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There was a nationwide problem with our internet. I had never seen or heard of anything like that. I first thought my network provider was acting up when it started. After a while, I found that it wasn't just me. But that was just the beginning.

It was like we were under siege and our lines of communication had been severed. Or I thought so. And as time passed, it became increasingly concerning as it wasn't getting better, and I was suffering the side effects.

The funny thing was that I could still make cellular calls, but accessing Hive, watching YouTube, or even using WhatsApp was zero. It was only one day, so I expected that it'll be resolved soon. Apparently, some underwater network cables had been damaged, causing the problems, even in neighboring countries.

The problem would last a few days, but it increasingly became unbearable. I had to resort to doing more things offline. The gym had me around a lot more; my colleagues and friends saw me socializing more than usual, and I even slept a little better in those times. I mean, I didn't have many options.

I found something that made the problem easier to bear. I learned about X-VPN, which had a specific configuration that somehow allowed internet access. It wasn't as stable as the normal thing, but it was a lifesaver.

X-VPN worked on my Android and Windows. I tried it on an iOS device, and it also helped. I shared with a few people, and it worked for some. Downloading it was often the first obstacle—or maybe even informing them—because we damn needed the internet for that.

I hope this never happens again. But it got me thinking: people on satellite internet, like Starlink, wouldn't have been troubled a bit about the underwater network cables. Now that's an upgrade.

This disconnection experience allowed me to realize just how dependent I am on the internet and my devices. I'm sure this applies to many people around the globe. And it's also a reminder about how there's a need for balance. As much as these technologies make life easier, they should add rather than take from us.

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