The medium for local and overseas communication had rapidly evolved in past two decades. People all over the world get along with such technological advancements in the field of communication. These advancements bring improvement to the business sectors, promote political parties and serve as networks for family bonding. Let us recall how this medium of communication had evolved based on my own experience.
From letter to online chat
In 1991, I got an opportunity to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As a Filipino contract worker, I used to send letters and greeting cards to my family, relatives and friends in the Philippines through post mails. I sent letters at least once or twice a month to them. I got in line in the post office there just to buy postal stamps or drop my letters immediately for them. It took around two weeks in the post mail system that time before my family, relatives and friends received my letters. When they replied immediately for my letter, it took another two weeks before I received their response letters. I did that way for more than 3 years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nowadays, I can communicate with them through online chat if internet connection works efficiently and online schedule permits. At available time in any social media site, I used to sit down in front of my laptop waiting for online family members and friends. I can chat with them from a couple of minutes or several hours to exchange essential ideas and messages with them. However, I still do the traditional way of sending letters or greeting cards through post mail services to relatives and friends who do not have an access in the internet. The most important thing to me now is I do remember them in spite of distant apart and busy life.
From coins call to video call
Every time I made a call to the Philippines when I was in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I had to get up early in the morning due to time difference. I went outside in spite of severe weather condition there and got in line in the telephone booth with a handful of Saudi coins. I usually made a call to my relatives in the Philippines and talked to them uninterruptedly. I held the phone arm with my right hand while my left hand dropped the coins one by one and continuously into the phone booth to prevent cut off of communication lines and could prolong our conversation with full of excitement and emotions. Nowadays, I can communicate with them using my laptop. It is just a click away with any social media site then I can talk and see them already. I can communicate with my mother, sisters, brothers, nephews, nieces, close friends, co-teachers, students and even online friends through video call. I can hear their laughs and see their bright smiles now. These technological advancements in the computer, mobile phone and internet help us a lot for several reasons and merely serve its primary purpose and that is communication for all.
Hands-on 