It’s never easy to say goodbye to a loved one who is moving away, especially if they are planning to build a new life in a new country. Yet there are many ways you can continually connect with a friend or family member overseas, which will ensure you remain both in their heart and mind. Here’s how to maintain a healthy relationship with loved ones living abroad.
Make Affordable Overseas Phone Calls
You might think ringing your loved ones overseas will result in an expensive phone bill, but it doesn’t need to. With a little bit of research, you can discover a provider that can help you routinely ring a family member or friend to enjoy a much-needed catch-up and learn how they are settling into their new home. For example, if your loved one is moving to Manila or another city, you would have to be foolish not to look at the Viber rates for the Philippines.
Arrange a Communication Schedule
It can be heart-breaking when you discover you have missed a loved one’s phone call when they are living abroad, or when you can’t connect due to different time zones or poor internet connection. Ensure you can both stay connected by arranging a communication schedule that complements your busy lives and time zones. You can then find a quiet space to simply pick up the phone and chat with your loved one. Also ensure there are no distractions on your end of the phone so you can give them your undivided attention.
Email Your Loved One
Sometimes all you might want is to hear your loved one’s voice on the other end of the phone, but there might be days when you cannot reach them, or you might want to send them photographs of life back home. To do so, ensure you have their email address before they set off on their big adventure, so you can regularly send them emails. This will help you both to learn more about each other’s lives, as you can share images, videos and even birthday e-cards.
Create a Family Email Newsletter
Do you want to ensure your child, cousin or grandparent continues to feel like a much-loved member of the family? You can guarantee they will love to receive an email newsletter from all the family. This will provide them with an update regarding events or happy moments in their loved ones’ lives, such as their cousin’s wedding, brother’s recent football game, or their aunt’s promotion. By doing so, they’ll feel continually in the loop, and they will also appreciate how much time and effort has gone into developing the newsletter.
Avoid a Guilt Trip
Your loved one will experience a mixture of emotions when starting a new life in a new country. The last thing they will need from you is a guilt trip, as you will appear uncaring and unsupportive. It’s important to offer words of wisdom and positivity to help them settle into their new life, so they will be more likely to pick up the phone to talk to you.
