A Time Traveler story
The 15-Year Technological Journey of My Mother
Check out below an example of a wonderful journey in tech!
01
My mom
My name is Flavia and I am the president of Girls Can Code Switzerland.. My life's journey led me to study and work far from my family. With my father's untimely passing, my mother often found herself alone, managing all the bureaucracy and challenges on her own. Despite her curiosity and vitality, the absence of internet access and a computer made it tough for her to navigate legalities, resolve daily matters, or even correspond through written communication like letters or emails to offices. Additionally, she struggled to reach out to me and my brother for assistance. It was then that I made the decision to purchase a laptop for her and introduce her to the world of technology.
02
Her chair and loneliness
It all began with writing and printing a simple letter using Word. Then came the introduction to emailing via Google Mail, followed by mastering attachments and the vast world unlocked by the Google search engine. Soon, she realized that to fully explore this digital realm, she needed to brush up on her English skills, as Italian proved too limiting for her searches. Investing in a dictionary, since translator engines were not as widespread at the time, she stumbled upon the game of Bridge. Playing Bridge occasionally with friends was a joy, but her back problems made going out difficult. So, she turned to playing Bridge online, immersing herself in learning the game's terminology in various languages, depending on her partners. Suddenly, she found herself no longer alone.
03
A new life
She learned how to seek assistance through chat and connect with her newfound network of virtual friends. She became receptive to all sorts of technologies introduced to her by her grandchildren. I often found her either laughing or engaging in virtual battles. What a transformation it was! She began keeping us informed about events discovered on the internet, such as the latest SpaceX launch!
04
Goodbye
One day, she requested that I purchase a newer generation laptop as the old one was no longer performing well. She expressed gratitude for my persistence and patience in introducing her to the world of computing, as it completely transformed her life and rekindled her spirit. Eventually, at the age of 89, the day came when she passed away. I received numerous heartfelt messages from her virtual network of friends, along with flowers from unfamiliar individuals.
