What Happens if You Stay.

Today I decided to post due to my emerging interest in Web 2.0 and the tools it provides to build and develop communities. For the past two weeks I have been reading non-stop in a frenzied spiral, which began at a less than humble base of a friend's blog. While I knew him in the academic sphere, I never knew how much of an Internet activist he was. In a mere moment, I was introduced to the world of Creative Commons,  Lessig, Mobile phone activism and many more ideas that keep striking me as the most modern tools I've encountered to combat the destruction of values and spread of thoughtless, void of interaction, internet consumption. One of the challenges I realize I am facing, is training myself to be more than a spectator. To expand my horizons and stretch beyond the old familiar uses of the Internet. There are resources to connect people and there are communities forming around those who are learning how to build networks of individuals who share common dreams. In order to involve myself in these communities, I am required to generate, not just spectate and the transition may not be easy. Blogging requires commitment. Useful commenting requires thought and time. Learning how to develop your page to include RSS, my delicious, Facebook, Twitter, requires basic programming skills. These are some new goals of mine.

In addition to my personal aim to become a participant in and creator of communities, I would like to facilitate my students to do so as well.  I've found some great resources on Web 2.0 for Educators. Terry Freedman in particular has gathered a well of projects for all age groups and students using a variety of software. Incorporating proper Web 2.0 skills into Education will enable the next generation to participate in the Internet in order to achieve their goals and build communities. 

As I mentioned, this is all new for me. I feel a bit bowled over. I read the other day that participation in the web via commenting and networking enables the user to filter information, to cut it down to sizable managable bits instead of huge masses of information that cannot be separated or classified into any useful or resourceful means. This philosophy of participation in order to realize the potential and shape of your world, made a lot of sense to me.

In other notes, I've stayed in the Czech Republic and maintained relations with my former 'full time employers'. I now work for them part-time as a free-lancer and I've noticed something strange. After outlasting all of the other 'native speakers' here, I've gained some respect. The more I stand up for myself, the more respect I get and the longer I stay around, the more they treat me like an equal. I'm extremely satisfied with my choices and conduct up to this point.

Here's to being a European. In the same breath, here's to leaving the continent. Here's to exploring Asia. Here's to learning how to blog with hypertext. Here's to cultivating readership and peers who are also bloggers, travelers and teachers. Here's to incorporating Web 2.0 into Education and here's to all of the optimists. I am aspiring.