The idea for this entire trip started in September 2014, but I had a lot to consider before I put the wheels in motion. I mean, you don't leave a perfectly good job with great people and decide to spend all your savings traveling around foreign countries on a complete whim. Well, at least I didn't.
But one of the alluring thoughts that I kept coming back to was how nice it would be to be "unplugged" ... no email, no meetings, no IM, no phone calls ... did that world exist? It seemed too quiet to be possible. After all, there were days when I dreaded the sound (even the typed sound) of my own name because it was inevitably followed by a question, request, need, demand, problem etc.
I truly don't know how "Moms" and "Dads" do it. I think you get a new name when you give birth to help diversify the identities that get called upon each day. It was really a genius decision to give you all special names for only your children to use. Hats off to you ladies and gentlemen, for sure!
And let's be honest, it's great to be needed and to be part of a great team or a family. It's such a part of who I am on the work and home fronts. I enjoy it at least 96% of the time, but I think we all dream of at least a day that is totally unplugged and undemanding.
So once I made the decision to be responsibility-free, I was curious to see how long it would take me to actually unplug.
The Disconnect Starts
I disconnected my work email on Thursday, 4/30. You hear stories of amputee patients that still feel their missing limb, even claiming that it itches long after it's gone. I felt a bit like I'd lost a digital limb; I kept sensing phantom emails, picking up my phone and checking an email account that no longer existed. That feeling didn't diminish at all until I left the country. I have no doubt that if I were still in the U.S. I'd be checking that phantom email account right now.
So all the work communication was suddenly gone. And by the very nature of being in a different county five hours ahead of most of my family and friends, my personal connectivity and communication changed a lot in one overnight flight. Phone calls and texts were done. And all other connections like email, messenger apps, and social media were on a Wifi only basis.
Days One and Two
I was honestly too exhausted and on some kind of surreal high from just actually getting myself over here to care much about my phone or any kind of communication the first few days.
Days Three and Four
OK, I was starting to have some kind of connectivity withdrawal. I suddenly realized that because I didn't actually see or talk to any of my family and friends the ONLY way I knew what was going on was through my phone or computer. I know, duhhhh, but I truly didn't put that together earlier. At least I didn't put together how disconnected I would suddenly feel.
Days Five and Six
I started to adjust a bit. I stopped checking my useless phone when I was out and about seeing things. It became a camera and a clock, when I was Wi-Fi-less. And when I was connected, I got better about reaching out to people specifically to see how they were doing.
I was doing OK with this. I was gonna be just fine.
Day Seven, Eight and Nine
I had learned to master the pre-trip Google Map direction screen grabs and paper map combo to get myself where I needed to go with a minimum of wrong turns. So I left Portrush and drove three hours through beautiful Northern Ireland and into the very different, but beautiful scenery of County Donegal. I was going to be staying in a really remote area, but I had confirmed that I'd have Wi-Fi access, so it would be totally fine.
My charming hostess greeted me with tea and biscuits in the living room of her quaint 200-year-old cottage. It was all so lovely and Irish! I mean REALLY authentic Ireland! And I was having one of those this is amazing moments (sigh). And then she casually mentioned that the Wi-Fi was out (record scratch)... Picture the Heather face of horror. (You know the one!)
Wait, no connection? None at all? I literally panicked. I hadn't told anyone I was going to be off the grid. Limited access yes, but no access for three days? Nope. This was a problem.
But not a problem I could solve, so I survived and even enjoyed three days being totally unplugged. And I loved County Donegal and the absolutely stunning scenery there! But I also learned that 100% unplugged is too unplugged for me, because right now the beauty of the internet is how I stay in touch with the people I love and miss. Having that connection suddenly cut-off was too much.
So now I know there is such a thing as too unplugged. But to be clear, I don't miss the work email, IMs, triple booked calendar etc. I mean, I don't have a full-blown problem, I'm just a bit of a social Wi-Fi junkie.