When Distance Becomes a Problem

“Father, when will you be back?”, Zaenudin’s young daughter asks him. From my desk I can hear her voice clearly. She sounded as if she was in plain. Zaenudin was talking with his family through Skype on Tuesday morning.

It made me sad to hear this young girl ask her father this question. Being far away from family is one of the hardest parts that international students face. Me personally, I’m happy because I can study abroad. It is like a dream come true. But also I must leave my family in Indonesia. Perhaps we will see each other in several months time again. I stand in the dilemma position.

This situation is unavoidable. I, Zaenudin and perhaps many people around the world fight with this problem. Fortunately, recent technology can help us. Several years ago when I learned about internet, I was struck dumb with admiration. Never before could I imagine that people from different places would one day be able to talk and see each other. That’s the power of technology. It can help people to communicate although they are in different places.

Before my departure to the Netherlands, I was thinking of getting my family a computer and internet connection. It would enable facilitate me and my family when we wanted to talk. A couple of days before my departure, I set up Skype in my home and tried it. It worked!

Technology has important role. It helps people in almost all areas of their lives. You can see from the role of technology in education, business, politic etc. It facilitates people to make their work easier.

Back to the story of my friends: Nela. His father passed away this week. It was sad news indeed. She had just come in the Netherlands on Wednesday and one week later she got sad news from Indonesia. She was struggling with the decision whether she should go back to Indonesia or not. When she got the awful news, Wardah suggested she use Skype. I helped her to communicate with her family by using my Skype account.

Wonderfully, I and Nela in Maastricht saw the funeral ceremony in her home through a Skype video call. It was very clear. Although she couldn’t attend the ceremony, she was able to be in touch with her family in Indonesia. After that, I updated my status in Facebook. One of my friends replied: She said “oh, the beauty of technology”. I couldn’t have agreed more with her.

Technology really is beautiful. However, people should also be aware that technology can be dangerous as well.

A big “thank you” to the people who have invented all kinds of technology. Without a doubt, it is really helpful. Although the world is very big, technology makes it like a small village. People in the Netherlands, for example, can talk and see other people in Indonesia. Skype or other Internet tools are enough to solve the distance problem. Aren’t it?

Even though they cannot touch each other, I believe that someday new technology with be found to change this. As a result, people from different places will be able to talk, see and touch one another. Perhaps it is impossible now… but someday it will be true.