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Monday 2004-11-15 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Setting up Skype
I’m stiff and sore all over after my adventure yesterday. That’s OK. Even better, the fully-expected pain in my broken foot never appears — has it finally healed now?
In spite of my sore muscles, I crawl under the computer desk to plug in my headset (correctly, after a lot of fiddling) and install the Skype software: now I can exchange phone calls with other Skype users all over the world - for free. I also create a profile and register at the Skype user’s forum so people may find me; I include a link to this blog as well. When it’s all working I go to bed, tired but satisfied.
Tuesday 2004-11-16 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands
China calling
The (Skype) phone rings! I pick it up - and find someone calling from China at the other end: he’d seen my profile, opened my blog in his browser, and seeing I visited China as well, decided to call me!
The caller is an obviously well-educated Chinese, speaking perfect English with only a trace of an accent. The call (fully encrypted, which gives him assurance it can’t be monitored) turns into a fascinating discussion about many subjects, ranging from minorities (no, I didn’t get to Tibetan areas this time, but I was there before and I’m planning to go back soon) and environmental problems in China (lack of clean drinking water in some areas a major concern, as well as the Yellow River being heavily polluted with no plans apparently to clean it up) to technical matters like film scanners (don’t buy Minolta: it may be Japanese but it’s produced in China, he says) and Internet access (professional people, especially those in IT, are likely to have a broadband connection at home, as he has: not nearly everyone is dependent on Internet cafes as I had assumed).
We chat for over half an hour like that - a slight echo every now and then, but otherwise excellent sound quality. I feel like my investment in a (cheapo) headset was a good move!
Wednesday 2004-12-01 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Another call from China
Another Skype phone call from China — from a young Dutch woman this time! She lives there, teaches English at a school and was glad to be able to talk Dutch for a change. We have a nice conversation, about life in China, travel in China (she’s been to a lot of places where I have been as well), and more.
I really should add a “Skype me!” link to the site. If I can find a way to display my status online, that is. Later…
