My first encounter with the Internet came when I was 14 years old. Back then, e-mail was relatively unheard of, and people were still swarming libraries in search of news and information. It was through a friend who was taking an external course on computing that I first surfed the World Wide Web.

After the first encounter, I believed that it will probably take decades before people realize the full potential of the Internet. After all, back then, websites were few and there weren't many search engines around. Internet connection was expensive and not easily affordable. The only Internet Service Provider (ISP) available in Singapore then was Microsoft Network (as were many nations outside the United States), and only business executives required it. I threw out all thoughts of getting myself connected, thinking that most of the world wouldn't be requiring it until the turn of the century.

How wrong I was! Only 2 years later, Singapore Telecom introduced Singnet, Singapore's first ISP. Now Internet is available at an affordable price and connection speeds increased. People rushed to sign up to fill their curiosity, and before long the average number of Internet subscriptions was 1 per 2 Singaporeans!

Like typical Singaporeans, I joined the mad frenzy by signing up. I acquired my first modem-a 14.4 Kbs modem that runs with a telephone, courtesy of Singapore Telecom. I received my first e-mail from Singapore Telecom, thanking me for being one of the first users of their latest service. I was sent to the Singnet homepage, and for the first time I surfed the Internet on my own.

Like a newborn baby, I stared at the many beautiful websites that came my way with every click. I explored for hours on the Internet, searching for all sorts of things; from Singapore to Britain, from pants to parks, from books to banks, from swimming to soccer. Suddenly, I have the world at my fingertips; I do not need to search for books and queue up at libraries any more! Wow!

As time passed, my modem capacity was too small to handle the explosion of information that I was browsing through with each passing day. Therefore I got myself a new 28.8Kbs modem. What a leap it was in terms of speed and capacity! Surfing became a breeze, and I could quickly move from one website to another. Today, my computer comes equipped with a K56-flex internal modem, and I no longer needed a telephone beside my computer. Direct connection to the telephone socket means saving costs and space too. Yet, with a world exploding with online information, this newest modem is finding it harder to handle the chunks of information I download all the time. I believe it won't be long before I turn to a bigger and better modem.

One of my favourite websites is the Singnet homepage. It provides links to many interesting sites such as www.hollywood.com which talks about the latest stars and their lifestyles, sports sites that provides the latest news on the sports arena and www.cnet.com where one gets first-hand information on the latest technologies. There are even search engines that allow me to search for almost anything in the Internet. With a click of the button, it brings me to a site with the latest news on the Middle East talks; with another click, it gives me all the information on the latest technology in vegetables growing.

Today, I surf the Internet mainly to look for information pertaining to my tertiary education. Nevertheless, I still love to visit websites such as the Singnet homepage, the Time magazine homepage and www.hollywood.com. Recently, my high school classmates successfully launched a website which allows us to exchange news and experiences and update each other with the latest happenings around us. From the website, I have been able to keep track of my friends and maintain a close contact with them even after 4 years since our graduation from high school.

The Internet has become indispensable in my life. While it continues to serve me well, I firmly believe that in the near future, with teleconferencing capabilities and other advances in technology, we will see more people surfing the Internet and using it as a means of wider communication and fostering closer inter-human relationships. All in all, I believe that the Internet will bring about a restructuring of the minds and the strengthening of bonds between people of different cultures, races and religions.