So I now have a microphone for my computer, and can use Skype.
I wanted to test it out, so I changed my online status to "Skype me". Within 30 minutes, I had more than a dozen people initiate chats with me, and got five phone calls. I answered two of the phone calls, and clumsily ignored the other incoming ones that happened when I was online. Just like a real phone, you let it ring, I suppose, until the caller gives up.
The first phone call I answered was from two male students in Israel, who were bored studying for an architecture test. They were a little bit sophmoric, but friendly enough. They wanted to practice their English, they said, but of course chose to call me because I was female. "If I am going to talk to someone in another country, why would I call a boy?" One of them said, "Are you from Tennessee?" No, why do you ask? "Because you're the only ten I see." Etcetera.
Then I got a call from a lawyer and military judge in Turkey, who is studying international law, writing his dissertation about the doctrine of preemptive self-defense (e.g. "we need to invade Iraq because we are in imminent danger). He, too, was practicing his English, for a test in early June. We had a fascinating conversation about our respective legal systems, and talked about legal outsourcing, and salaries in our countries. We talked about safety. I'd like to visit Turkey, but have always assumed I would not be treated well -- being American, plus the blonde hair blue eyed woman part. He debunked that myth. He's coming to the US in August for 10 months to study with the US JAG system in Virginia, and said he's concerned about the gang violence we have here in the United States. His American language tutor had told him the gang violence isn't everywhere, and he wanted some of that reassurance from me, too. We talked for maybe 20 minutes, and it was respectful and interesting and friendly. As with podcasting, playing around with the technology makes me understand how flat the world has really become, and how quickly the relationships we can have with people and institutions are changin.
While my Turkish friend and I were talking I had about a dozen "offline" Skype users try to strike up chats with me, or to lure me to their webcams or ask me for pictures or "wanna cyber?" It was a bit irritating, mostly because I had to keep saying, sorry, talking to someone else, no thanks, and closing a zillion windows. And the multiple open windows seemed to interfere a bit with the sound quality of my conversation. The only moments of skipping or garbling of the audio happened when I had a bunch of other windows open or flashing at me.
I think it might be kind of fun to do a Stay of Execution Skype Conference call. If you are a Skype user, and would like to do a conference call via Skype with some other Stay of Execution readers, send me an email and I'll arrange it for sometime this week. Why not?
The Turkish military judge will love Charlottesville (home of the Army JAG School). Not a whole lot of gang activity down that way. Nice college town, lots to do.
Posted by: Jeff | May 23, 2005 at 05:28 PM