I worked and excelled as a senior office administrator for 27 years or so in an oil company in the Middle East. Yes, I have been using the Internet doing a lot of research for my bosses during those years. However, except for email, word processing (MS Office), my personal studies on various topics dear to my heart, I was not interested in those latest advances in digital technology, i.e. Apps (that my high-tech husband & sons were convincing me to update myself with). Then, shock of all shocks, I was compellingly retired when I turned 60. I didn’t see it coming! Then it dawned on me that if want to continue being productive and mentally active, I need to be “techie” and align my skills and experience with the latest advances in the digital world. Since there is a huge demand for online English language teachers to teach the Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Russians, I thought of becoming an ESL teacher/tutor via Skype. I was called for an interview by one ESL school for a demo assessment. I have always been confident of my language skills. However, I was just starting to hone my skills in web navigation, social media and other communication platforms, i.e. Skype. I have always been comfortable using my own personal high-end, powerful, ultra-book laptop or home PC desktop. During the demo day, I was expecting that the school is equipped with modern PC or laptops for applicants’ use. But I was surprised that they have only those tiny laptop notebooks whose screens are so tiny for my near-sighted vision. Because of that laptop’s tiny screen which is nothing compared to own personal one, I lost my focus and became disoriented. Then I realized I completely forgot how to navigate Skype! The assessment was being conducted by one Japanese lady interviewer based in Tokyo. Goodness gracious, still I could not locate the Chat icon! Since she was speaking with a strong accent, I didn’t get her name right! The interviewer kept on correcting me that her name is “Tenshie”. And I kept calling her “Kenjie” as I still couldn’t find the Chat box icon where she had typed her name twice!!! Very embarrassing and humiliating! Needless to say, I didn't make it! I have come a long way from that fateful experience! I am now a skilled ESL teacher for Japanese students. I made sure that lessons learned from that failed interview were applied successfully for the 2nd time! With faith in God and in myself, I can do marvelous things with patience, perseverance & passion that only God can give! Credit is due to Randy Bish www.facebook.com/Bishtoons
@Eilynne Medalla, now that was funny. I know that at the time it must have been embarassing, but you too seem to see the humor of it. I have worked with computers since '78, but all I did was work business relatedly programs, and I learned to build mathematical programs. But, to understand how the actual computer works is way over my head. If it weren't for my tech guru, (Yvonne), I would still be staring at this screen with nothing but questions marks running across my brain.
I would keep in mind how to remove my cookies next time I'm having trouble with my browser loading pages slowly, LOL I have never paid attention to generation barriers that describe senior people as kind of inept people or retards, unable to make use of top notch technology same was as youngsters do or much, much better; remember that all people who made possible all of this are (or were) around our same age of today. I started feeling attracted by computers when my dad used to take me with him to visit a friend who, perforating cards, was in charge to make the programming of large computer consoles, but I began to learn what a computer was around age 25 when my parents gave my sister and I an Atari computer, which was more likely a toy, but taught us our first computing steps. As time went by, we got another Atari, more powerful and coming with the first Microsoft software I ever seen; Microsoft Write, which was the equivalent of the actual Word, and a spreadsheet equivalent to Excel. When I finally got my first PC, I was 32 and for the next seven years I used it in so many ways but never aiming to come online someday. When I did it just when the 20th century was coming to an end, I was so impressed that I began to self-educate myself to learn how to set up a webpage, and eventually would learn from how to code a PHP or ASP page to how to setup and manage an online server. Sure, I made mistakes along the way, but never is late to learn, and when there is a will there is a way. You may take courses, enroll in a school or simply experiment on our own and practice... Remember, practice makes perfect