Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Back from Mexican 'ciber'space

The eagle has landed, amidst the afterglow of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
I was doing my own triple axles down in Mexico looking for Internet Cafes with people who spend time in virtual worlds though, spanning several cities including sprawling Guadalajara, colonial Guanajuato, coastal San Patricio/Barra de Navidad, and quaint Colima. The Internet cafes are often referred to as "cibers."
The Mexican context presented its own particularities and challenges, because unlike Korea, digital gaming is viewed as a juvenile and/or geeky antisocial activity. Still grappling with accessibility issues (one of the lowest in the OECD), the Internet cafe facilities are caught at various 'moments in time,' that may or may not enable participation in virtual worlds. Another factor is the battle between console and PC gaming. Furthermore, in the ample public spaces I previously blogged about, there are numerous 'free' and 'offline' activities.
That's just a glimpse of how I spent my "Olympic Break." Suffice it to say, "This will be in my report!"

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