Expat living

Whether you're emigrating for good or just planning on spending some time overseas, keeping in touch with the people you've left behind can be beneficial for everyone involved. Just because you may be starting a new life doesn't mean you should ignore the people who played such a vital role in your previous life, and thanks to the internet it's now easier and cheaper to stay in touch than ever.



Whatever you're getting up to abroad - whether it's teaching, volunteering or travelling to see the sights - friends and family in your home country will doubtless wish to be kept up to speed with your adventures. Keeping a blog or other online record of your activities can provide the details, but can also lack the personal touch, meaning it can be worthwhile investigating your options for making calls back home.



If you need to arrange a new mobile phone service in your new country, making sure the contract includes low-cost international calls could help save you a small fortune, as could checking whether you'll be charged for receiving calls from overseas - a charge many people forget about, but which can soon add up.

You can also download software to your computer that will allow you to make low-cost international calls without having to use your mobile, simply by speaking into your computer's in-built microphone or a headset. If the person you're speaking to is using the same software to speak through their own computer, the call could be completely free of charge - no matter where you're located - meaning you'll be at liberty to talk for as long and as frequently as you wish.



While keeping in touch with people back home can be vital, it's just as important to learn how to make new friends and contacts in the country you're living in. If you're living somewhere where they speak a different language, making time to study basic phrases could make a good impression and make it easier to communicate, and you should take opportunities to immerse yourself in the local culture - especially if there are festivals and other events coming to your town.



You may not have to lose touch with your roots completely though, try finding local groups for expats in your area. As well as helping you meet people with similar backgrounds, this can also expand your horizons considerably, and give you the chance to meet people from all corners of the world.