76) Security Blanket

This may be the understatement of the century, but our reliance on the internet is astounding. And like so many other crutches, we never fully appreciate it until we don't have it. Having left my cell phone in LA, I arrived in Barcelona internetless. I arrived at the residence where I'm staying a few hours early, and had to hang out in the computer lab with my bags. I quickly jumped on one of the computers and checked all my usual interweb haunts - Gmail, Facebook, LA Times, NY Times, etc, carefully navigating the Spanish keyboard. Tired and malnourished (I wasn't kidding about the saltines, Sour Patch Kids and Milanos diet) in a foreign place, it was a great comfort to be online. With access to the internet, it was like, hey, this isn't so different.

Then after I got into my room, there came a momentary panic when I thought I couldn't access the internet from my room. This may sound like not a big deal - I'd already established that I could pop down to the computer lab if need be. However, I realized that I use the internet self-consciously as a verifier. That is, aside from email, social media and news, I'm constantly looking this up. Namely directions, definitions, restaurant reviews, and very likely in Spain, translations. I use the internet to verify things for myself, things as obvious as the current time in Barcelona to make sure my clocks were all correct. Sure, I could stop and ask someone on the street for directions or for the time. But I've gotten so used to the self-sufficiency that the internet provides. It's like this definitive voice that quickly assures me, yes, this info is correct. So the thought of having to go down to the computer lab every time I needed a shot of reassurance freaked me out.

Eventually, I was able to get online in my room (and typing on my own laptop, whew) thanks to an ethernet cable I purchased at the front desk for 5 euro. The woman who helped me made it sound like it was a huge sacrifice. "Oh," she said apologetically, "we don't have wifi, so if you want internet in your room, you have to get a cable. It's...5 euro." In my mind, it was a very small price to pay for what amounts to the biggest security blanket ever.

(Mini aside - I'm HERE!! After finally getting into my room, I passed out for a few hours [the timing was perfect - my first siesta!], my back a mess having sat upright for the past 20 hours or so. My apartment is great, a lot more spacious than I had imagined. Once I'm all unpacked I'll take some pictures to share. I keep poking my head out of my window. I'm excited to explore the neighborhood over the next couple days before class starts.)