Perhaps you’ve moved abroad because of graduating, or you’ve landed that job you’ve always wanted but which required moving overseas. You’re probably relocating for a good reason, but you’ll still have to figure out how to keep in touch with friends and family after going away. Even though it may seem easy at first, it can be quite hard, and as time passes, people can drift apart without even noticing.
Make a Habit out of It
It’s very easy to lose touch with your buddies when you’re not living in the same place, let alone the same country. If you’re wondering how to make your long-distance friendships work, you will have to be determined to keep it going and make it work.
One of the best ways to go about it would be to make it a daily habit. Take a couple of minutes of the day, like during a break from work, to chat with your friends and see how their day is going. It will become a routine in no time and you will both expect a call or a message at a specific time of day.
How to Keep in Touch With Friends Using Modern Technology
Thankfully, we live in a time where technology has made it quite easy to communicate with people all across the globe. Don’t be afraid to use this to your advantage and keep your long-distance friendship going, even if you’re not that tech-savvy.
Use Skype or FaceTime to Conduct Video Calls
What better way to chat with your loved ones about the changes in your lives than via a video call. It may seem daunting at first, but you’ll see that it’s much more personal and warmer than just a normal call. There are many different apps you could use for this purpose, but Skype and FaceTime are among the favorite ones. Do keep in mind that only Apple products can use FaceTime, but it’s very straightforward. If you want to use Skype, you will have to install the program and make a free account.
Google Hangouts Is Good for Group Call with Multiple Friends
Google Hangouts is another great innovation that allows you to conduct video calls. It’s especially suitable for multiple people in one call. You can also send each other messages using Google Hangouts, to organize the group video calls or chat about anything and everything.
Use Your Phone to Talk to Your Best Friend
You’ve probably felt like calling your friend up, or will if you haven’t already. You don’t have to wait for the planets to align to do it. It doesn’t have to be a long call either, but ringing them up and just asking what they’re up to can mean a lot. It can also become a routine and will help with keeping up to date with each other.
You Can Use Social Media No Matter How Far Apart You Live
Social media makes it very easy to stay in touch with your friends and family. It’s also a preferred method of communication when it comes to moving overseas. You can also chat with your friends while your movers prepare everything for international shipping. You probably already use social media a lot; why not make it work in your favor.
Using Facebook Is a Perfect Way to Stay in Touch
Facebook offers everything you’ll need to maintain communication, as you can both chat with your buddies and share and like old and new photos. You can also follow your contact’s life happenings and important events. You can get more info about what’s going on in their life and ask them about it the next time you talk to them. It’s also useful for keeping track of people’s birthdays, which can otherwise be very troublesome for some. Send your friend best wishes on his or her birthday, and it will be a perfect way to start talking again.
Instagram Isn’t a Waste of Time
Instagram is a photo-based social media platform, but it can be useful for the purpose of preserving contact, as well. You can easily share images and check out their photos and comment on them too. No matter if you’re moving with dogs and want to keep everyone posted on how your pets are doing, or want to send them a photo of your new apartment, it’s a great way to stay in touch. Besides posting pictures on your feed for everyone to see, you can also send them directly to your friend.
Stay Wary of This Method
It’s very common for people to get addicted to social media, and you should be wary of this before you get started. This can be bad for your mental health as well as your productivity. In case you’re staying up late or missing assignments, and feel drawn to social media a little bit too much, it may be advisable to tone it down.
Ways to Get Things Going, Like Sharing an Interesting Story
If you’re not sure how to get everything started, or perhaps your interests have differentiated over time, there are some ways to mend this situation. You can talk about old, happy memories and experiences you’ve shared together. Perhaps you can talk about a funny story, maybe something unusual happened during the international move or during work. Funny videos, memes, and articles can also be great conversation starters
Plan out a Trip
Going on a trip together can be a great way to re-establish your relationship, and create new, fun experiences and memories. Whether it would mean you coming back, them coming over to visit you, or going on holiday together, it’s sure to be a fun and bonding experience. You can use reliable overseas vehicle shipping services to bring your vehicle with you.
Organize an Annual Meet-Up
One of the best things you can do to keep in touch with everyone would be to organize an annual event. No matter if it’s just one friend or half your high school class, it’s a perfect way to stay in contact and develop your own “thing.” It doesn’t have to be a big thing, particularly if you’re already moving on a budget. Even one weekend on a yearly basis can mean a lot and strengthen your relationship. Leave the moving and packing to professionals while you organize the event.
