Day 13

Day 13: Kibbutz, Bethsaida (Day 1)

Hey everyone!

Today was our introduction day to the dig site, and I have to admit, I am freakin’ excited! WE GET TO WORK ON THE ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG SITE OF AN ACTUAL ANCIENT BIBLICAL CITY THAT HAS MAJOR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE! (Can you tell I’m just a little excited?)

Our dig leader is very passionate about the site, which is really nice… except when he wants to tell us every detail… then he takes forever telling everything about what is going on. It gets rather old. I do understand how the dig works and its significance, but I don’t need to know that this stone was specifically used as a step (I can kinda see that; it was pretty obvious).

Thus, the orientation took longer than needed (way longer than I would have liked). I was hoping we could start digging, but alas, no avail. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. I am looking forward to what we may find.

On a totally different note, as we were walking to dinner together tonight, a few of us expressed how much we really didn’t need technology. It was nice to have internet, but we realized that we really didn’t need it the past few weeks. A few people confessed it was relieving not to have their cell phones and texting all the time. Nobody admitted to having withdrawals. Nobody complained about not having internet. (We did complain that when we did have internet, it cost, because that was like waving food in our face and then telling us it was worth more money than we owned.)

I had to agree with them. It is very nice not having my Blackberry going off every few seconds for an email or text. I would have been just fine without internet if my parents weren’t so concerned about me and I needed to talk to them (and the fact I promised a bunch of people I would show them pictures and updates of my trip). I was really enjoying the lack of technology and really appreciate the blessing it is.

This can be considered the end of my post if you don’t want to read on. But, you know me, I can’t help but put in my two sense about this topic because I have been offended by people who have said stuff against my generation and technology. For example, a lady on the plane was jokingly harassing me about my inability to decide on a drink because I didn’t know what drink we were getting for dinner (if we were not going to have water at dinner, then I wanted water presently so I didn’t get dehydrated, but if we were getting water at dinner, I would’ve grabbed a Coke or something). She went on this mini-lecture about how our generation doesn’t know how to communicate anymore because all we do is text and talk on the computer.

In a way, she is right. Many people in my generation do not know how to communicate--but that is not all of us. Actually, the vast majority of people in my generation DO know how to communicate very effectively and use social networking as an added bonus to their regular interactions. What I find even funnier is how everyone blames my generation for lack of communication skills because of texting, but the two generations before us use texting just as much (there are studies on this that show it is true). I don’t think people realize that kids can’t afford texting plans for their phones, therefore, their parents pay for it, therefore their parents have texting and many times are texting just as much. So… why is everyone pointing all the blame for our generation’s lack of communication skills when it was supplied to us? That’s like giving a baby a spoon and a pot then yelling at him when he hits them together. I am just very angry when people start bashing my generation about stuff like that when they themselves gave it to us and are using the exact same technology they are criticizing us on themselves.

In addition, I want to tackle the myth that our generation is addicted to technology. We are not. We have had technology so long (especially things like computers and cell phones), it is a part of our worldview. Yes, it is hard to imagine a world without technology. However, I have been told that our generation wouldn’t know what to do if we didn’t have phones or computers. This trip to the Middle East has proven in my mind that my generation would be just fine. Nobody has missed their technology to the point of hysteria. Yes, I will admit like everyone else that it is nice to have a cell phone to call people and a computer with wifi access to stay connected, but we all understand it is not necessary. We do not demand our right to free internet or cell service.

I am just tired of people saying things like, “If all of your technology was taken away from you, if all your computers suddenly failed, you wouldn’t know what to do.” Well, I think that is a load of crap because if all the cell phones and computers died all around the United States, EVERYONE would be affected, not just those who are technologically wired all the time. Even those people who live very simple lives will be affected by it. So, I find the argument moot.

Anyway, I’m done. Soap box put away. Goodnight!

Following His Call,

Adam 

Mark 8:22