the tent but not inside my bag. I was also able to sleep comfortably because I did not sleep during the whole trip as I was talking to my cousin to keep him awake as well.

During that time I was actually not that active on social media anymore. I would just post photos either in Facebook or Instagram so that I have something to look back if I would erase the photos on my phone. My social media accounts has became my virtual photo album of my life's events. It is also my way of updating our relatives abroad. Also around those times, I would only use my phone as a means of communication to family and friends.

If you are not depending on the internet or your gadgets for school or work, how long do you think can you last without using it? As for me I think I can last for months since it is not all the time someone would call or message me. Life of being a single. LOL. But can we actually live without internet and gadget? Can you?

P.S. my lead image was our tent during that time.