If you’re a seasoned expat or just embarking on a life of travel and adventure, you’re going to want to communicate with the outside world. Sometimes you’re going to feel lonely and disconnected and you’ll want to easily be in touch with friends and family in other parts of the world. Technology makes all of that possible!

Skype

Jason Hartman is a huge fan of Skype because it allows us to communicate so easily—and with approximately 663 million users, it is no wonder. In addition to a basic calling service, Skype offers the ability to instant message, send and receive files, host conference calls, leave voicemails, video chat, and share screens.

Setting up an account is simple—just go to the Skype homepage and run the setup application. It will give you progressive directions and be ready to use in no time.

Do remember that some countries have rules about Skype, so always check before you count on it. Also, Skype doesn’t allow emergency phone calls, so be prepared.

Google Video & Voice Chat

Google Chat and voice chat offer a similar way to communicate. As long as you’ve got a webcam, you can enjoy face to face chats with a free, easy to install service. It’s easy to chat too, and if the other person isn’t online, they’ll still receive your messages—perfect for those communicating across other time zones.

Social Media

Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are great ways to stay in touch across oceans. You can exchange messages, look at photographs, and read status updates for those you care about. Most everyone is on one form of social media or the other, so you’ll be able to communicate with nearly everyone if you’re on all three.

Facetime

Created by Apple Inc, Facetime is a video telephony software application for Apple devices. It allows you to chat face to face with anyone with an Apple device and requires very little effort.

Whatsapp

This app allows users to exchange text messages without actually paying for a text messaging service. It isn’t the only app of its kind, many others exist. Some may not work in certain countries, so it is important that you do your research.

So it may take a little effort, but it is surprisingly easy to stay in touch with nearly everyone in your family and those on your friends list. A little time and a small amount of initial effort ensure the lines of communication are kept open!

* Read more from Jetsetter

How to Get (and Keep) Clients

Educational Options for Expat Kids

The Jetsetter Team

Tags: communication, expat, Jason Hartman, Jetsetter Show, Skype