Life is better in Cuba with limited Internet. Interesting observation.

[kork]

So the family just got back from a vacation to cuba. We stayed at an all inclusive and access to the Internet was somewhat limitied. Sure, I could have paid $12/day for international roaming, but I opted instead for $1/hour access through an internet card.

And you know what? It was like going back to having time limits on access.  The time spent was “quality time” as opposed to “always on.” Access.  I didn’t check my phone every 5 minutes.  I didn’t have ding and whistles going off all the time. The Internet was “by appointment only” and there was a nostalgia feel to have a set amount of time like the old days of “10 free hours” with AOL.

Anyways, I thought that I would share that limited exposure to something created a higher appreciation and joy from it in a world where we’re living in excess of so much! At least, that’s what I took from the observation.

[cap396]

I've had similar experiences traveling to Cuba and other places as well.  Taking a break from technology can really improve travel experiences.

[wenchsenior]

Yes, I found I am much happier in places that allow only limited internet connectivity.  We worked in the Caribbean for years, and when we started there was only extremely slow internet available on one old computer in a tiny hot phone  cubicle, shared by all the people on the island.  Smartphones weren't that common, and they were useless anyway.  There were no tvs either, only radios, and no radios in the actual rooms we stayed in.  It was glorious.

Over the years, the hotel  we stayed at upgraded to wi fi in the main lodge, so people would take their phones and laptops there to go online. But the hotel frowned on that, esp during the 'social hours', and the service was spotty anyway.  Eventually, they removed wi fi access in the common rooms and most of the guest rooms got wi-fi (still slow and often 'down').  I found I checked internet  A LOT more when I could do it anytime I was in my room.  I didn't like it, but I still found myself checking it.  I did not find the working stints there as much of an escape as in the early days.

This is absolutely one of the main reasons I do not want a smart phone.  Life is a lot better without constant  internet access. Some internet access is great. All the time? Not so much.

[Dances With Fire]

So the family just got back from a vacation to cuba. We stayed at an all inclusive and access to the Internet was somewhat limitied. Sure, I could have paid $12/day for international roaming, but I opted instead for $1/hour access through an internet card.

And you know what? It was like going back to having time limits on access.  The time spent was “quality time” as opposed to “always on.” Access.  I didn’t check my phone every 5 minutes.  I didn’t have ding and whistles going off all the time. The Internet was “by appointment only” and there was a nostalgia feel to have a set amount of time like the old days of “10 free hours” with AOL.

Anyways, I thought that I would share that limited exposure to something created a higher appreciation and joy from it in a world where we’re living in excess of so much! At least, that’s what I took from the observation.

Just a quick story... My boss and his family went to the same vacation area we had visited a few weeks earlier. Hiking, biking, kayaking, beaches, great food, etc.

I talked with him on his return and he seemed to have no clue on what I was talking about. "All the great places and things to do." I told him.

Come to find out that he was answering company e-mails all week.???  Seriously? During the entire trip?

[mathlete]

Cool experience. Sounds interesting.

Gotta make the obligatory point that vacationing in a reality can sometimes be better than living that reality.

[Warlord1986]

I went to Morocco a few months back. Internet access was extremely limited. I think I sent maybe two emails to my parents: one to let them know I arrived safe and sound, and another with a picture of me on a camel. Other than that, my screen time was zilch. It was fantastic.

[kork]

Cool experience. Sounds interesting.

Gotta make the obligatory point that vacationing in a reality can sometimes be better than living that reality.

Oh for sure,  it was more so the observation that controlled Internet (like food and portion control) creates a higher level of appreciation and enjoyment when you actually have it.  When you don't have it, you don't necessarily miss it though and can focus on other, more meaningful things.

[mathlete]

Oh for sure,  it was more so the observation that controlled Internet (like food and portion control) creates a higher level of appreciation and enjoyment when you actually have it.  When you don't have it, you don't necessarily miss it though and can focus on other, more meaningful things.

It does sound very nice. I'd like to try it but I doubt my ability to enforce this exercise on myself.

[AMandM]

Works on non-vacation too.  We recently set our router on a timer to turn off wifi at 7 p.m. every day. (We can override it if necessary; we defined necessary as both husband and wife agreeing on a specific task.) We've gotten a lot more done around the house, spent more time with the kids, etc.

[dcheesi]

Cool experience. Sounds interesting.

Gotta make the obligatory point that vacationing in a reality can sometimes be better than living that reality.

Yeah, it's nice when it's at least somewhat by choice, and when you've arranged things back home to limit the need for connectivity during that time.

I regularly vacation in venues with limited connectivity, and most of the time it's great to get away from all that.

But then there was the one year where my house was on the market, but there wasn't a lot of interest --until I went to a rural camping event, that is! I got to spend my vacation frantically scrambling for what little drips of connectivity I could eek out, negotiating counter-offers by email and ultimately reviewing and signing legal documents (which took all day to download) on my little tiny phone screen. Not an experience I want to repeat!

[Penn42]

Oh for sure,  it was more so the observation that controlled Internet (like food and portion control) creates a higher level of appreciation and enjoyment when you actually have it.  When you don't have it, you don't necessarily miss it though and can focus on other, more meaningful things.

It does sound very nice. I'd like to try it but I doubt my ability to enforce this exercise on myself.

I've been close to pulling the plug on internet for some time.  Not only is the internet in my neighborhood extremely slow, but I kind of like the change by necessity approach.  Not having internet would only force me to be organized enough that I could make a single trip to the library once a week and get everything done I needed to get done.  I don't think that change would be very painful at all, but I haven't made it yet.  And the effort of being organized would be somewhat mitigated because I wouldn't have any other choice!

[Just Joe]

Years (decades) ago I moved to Europe where we didn't have cable TV, the internet was not a thing yet, and smartphones were still science fiction. We had local language OTA TV but didn't watch alot of it. The disconnect from advertising and the time sink that TV could be was wonderful.

We still get that when we return from visits where our older relatives have cable TV and a portion of the visit is spent watching reality TV and the Hallmark channel (their preference). At our house no live TV, no commercials, etc. A mental weight is lifted (mental clutter).

Need to follow the forum lead and have internet-less nights at our house. Lots of Minecraft and streaming TV most evenings. Not prepared for the tears and whining. ;)

We do switch off the internet automatically (router setting) pretty late so everyone is sleeping. Guess I just need to creep that switch off time earlier.

[kanga1622]

Years (decades) ago I moved to Europe where we didn't have cable TV, the internet was not a thing yet, and smartphones were still science fiction. We had local language OTA TV but didn't watch alot of it. The disconnect from advertising and the time sink that TV could be was wonderful.

We still get that when we return from visits where our older relatives have cable TV and a portion of the visit is spent watching reality TV and the Hallmark channel (their preference). At our house no live TV, no commercials, etc. A mental weight is lifted (mental clutter).

Need to follow the forum lead and have internet-less nights at our house. Lots of Minecraft and streaming TV most evenings. Not prepared for the tears and whining. ;)

We do switch off the internet automatically (router setting) pretty late so everyone is sleeping. Guess I just need to creep that switch off time earlier.

Your kids may be older so this might not work - but we have zero screen time allowed for kids on school days. No streaming, no games, no arguments. They have a small amount of available free time on school days and this gets them to read and play rather than fight over TV. We have a time limit for screens on non-school days. We do relax that sometimes on rainy or super cold days where a family movie is a special treat.

I dread the day that homework involves using a computer and researching online. The closest we get to that now is...Alexa, when did WWII end?

[MM_MG]

Funny.  Whenever I go on vacation the wifi/internet is limited or doesn't work.  ;)

[Just Joe]

Years (decades) ago I moved to Europe where we didn't have cable TV, the internet was not a thing yet, and smartphones were still science fiction. We had local language OTA TV but didn't watch alot of it. The disconnect from advertising and the time sink that TV could be was wonderful.

We still get that when we return from visits where our older relatives have cable TV and a portion of the visit is spent watching reality TV and the Hallmark channel (their preference). At our house no live TV, no commercials, etc. A mental weight is lifted (mental clutter).

Need to follow the forum lead and have internet-less nights at our house. Lots of Minecraft and streaming TV most evenings. Not prepared for the tears and whining. ;)

We do switch off the internet automatically (router setting) pretty late so everyone is sleeping. Guess I just need to creep that switch off time earlier.

Your kids may be older so this might not work - but we have zero screen time allowed for kids on school days. No streaming, no games, no arguments. They have a small amount of available free time on school days and this gets them to read and play rather than fight over TV. We have a time limit for screens on non-school days. We do relax that sometimes on rainy or super cold days where a family movie is a special treat.

I dread the day that homework involves using a computer and researching online. The closest we get to that now is...Alexa, when did WWII end?

Yeah we need to do that. I've been adding some activities to our evenings - more walks for example - that offsets screen time. Eldest is self policing at this point and near launch into adulthood. Other child is the focus of my energy now.

[whywork]

I can't live without my internet, laptop and MMM forums :(

[JoJo]

when I went to Cuba, I stayed offline for 2 full weeks.

And the local people all hang out with each other on the street and the kids play outside. 

[Khaetra]

I can't live without my internet, laptop and MMM forums :(

I can, especially on vacation.  I am one of those 'weird people' who don't need to be connected 24/7 :).