This last month I’ve been doing a lot of travelling.
First, it was two weeks in Hawaii on an enjoyable family trip (I also got fully tap into my iPhones GPS/mapping abilities for the first time away from home).
Now, I’m sitting in a hotel room in Kingston, Jamaica.
I’m here to help out a 1-to-1 program at The American International School of Kingston. It is an interesting program with 6-12 year students. We spent most of today unpacking equipment and getting to know one another. The school is currently in a delightful old manor home with tall ceilings and thick walls. Of course the building is horrible in regards to using wireless technologies.
I’m helping them install and configure their mac servers and and to help create several linux boxes to provide email and web services. It has been an eye opening experience to see just how difficult it is to get equipment into a small country like Jamaica.
There just aren’t places to get simple things like a KVM switch or eSATA card. When we realized that the wrong SATA PCI card was ordered, the staff of AISK mobilzed to family, friends, and friends of friends who might be able to bring the part back from the states. After a lengthly search, we’ll have our card by Sunday. It was FedExed for Saturday delievery and will be hand carriered via a friend of friend connection.
What amazed me is how determined and creative the AISK stff was in getting the part. It makes me want to set a site to help folks like AISK and other schools by touring tourists into couriers.
Imagine, if there was a way to connect with people in the country you are about to visit. As a tourist, you could offer to bring them a needed but hard to get item and return they could offer you a meal, a place to stay, or personal tour. It could make for an amazing experience.
