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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html

Thursday, January 26, 2023

International Calling as it WAS

 Both, Pieter and I had a lot to deal with those old fashioned calling cards for making a phone call...
Do you recall any of those?
This MULTIFON was one that we used in México for calling and also for getting on the Internet with our laptop!
A confidential number needed to get 'scratched off', see below on the right of that red arrow.
Any way you used it—phone calls or on the Internet—you had to be FAST as it also did click away FAST... 📞  💻
~
We also have used for years a special AT&T calling card for which you had to use different numbers in different countries—before dialing the number you wanted to reach. That way it got billed to our personal AT&T account here in the USA. 
Mom often used to say—our phone bill was not any higher than usual when using their phone...
Of course not—we paid for it!
And then in 2003 came this...
Calling the 1010 987 prior to the number you had to call!
ONLY for 3 US Dollar cents a minute all day, every day!
For the U.S., to Canada and to Western Europe!!!
That was quite a break through.
This was still way before we had our first Blackberry at the time Pieter had his open heart surgery done.
We've also made phone calls using our AmericanExpress card—very expensive rate but in case of an emergency we have done so.
Calling our sweet Sister–In–Love in The Netherlands from Mexico on our American Express card for a rip off of US $ 49.00—while on vacation in Acapulco, México.
We just had to call her—as she was going home from the hospital to be comfortable in her own surroundings during her final weeks with pancreatic cancer...
Over the years we have used our phone a lot and paid our share for communication with Parents and loved ones.
HOW things have changed since!
Now we can do video calls for free from one smart phone to another.
Guess there are at present no hotels that don't offer Free WiFi...
WISH we'd had that when we were first immigrants—for being able to talk with Mom more than our limited calls on Birthdays and special holidays.
It was the weekly letter writing that we kept up.
And oh, how I always saved those Dutch guilders for pushing into the slot for making phone calls at Schiphol airport... calling Mom especially and Pieter his brothers and some more.
On our lay–over on the way to India or Indonesia...

Related link:
Husband Pieter's DANGEROUS Trip back from India | SCARY time when Pieter on his solo trip could not reach the USA so he informed Dad who in turn called me here in the USA...

18 comments:

  1. When I first came to Kuwait in 1994 that's all we had were international calling cards. Ironically, I talked more with family by phone then than I do now. Everyone just wants to text. I can still remember when we'd take my MIL to the office where there was a phone with an international line -- that way she could call her children in Canada. Yes, times have definitely changed -- sometimes, I think, not for the better in some ways. Take care and have a good day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Tammy,
      Oh you do recall all those international calling cards no doubt! As you said, now we can call, we more often send text messages—so very true!
      No, in general in this era of communication certain things definitely have not become better! People have started living with their smart phone and interact seldom on a one–to–one base with other humans. We still grew up in a large—caring society and that is diminishing.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  2. I have one of these cards somewhere. I think it still has £1.23 still on it to be spent.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Victor,
      Those are almost museum pieces now and I doubt if you could still get it to work...
      What a huge change we lived through!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  3. Io ne ho fatto molto uso,dal momento che sono anziana.Che ricordi!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cara Olga,
      Oh, immagino che tutti li abbiamo usati molto. Davvero – che ricordi!
      Abbracci,
      Mariette

      Delete
  4. I've never had an international calling card, but I used to have a long distance calling card (within Canada) some years ago. It's definitely easier now with video chats, cell plans, etc!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Kim,
      We both relied on those with our international consulting but no doubt—nowadays it is far easier!
      When Pieter got stuck in India and he could NOT reach the U.S.A. for calling me. He managed to call Dad—read that nerve wrecking story below post as I've added it there. Some 1,400 people got killed and Pieter was so lucky for getting out safe!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  5. Hello Mariette, I sure do remember those cards--I have a whole box of expired ones somewhere! Now I use Magic Jack which allows me to have a Cleveland phone number attached to my computer, so except for an annual fee of about $30 most calls are free from Taiwan. The 'old-fashioned' cards are still in use for calling certain countries that somehow evade the cheap rates. I have even bought them more recently in the U.S. to call Taiwan.
    --Jim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Jim,
      You no doubt know all about this having had to deal with two continents that were halfway around the globe.
      Your Magic Jack solution sounds like a smart solution for you!
      So far we've not come across any 'old–fashioned' calling cards and there has been no need for us to hunt for any...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  6. Ahora los móviles facilitan mucho la vida.
    Feliz fin de semana. Besos,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Querida Antónia,
      Oh, ¿cómo hemos manejado la vida sin teléfonos móviles?
      Abrazos,
      Mariette

      Delete
  7. One of the most frustrating parts of my life has revolved around "international phone calls" since coming to the US. 60 years of misery. When first here I too only called on birthdays and Christmas It cost $25 for just 3 mins. to call the UK in the '60's - and my paycheck was only $100 a week! Thinking of dumping the land line now but if I do can my family call me from their mobile? It's all so complicated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Mary,
      Oh yes, receiving the phone bill with such shocking high amounts was quite something to cope with. We have a phone number as it came with the Internet package from Spectrum and we have TV access from them as well—but we did NOT install a land line. We ONLY use our mobile phones, also for international calls via WhatsApp mostly as that is convenient. For both of us it is not complicated and anyone can call from their mobile e.g. using WhatsApp.
      No, this modern way of communication and even with video call if preferred, is such a tremendous improvement since 39+ years ago when we came here.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  8. Olá, Mariette, muito interessante sua postagem que nos mostra uma tecnologia
    muito importante para a época, mas que cedeu lugar há alguns anos, para uma
    tecnologia bem mais avançada.
    Um ótimo domingo para o casal, com saúde e paz.
    Grande abraço.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prezado Pedro,
      Sim, todos nós gostamos da tecnologia moderna e que diferença de conveniência e muitas vezes de graça.
      Abraços,
      Mariette

      Delete
  9. Old times. It was a concern when we went on vacation, having to call the parents, giving them the number where we were. Looking back now, we realize how much easier life has become.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Christina,
      Oh sure in that regard of communication—things have improved and become a lot cheaper.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...

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