TAG!! You know, “Tag You’re It!!” You tap the other kids then you run and they chase you. I had a dilemma on my hands. My 3-year old son wanted to change the game he was playing with the young neighbor girls. Problem was they only spoke Dutch. I’m not native Dutch speaker (and very limited language-wise) and though my son is bi-lingual, he rarely responds in Dutch. I could have run and found another adult to help me translate, but I’m only slightly a bit independent. I was still in range of the house’s WiFi so I pulled out my iPad and went to Google Translate. Thanks to Google Translate, I’m only the half nutty lady visiting next store who speaks in tongues.
My son and I are in the Netherlands for about a month, visiting my in-laws. It is hard when you are away from your home base for an extended period of time. I’ve been utilizing technology to stay connected while here by using my iPad for email, blogging, and social media. My iPhone is for texting and calls. Other than Google Translate, Skype has been saving the day. I’ve been using Skype heavily to keep in touch. I’ve had Skype had for a while now, but never really realized its value until this trip. I have international voice and data plans for my iPhone, but they can be pricey if you use them. I’ve been using Skype via the house WiFi to make and receive calls using my unlimited calling plan from both my iPhone and iPad. It makes it easy for everyone. Most people calling have no idea where I am.
The take away here is technology is what you make of it. It is there for you for to use. You can use it smartly like using Skype to stay connected, in iPad to keep being productive, and Google Translate to communicate with others.
I may be 4,000 miles away and a couple timezones from home, but it doesn’t feel that way. Skype, Google Translate, and iPad are some of my travel tools to keep me connected and productive.
So guess I can say van den Hurk PR has gone global thanks to technology!
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Hospeslaan,Haarlem,The Netherlands
