Technology in Addis Ababa

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(Vidas writing)
We love our laptop computers! We use them for almost everything homework, movies, playing music, e-mail, blog, internet, even as a light source when the power goes out every week. The only problem is that we’re used to safe computer use, few viruses, and lightning quick unlimited internet and computer games. Only when you move to a developing country do you realize how technology is part of everyday life. In America every supermarket and restaurant having scanners, constant flow of electricity and safe outlets, every body having email and a computer. Here it’s a little bit different.
The thing we were very worried about was that we would have internet. We discovered that there was dial-up. Dial connects from the phone lines to the internet. It is also the world’s slowest internet connection. It is frustrating slow. Imagine waiting about 15 minutes just to get to compose mail on your email. You can’t even skype because it’s so slow.
When we were only here about two months all the computers got a virus. The kid’s computer disk drive broke. Our dad’s computer the hinge connecting the screen to the keyboard broke. The virus is transferred by flash drives and it makes to the computer flash drive output stop reading data. We had a friend who knows a lot a bout computers come over and teach us how to take of viruses and avoid getting them. It turned out that the kids laptop had 3 viruses with one that we found later. Dad’s computer had 1 virus. Our friend said that 3 virus is not that bad. So all the kids suddenly realized how dependent we are on computers.
Ethiopia does not have a constant power source and Addis Ababa is the third largest city in Africa. We have power outages about every week. Were very thankful we brought wind-up flashlights because batteries are expensive and there are a lot of power outages.
Since Ethiopia does not have a constant power source we bought two stabilizers so when the power increases and decreases it doesn’t damage our computers. My mom had to take one stabilizer to work so were left with one stabilizer with two outlets for the rest of the family. We have a new appreciation for electricity.

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