Have you ever felt alone in the middle of the crowd? We all do from time to time but in this age of technology this feeling becomes more dominant in our daily life.

We replace our friends with our computer and mobile phone, social venues with Facebook and Twitter. We cannot help texting friends and colleagues during meetings. Parents don’t give their full attention to their kids as they can’t give a break on their texting and emailing during breakfast or dinner. A group of friends hang out in a café with iPhones and iPads in their hands. Although we are physically together, our minds are in different places. In other words, just as MIT Professor Sherry Turkle puts it; ‘we are all alone together.’

Communication channels are shifting towards the internet in an innovative way. If you upload videos, podcast or tweet news in English with some humor, you could become the next hit online. Of course, if you combine your angle on the news with your creative talent, your voice could be heard globally.

An ultra modern building that could have belonged to another galaxy stands in the arid plains of northeastern Anatolia near Bayburt, a traditional town in the Black Sea region. The 4 juxtaposed buildings in different length are in the shape of cylinders buried in the ground. For some reason, as I first look at their pictures, they reminded me of submarines! This striking architecture becomes more inspiring once one visits the galleries. Baksı Museum is designed on surprising contrasts: you can walk through a rich collection of contemporary art pieces side by side traditional handicrafts.

My generation, born in the late 70s and early 80s, has grown up with daily Brazilian soap operas. Although they were silly stories of love, intrigue and revenge, I remember watching them for a few minutes before starting to study after school. At the time of no internet or social network, it was soothing to watch a simple story not to think what happened during classes or what I have as homework that night.