The Importance of Staying In Touch

By: Isla Campbell
Submitted: 2008-09-30 00:05:10
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The friendships we have in our lives are capable of shaping our future. How many times do you ask a good friend for advice when you find yourself in a tough situation, for example?

We’re used to having our friends – and our relatives - around us at all times: easy to call on and meet up with to enjoy good times and discuss what’s going on in our lives. But what do you do if someone moves to another country – regardless of whether it’s for a few weeks or for good?

It’s easy to lose touch in this situation but there are plenty of ways that you can keep things going. For example, why not plan your annual holiday to go out and see them? Even if you don’t actually stay with them or spend the whole holiday time together you can still make arrangements to stay nearby and meet up while you are in the same country.

But of course a holiday isn’t something you can do every day. Supposing they now live on the other side of the world and you have a fear of flying? That doesn’t bode well for keeping the friendship going between different countries, does it?

In this case – and in between holidays if you do decide to take the plunge – you should think about writing to each other regularly. Letters may have fallen out of fashion somewhat but they are an ideal way to reveal all your news and ask about how your friend’s life is getting on. You can also include photos to ensure that your changing appearance doesn’t give your friend a shock when you do eventually see them in person!

Of course, one of the best ways to stay in touch and share your news is by picking up the phone. There’s nothing like hearing your friend’s voice to really make you feel as if they are there with you. However, using the telephone can be costly, depending on where in the world your friend is and how long you choose to converse for.

Another thing you need to bear in mind is that if they live in a country which is in a different time zone, you will need to work out what the best time to ring them will be. If you both have jobs then these will also need to be taken into consideration.

Sometimes the best time to call them is on a Friday or Saturday, when you can stay up later and not have to worry about work the next day. And if you have a computer, internet calls make it even easier to stay in touch as they are free if you both use the same sotfware.

In short, there is no reason for letting a friendship slide simply because someone moves abroad. Thanks to the Internet, getting in touch is easier than ever before, so all you need to do is use the technology we now have at our fingertips.

Article source: Expert Articles