So often we hear or see so many people we know travel to foreign cities for short term engagement or long term deployments. Through them many details flow back about lifestyle changes like food, time zone, social sense, people behaviors and even about dog shit cleaning. Though we take them as news and good to know, there are many instances where one can't bear the incessant references of how their new world is so wonderful and different. Sometimes we hear odd details about how they suffer in supposedly wonder land. To save the world, you can safely assume this odd crib about new wonderland as mere lip service and indirect form of conveying the message. That wonderland, true to the techie habit has been encapsulated, shortened and sweetened as 'Onsite'.
Enough with intro talk, we move into decoding instances(include odd ones) of Onsite acts into true meaning. Going with a old saying, we shouldn't take everything as its said, we need to see the other side of it.
So what does the bulk upload of new wonderland pictures means: Going back to days of 1990's where the gates of US were truly wide open for new people, in those times sharing pictures comes with cost. There was no UNLIMITED hosting or easy to use software's to share. Fast forward to present, with Facebook and Flickr giving options for free and unlimited flow of details, everything works in favor of consumers at least when internet is concerned. So when you see the picture next time, credit/blame Internet.
What does the flashy, ultra fast, hi-tech mobile means: In India we remember the mobile service company only when you go out to purchase the recharge cards. Few people wont even remember that if they are postpaid customers, where they just pay the bills online. Compare this against major western world where, getting mobile is like pulling the toilet paper or buying the dog with really long leash. Mobiles and Service providers are so interlinked that its SAVES cost when you buy phone with long contract. When its long contract, getting a just phone or hi-tech phone cost more or less same. So why normal phone when hi-tech phone is just a cost slab different. So when you see 'updated from Blackberry' or 'sent from iPhone 4', laugh yourself about the beast they are holding on the other side.
What does trips to trekking, malls, fantasy amusement parks means: In the new wonderland, its all about ONE and handful of acquaintance. Its a new land, new job and new acquaintance. There is no prior commitment. No prior relationships. No prior hatreds. The social life is new and it starts with going out. When its out, its public. Its to mall, its to trek, its to restaurant. All this can be pictured and posted wherever and whichever notice board permits. Now compare this against the life in the motherland. You have very big fabric of social life. Filled with good, old and bad. You have to attend good and bad of family/friends. You need to be part of the problems and solutions. You can't share the picture of lunch you have with your uncle and family. So many stakeholders to deal with. So many threads you need to follow. So when you see the trekking picture next time, think about the social fabric.
In short Onsite is just like the gaseous state of Earth when it started, where everything was new and all were great and fresh. But as the time goes and the gaseous state transforms to Earth, there are equal problems for all the good things.
I think that's all I got now. May revisit this post when I get more time and energy.