Q. It seems like you’re always traveling, how do you manage to keep in touch with your family and friends?
A. It may seem like I’m always traveling, but really, I have quite a few days off at home every month!
But, to get to your question, keeping in touch with people is important to me, whether I’m traveling and keeping in touch with people back home, or if I’m at home and keeping in touch with friends that I’ve made while traveling. Since I’ve become a bit of a geek, most of my keeping in touch involved technology of one sort or another, and honestly, I can’t remember the last time I sent a postcard or an actual letter.
Phone: At home I have a VoIP service, which saves a lot on phone bills. I also have an iPhone, and use my minutes freely. When I’m in the car, stuck at an airport, or otherwise have fee time, I’ll pick up the phone and call someone. Nothing beats the occasional pang of homesickness like a call back home. And when I’m lying on a beach somewhere, basking in the sun, it’s also a bit of a treat to talk to someone back home in rainy Seattle. If you travel a lot, spring for a phone plan with a decent amount of minutes so that you can keep in touch.
Email: This is probably my primary means of communication, because it doesn’t involve coordinating schedules or time zones to make a connection. While some may see email as impersonal, it’s often the best means to catch up with me. It’s also a perfect way to share photos and say “wish you were here with me” or “hey, I’m lying on a tropical beach where it’s sunny and I hear it’s still raining back in Seattle.” Since I always travel with a laptop and my phone, it’s easy to get a message to the people I care about.
Skype: This is my primary IM service, and I use it daily. I have a couple of Skype chat groups that I belong to, and popping in from the road helps me continue to feel a part of what’s going on. I recently downloaded the Skype app to my phone, and gave it a try earlier this week. I had a bit of a trauma going on, and joining in the group chat was a way to keep me focused on what I could control rather than what I could not. Skype is also great for international calls that can typically rack up big charges. Calling computer-to-computer is FREE, and calling land lines or cell phones has very cheap rates.
Text Messaging: I’m not a big texter, nor is my circle of friends. We’re far more likely to just send an email or pick up the phone and call.
Twitter: I generally don’t Twitter when I’m traveling, and this is for a variety of security reasons. Like not alerting all my followers that I’m not at home. I will occasionally live tweet an event, but found that I’m far more active on Twitter when I’m at home.
Facebook: While traveling in Europe earlier this summer, I posted photos and updates on Facebook. Since I get to approve who sees the information, I was comfortable sharing where I was and what I was doing. I tried to update with photos every day or so. Some people asked if it was a hassle doing all of while on vacation. Not at all! It was fun for me to load the photos onto my laptop, take a look at them, and choose which ones to share. I had a great time with it.
I rarely feel like I’m cut off from the rest of the world. How about you? What tools do you use for keeping in touch while on the road.
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