Staying connected

I'm leaving a week from tomorrow, which means that in a week from today this empty backpack at my feet will be filled with everything I'll need for the next two months. I won't have room to pack much more than the bare necessities--and maybe a pack of Skittles.

One of the items I've been debating on bringing is my cell phone. I have mixed opinions on the issue, and I've received mixed reviews from a mix of people. My stepmother told me not to take it, and my kitchen manager, from El Salvador, was shocked when I suggested not carrying one with me.

I decided long ago that one item I certainly will not be bringing is an Ipod. For one, I think that it'll be important to always be aware of my surroundings, and an Ipod may serve to hinder that awareness. But the real reason I don't want to bring an Ipod is that I feel it will detract from the whole cultural experience. One of my main goals in traveling to a Spanish-speaking part of the world is to, well, immerse myself in the Spanish language. I just don't feel like that goal would be fully realized if there's a constant stream of American music blasting in my ears.

My reasons for not wanting to bring a phone are similar. I want to stay connected enough with my friends and family to let them know I'm safe, keep them up to date on my adventures, and to stay informed on what's new in their lives, as well. But I want to stay disconnected enough to feel, well, disconnected on a certain level, as strange as that may seem.

So, while a phone would certainly make things easier at times, given my ultimate goals, the disadvantages seem to outweigh the benefits. I suspect that a mix of phone cards, internet cafes, smoke signals, and carrier pigeons should do the trick just fine.