With the advancements of technology, the plethora of Internet Cafés, laptop computers, and the various communication choices available, it is as easy as a mere click of the mouse to call home.
Read on to learn the best ways to stay in touch whether you are an expat, exchange student, or traveler.
In the 20th century a land line telephone was the quickest and most expensive way to say "hello." Still among the speediest forms of verbal interaction, the phone has made leaps and bounds towards being a cost-effective means of communication.
The big step towards cheap, long distance telephone service was the development of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). VoIP is based on the concept that sound bites travel through high speed Internet connections the same way an email does, creating a clear telephone connection. The lightening fast exchange of information supports conversations with any other type of phone. The only requirement is for your phone or computer to be connected to WiFi or a data port.
A company called Vonage provides a device that connects to a broadband Internet, usually via a device called a router. The device also includes a phone jack into which you can connect a normal telephone.
Another means of using the internet to make phone calls is via software on a personal computer. Skype is perhaps the best know company which provides this software and service. You can receive your own phone number - from the place of your choice; Skype offers 21 country options while a company called Gizmo5 offers 60. Your phone number remains your personal number for the length of account activity. People can call your number and you can answer from anywhere; you don't have to physically be in the same location where your number "comes from." Forr example, your Skype phone number can be in the Houston area code '713' even though you live in Quito Ecuador. People calling from the U.S. often do not realize that the called is ringing thousands of miles away. A personal Internet Messenger id and voice mail are also included with the private phone number.
You can use the Vonage adapter in overseas locations as well, but the company doesn't advertise this - presumably so as not to anger the phone companies in foreign countries who are losing revenue as a result.
With Vonage, for about $30 per month, you can make unlimited calls of unlimited duration 24/7 to numbers in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico plus unlimited fixed phone calls to the U.K., Ireland, Spain, Italy, and France (no charge for calls to cell phones in North America but to Europe there is a charge—not to fixed phones). It's an incredible service that really reduces distances.
For those that are not computer literate there are always the more old fashioned phone cards. These handy cards resembling a credit card are sold around the world. Some companies sell minutes that are added to a re-useable card, others are disposable with a pre-determined amount of time. The cards are sold at most markets and are used at any public phone operation. It is important to check usage fees due to extra costs being applied with certain plans and companies. If you want to buy phone cards before departing for your travel destination, check out speedpin.com. You can research prices for international calls as well as purchase cards with this online service. They are 100% guaranteed throughout the world.
The Internet
For many, the laptop computer and a reliable connection to the internet is what makes living abroad do-able.
Easy access to the Internet has basically abolished the need for mailing letters. In its wake is gratuitous virtual mail service. Web based companies such as Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail offer free personal email accounts. These accounts are accessible from any computer or Internet compatible cell phone or blackberry. Some programs like Gmail can act as a base station for other additional email programs. This works well if you only want to correspond from one account, but would like to send using different addresses.
Another way to reach the masses is writing a blog. A blog has different services. One is using it as a virtual post card. It can be used as a basic diary, helping your loved ones know your travel story. The only difference being that your readers can respond to your letters instantly. Another is the sharing of information; creating a place for people to learn about a unique aspect to your life abroad. My husband and I write a blog on our lives in Patagonia, www.livinginpatagonia.com. Most of our readers return because of our ability to keep them updated on news and happenings in Bariloche (a notoriously difficult area to find reliable information about). In addition to being a good way to stay in contact, it is also a way to earn a few extra dollars with Google AdSense and Amazon ad programs. Websites such as blogabroad.com, blogspirit.com, diino.com, squarespace.com, wordpress.com, to name a few, offer easy-to-follow programs to create an experience-sharing blog.
Another great way of communicating via internet is Instant Messaging or IM. IM is a real-time communication tool to speak to others, whether two people or more, via an internet connection. There are various sites that offer IM. Companies such as Skype (the largest IM provider other than the Chinese customer-majority company QQ) offer programs, in addition to a personal phone number. Also, for increased security, other private users have to ask permission to be a part of your network before they are able to chat with you. Other companies, such AIM, Jabber, Yahoo! Messenger, ebuddy, Windows Live Messenger, Gmail Chat, as well as others, have made the instant messaging phenomenon a standard in computer communication. It is as easy as signing up for the chosen system; all which are free of charge. The only necessary component is that the person or persons that you wish to communicate with are also a member of said company.
There are various options for communicating, but what do you do if you are in an area that does not have cyber cafés or WiFi? That is where portable satellite equipment comes in. Portable satellite systems are compact, metal boxes (about the size of a laptop) that create a high speed Internet connection regardless of your location. BGAN Store sells three different models of satellites that offer superior bandwidth, the exchange of large files, as well as video and audio connections. The satellites are around US$2400, plus a monthly fee, and range from two to seven pounds. Their small size makes traveling with them a breeze. The set up is also minimal.
Fax
The issue of sending or receiving a fax is still a problem with VoIP programs because of the internet code language being different than fax transmissions. There is an internet option that allows you to exchange faxes via computer, Efax. The only additional piece of machinery needed is a scanner. With Efax you receive a personal fax number for a monthly fee of USD$12.95. There is also a feature that creates a digital signature, taking away the need to print, scan, and sign documents.
Snail Mail
There are times when snail mail is needed. It is important to have a safe place in your home country that will receive and store mail for you. It is also nice for registering and ordering items while abroad. Private mail box companies, such as Mail Box, etc., offer this service for a nominal monthly or yearly fee. The company will give you a regular street address and private mail box number. With prior arrangements made, the chosen business can email when an important document has arrived, send accumulated mail to your address abroad, or package mail for friends or family coming to visit. This is especially useful for receiving occasional online purchases that cannot be shipped internationally.
For those living abroad or thinking about doing so, the communication options of today makes the process much easier. It truly is a small world. Thanks to technology, keeping in touch is just as easy whether you are close by or far away. And while you are abroad it is nice to know that loved ones are no farther than the push of a button; a convenience that is important for both the person venturing out into the world and those left behind.
For More Info
VoIP companies:
Blog websites:
LiveJournal
Blogabroad
BlogSpirit
WordPress
Instant Messaging websites:
AIM
Jabber
Yahoo! Messenger
Ebuddy
Skype
Satellite WiFi connection:
International phone cards:
Internet based FAX sites:
Private Mail Box companies:
