New Resident Island

New Resident Island viewed from above

While I was out exploring recently  I stumbled upon New Resident Island

The brightly coloured buildings of New Resident Island

My first impressions were positive, I liked the brightly coloured slightly quirky buildings used in the town, which were created by Kayle Matzerath.

Profiles of the New Resident Island Services volunteers

Initially, I thought the Island was owned by the Linden Department of Public Works, however, on reading the signs I discovered it is actually run by a private group, New Resident Island Services, a team of dedicated volunteers led by Treacle Darlandes who are on hand to help visitors.

Treacle posted in 2011 about an interesting experience that shaped her involvement with Second life.

A TRUE STORY
I was new, not good with computers, and bored. I was wearing a short skirt and blingy chest rings, blinging far and wide through my freebie leather jacket. It seemed that was the thing to do. Second Life appeared to be lacking in depth and communication and I saw males running around wearing unmentionable attachments. (I had clearly been to the wrong places).
“There must be some sensible people here somewhere” I thought. “Maybe there are some nice people at a yachting club”. I searched and found Nantucket Yacht Club and teleported onto a jetty.
There was a man.No silly attachments, no fancy skin, no chat up lines. And very oddly… no talking at all!I said hello, but he did not answer.Now, when you are new in Second Life, you don’t understand about chat lag, AFK, invisible avatar… so I believed this person was truly ignoring me.I said “hello” again. No answer.Off I walked and viewed the boats. Up one jetty, down the next. Then I arrived back where the man was. I said hello again.Still no reply.Determined, I asked “Do you have a yacht here?”Sigh.I walked away pretty much in disgust really at being ignored several times. Then… as I was leaving… I saw very faintly on my screen…"...Yes."Maybe he does not speak English, I thought.Then the next word from him…
This was odd, but clearly this man was asking if I wanted to sail in his boat! I accepted and followed the man as he walked along the jettys to his yacht.
The sailing was just amazing! (Although in silence!)
I had not experienced anything like it! I asked him if I could take photographs. He said yes.
The sea, the land, the turns, the commands, a skipper on a small yacht, sailing it just for me. After a long time out to sea, we returned to the jetty.
The man stood up and walked away — without a word — to the clubhouse.
Well, as I like to talk, I really couldn’t accept this. I followed and walked to him and asked “What language do you speak?”
No reply.
It was puzzling.
There were others in the clubhouse. Ravishal Bentham sent me an IM.
“Have you read his profile?”
I was new, why would I think doing of that?
So I did.
That was the moment that changed my Second Life.
The man's name was Djduerer Zou.
✲ Friendly, kind, tall, bedridden, sailor.
✲ Can barely type.
✲ Difficulty seeing, too.
✲ It gets worse in the afternoon SLT time.
✲ Slow.
✲ I use gestures to speak.
✲ In my life I am terminally ill (soon dead) with progressive brain disease,  OPCA  also known  as MSA.  
✲ No regrets, lived passionately.
✲ SL is my life.
I couldn’t imagine to have ever read such a thing or met such a person in SL.
The reality of the situation made my mind whirl. I had been sailing with a man who was living the last days of his Real Life here, in Second Life, living the Real Life that he had known. As a sailor.
My computer was a blur. There was something different here.
Djduerer managed to type:
“dance”
“I think he is asking you to dance,” wrote Ravishal in an IM.
After the short dance, I walked outside and stood my avatar looking out to sea.
Thinking.
I logged off Second Life with a hollow feeling inside but at the same time — a spark — a feeling that there was real life here in these avatars.
After this day I returned twice to see Djduerer, and both times he took me sailing. I dropped the bling chest rings and lengthened my skirt!
I talked to him, not expecting a reply.
I remember once as we were sailing saying to him,
“You must have had a wonderful Real Life at sea."
His answer made me happy and sad at the same time…
”Yes!!!!!!!!!” he said.
Four years — or more — later, when I am helping new people, this experience is never far from my mind.
At no time has anything in Second Life ever taught me so much as the day I met Djduerer Zou and discovered who was really behind the avatar.
I have used my experience of meeting Djduerer to explain to others about Second Life and to help them to have an open mind.
I doubt my presence here meant much to Djduerer. If I kept him company for a few sailings, that makes me happy, but Djduerer’s presence in Second Life meant so much to me.
He taught me the most important lesson I have learned here, and I am grateful for that moment we met — it showed me what online living can really mean.
- Treacle Darlandes

"...Sail?"

He described himself in his profile:

Then, a couple of weeks later, I heard that Djduerer had passed away.

Published with the kind permission of the real-life widow of Djduerer Zou.

A guide to using the camera controls

All over the island are areas designed to assist new residents, and those returning after a period away from Second Life to familiarise themselves with the essentials to enable them to make the most of the virtual world.

Explaining the difference between a classic & a mesh body

How to change the time of day in Second Life

Teleports are available to move quickly around the island

The guide on how to change your avatar includes a free Bladen Cat Avatar.

 The support offered includes a wide selection of free clothes, a.o.s, and even complete avatars. While most items are only free for avatars under 365 days old, some are available for anyone. I think I look pretty good in the picture above wearing a Bladen Cat avatar!

If you know any new residents that need help, I can recommend sending them to New Resident Island.