Many lament many others fiddling with phones. The immersion of the masses into their ever smaller screens is ridiculed with reason, but it depends. When teen textsters repeat, “Sup, nuttin, TTYLXOX,” when commuters game, when workers shop, and when all of us zombie-out on trivia, yeahOK, its a crutch/distraction/problem/festeringclusterf…

But if you’re truly and constantly figuring out where you are, what happened when, who-how-why, well then the internet not only rocks, its necessary. I want 24/7, broadest of band, all you can eat wifi. Why? Because maps, translations, background information, hot tips, inside scoops, current events, and basic guidebook stuff is so essential for successful traveling. And at the end of the day, when you might be reminded of what you didn’t do, didn’t see, didn’t read, you can google it, then go to bed fulfilled. 

I could go on, but you’re already gettin’ it with this internet connection. Unfortunately, a lot of Europe doesn’t. There’s more free cafe wifi in France than Germany, but that might be city vs. countryside. In any case, the greatest advancement in education worldwide will come in two phases: when the internet is ubiquitous, and when people want to use it to expand their minds, increase their awareness, and connect with others (rather than fiddle, diddle, and dither).