Immersion in Technology

I am not a native speaker; I do not have a smart phone or personal iPad.  I have entered a world where I barely even know the basics of the language. A few new words fumble from my lips: iPad and app. I learned these words on Thursday when Vicki handed me the bold red iPad that I am borrowing to use at ISTE. Of course learned makes it sound like there is some kind of mastery that I've made just by being handed the device, wide-eyed with confusion would be more honest. I am here at ISTE 2013--attempting to use new tools (the iPad and Surface) and understand the meaning of various technology words. I am mostly listening, observing. So far Evernote and Penultimate seem like they hold promise. I wonder how these become tools that let me interact with students as they plan and prioritize. 

I'm glad that ISTE started off my summer. I got to spend time and get to know some great colleagues, the time on the expo floor was quite valuable ($$$), heard about various web resources and apps: TeachersFirst, Sophia, ShowMe and MarkUp and downloaded my first apps ever.