Riding on a motorcycle taxi—the best way to travel in Rwanda—I started talking with the driver about his kids. Unexpectedly, he whipped out a smartphone and showed me pictures of his children on Facebook. I was disturbed by his one-armed motorcycle driving, but fascinated at the way Facebook is connecting the world.
Here are just a few ways Facebook is changing the world for the better.
- Going Public. When I arrived at my last travel destination, HOPE’s program in the Republic of Congo, some staff already knew what I had been doing in the other countries. They had been following me on Facebook. Little is private in our interconnected world, and (for the most part), that’s a great thing.
- Transparency. A decade ago, we could tell whatever stories we wanted, and no one would be able to verify. Now, chances are that you are Facebook friends with the people you just met during your travels, and they’re probably reading your version of the stories. The added accountability to ensure truthfulness in story-telling is a very good thing.
- Close to Home. Even though I was miles apart, I felt closer to my family than I ever have when traveling. Through Facebook, I could share my life on the road with them and see what had been happening at home. With three small kids at home, that’s a blessing for which I’m very grateful!
It’s incredible to see the changes in the way we communicate whether we live in Lancaster, Pa., in Brazzaville, or in Bujumbura. The world really is becoming flat.
