No, we don’t have Wi-Fi, Talk to each other.

One of the things that I find interesting is that in Guatemala there are free or semi-free Wi-Fi Internet access points everywhere. Sometimes I think only shuco hot dog stands on the streets are the only vendors who do not yet provide free Internet access. On the other hand, when I travel to the U.S. to visit family, I am surprise to find so little free Wi-Fi hotspots and even paid hotspots are hard to come by. I mean you have to visit Starbuck so often just to keep up with email and your online virtual life. I guess the U.S. is not as free-internet-friendly to visitors as Guatemala is.

Of course, all these free Internet access points create other undesired behaviors such as everyone checking their smartphones or iPads while they should be paying attention to the people they have in front of them. Now, most Guatemalans have poor phone etiquette as calls are almost always answered while talking to the people on the table, more attention is paid to trivial updates on Facebook or Twitter instead of giving 100% attention to the people on the other side of the table. So, it comes as no surprise that finding the No Wi-Fi zone sign at the entrance of La Toscana restaurant was such a refreshing experience.

What are your thoughts regarding checking smartphones and tablets while hanging out with friends and family?

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