How many social networking sights is too many?

I’ve recently become a little addicted with the world of social networking sights. This time last year, I had none. All I had was my photobucket website, which I used to direct my family and friends from back home, so they could see all my photos while I was out on the road. I then semi regularly sent an email to all those who were interested (and perhaps a few who weren’t) to keep updated on my goings on. I was ok with this. It seemed to work.

Now though, it’s a different story.

It started while on the road in Eastern Europe last summer. A couple of friends started talking about their blogs, and al off a sudden it started to sound better.

Why send an email to your friends every now and then, when you can just periodically update your blog and let the whole world read it. Coz after all, I’m sure they’d be interested….wouldnt they?

It didn’t stop there though. Soon after returning ‘home’ to the UK from the trip, I signed up to Myspace, and soon found a bunch of friends (both new and old) who had the same, and started adding them to my friends list. It became addictive in itself, putting in the names and email addresses of everyone you’ve ever met, to see if you could find them.

I started to become a bit of a spruiker for myspace. Well, it is a great way to keep in contact with the dozens of friends you meet while travelling. Having them in your email contacts is one thing, but having them as your ‘friend’ on Myspace, well that’s heaps more special isn’t it?

I decided not to add people who I didn’t already know at least a little bit. I figure you could get massively caught up having all sorts of people as your ‘friends’ just for the numbers, but end up with a bunch of total strangers. And whats the point in that?

So my Myspace friends list consists of about 30 odd people, most of whom are people I’ve met in the last 20 months – since I left Aus – with a few other friends from home.

The problem starts coming when there’s people with a different addiction. I started finding people who prefer Bebo and Facebook. It's like being a social alcoholic and ending up at a club full of people tripping off their heads and listening to doof doof. It may be similar, but it aint the same! And these things seem a bit like whether you’re a Ford or Holden person (sorry for the Aussie reference) – you just don’t switch. So what do ya do if you want to keep in touch with these people do?

Well you do what I did and open up an account in each of these too. Thing is, now I have accounts with Photobucket, Blogspot, Myspace, Facebook and Bebo. How do I keep all of those updated – letting people I kind of know read really boring stuff about me – without losing my life to the internet?

Ah of course – that’s what an office job is for!

Sick and Tired….so why not book a holiday?

I’ve been somewhat sick of late. Something along the lines of a lung infection. And let me tell you – prescriptions are not cheap here in Ireland! Don’t know how people can afford to be sick!

Anyways, in that time, I dedicated myself more to figuring out my summer travels, and if last time I was 99% sure what I was doing, I’m not 100% sure. Morocco, Spain and Portugal are all locked in and confirmed, and the list of Cities I’ll likely be visiting has me wanting to be there ASAP: Marrakech, Casablanca, Fes, Seville, Granada, Alicante, Valencia, Pamplona, Madrid, Porto and Lagos are all likely in the plan, with of course less obvious places likely to pop up along the way like they did last summer. I’ve also decided to go over the initial 4-6 week time period too – now looking at 7-8 weeks. I’m in Europe for a holiday, so what if I blow all my money?

One of the things I’m really excited about, is a program outside of Madrid which I’m going to be taking part in. Several friends of mine have done it (Katrina just this last week, and Dan & Jen last year) or are about to as well, and it seems like the perfect way to stay a bit longer in Spain while getting to meet locals, and live a little bit of luxury!

Basically what it is, is an English language course, where I would be one of the ‘aides’ helping the Spaniards learn their English comprehension and speaking by basically just having conversations with them all week (both one on one and group activities). While its volunteer, you are put up in a four-star hotel in a small town a couple of hours north west of Madrid with everything included, and you get to experience something which I think is fairly unique. Having heard Dan talk about it last summer I was intrigued, but since Katrina got back from her trip this week raving about it, I decided it had to be done!

I've applied for the program, and been accepted, and thats set for the first week in September, so now the rest of my plans for my trip will revolve around being there - which gives me some sort of focus rather then, "er....I wanna start there and do all of this!"

I've also decided to push back my return to Australia - but only slightly. I'll still be there for Christmas, but only just. Looks like I will now fly in a day or two before. I was originally going to fly in a couple of weeks before Xmas, but at the end of the day, the saving of £130 odd is not that much in the bigger picture, and this gives me an extra couple of weeks in Galway and with Bel and Mark before coming home.

Cheers

Steve

All Work and No Play….

Well I’ve been working hard since my last post. Well…working a lot anyways, I’m not sure if I can really justify the term ‘hard’.

I have found time to play though I must say. We recently celebrated Anzac day with my fellow Aussies here in Cork. Had the girls come over and I made Chicken Parmagiana – the Aussie Pub staple! Washed it down with a few bottles of good old Coopers Pale. After that we headed to the Bru, which is a Kiwi owned Bar/Hostel where Alison has been staying. They had some of the Coopers in for the night as well, so we talked to a bunch of Aussies and Kiwi’s, listened to songs from home, and actually watched the last 20 minutes of the movie Gallipoli. Overall it was a really good night.

Recently had my first Saturday night off since I started working both jobs and made the most of it. It was Katrina’s flatmates 30th so we all went out and got on it. Typically, we ended up at Chambers at the end of the night anyways. Always seems to happen. We get away from work for the night, and yet by the end of the night we’re either at Chambers, Reardens or Havana’s, which is where we all work! Cant get away from the places!

I’ve 99% decided on my travel for the year. Looking at starting once I’m finished here in Cork (around September) flying into Morocco, then travelling up from there through Spain and Portugal for around 4-6 weeks all up, before living in Galway for a month or two. I’m heading back over to England next month to spend a few days with Bel and Mark which will be cool. I’m also considering trying to squeeze Turkey into my travel plans somewhere, but I will have to wait and see on that!

I’ve decided to try and learn Spanish. The goal is to have basic stuff covered for my trip around Spain, and try to speak it as much as possible so I can learn as much as I can for when I travel through South America (whenever that turns out to be). So that’s the plan, but now I need to put it into action. Has anyone actually learnt another language at an older age? Any hints and tips would be hugely appreciated! It’s a little harder at the moment with my computer being so damn unreliable, but I’m sure theres ways around it.

I’ve basically decided I want to spend as long as possible in South America, probably doing a few volunteer projects in places like Peru and Argentina. So it will help no end to be able to speak as much of the language as I can before getting there. I have time though, because before I get there I’m gonna be doing my time back in Aus for a few months, and my year in Canada – but I do need to get started now!

I hear that back home in Aus the drought has gotten even worse, with people talking more and more about recycled water and – heaven forbid – rainwater tanks!! Desperate times. Makes you wonder why stuff like that hasn’t been compulsory for a long long time!

Cant complain about the weather here I must say. Maybe the dry has found me over here, but its just not raining hardly at all – not that I’m complaining. I think in the eight weeks I’ve had this job, its rained a little on me once or twice walking to work and that’s it. It’s actually kinda weird being in a place you expect to be so cold and miserable and its so damn fine. They’re all saying its gonna be a great summer, but I know the lucks gonna run out!

Things are changing a little here. Kim is moving on to greener pastures – Galway. She’s finished her contract up so shes decided to see a different city. Galway is definitely on my travel plans too, but not just yet. Not quite done with Cork yet.

I’ve just updated my photo pages (link on the right) with some pics of Xmas06, my Paddy wagon tour and some of here in Cork – including before and after my little tumble that lead to a little bump on the head! I was going to put some more pics up again real soon, but my computer has packed it in once more (it was working for a few weeks there) so they will have to wait. Also if anyone has any pics of me from back home email them through to me. I’ve started a photo wall in my room as a way of kind of getting over the little bits of home sickness. All contributions are welcome!