Education Abroad encourages students who are preparing for a study abroad to discuss the frequency and methods of long-distance communication with parents, family and friends back home before their departure, especially regarding the notification of arrival. Note that the first call home may not be possible on the day of your arrival. Parents will need to show more patience than they normally would. At the same time students should respect previously made agreements on when to communicate with family at home.
A communication plan is integral to the planning of a study abroad. Most countries today are connected to the Internet, digital telephone networks, and a functional postal system but the exact circumstances may vary and demand to adapt the communication patterns you know from the United States. Knowledge about the availability, reliability, and cost of various means of communication is key to the planning process – do some research and ask your EA adviser about the local situation in your host country or region.
Here are some ways that students can stay in touch with family while abroad:
- Telephone: It is important to know the telephone numbers for the program administration abroad and in the United States both during business hours and in case of an emergency. There may be a separate contact number for program housing. It is important to know if a regular telephone number will be provided to you while abroad, and if that number will be assigned to you before leaving the United States. The sample Emergency Card includes phone numbers you should have available at all times.
- International Calling Cards: The most reasonable way to communicate between the country where you will be studying and the United States may be through the use of an international calling card, available through various companies/providers. You can also purchase calling cards while abroad.
- Voice/Video over Internet Protocol Services: VoIPs like Skype, Facetime, or Windows Live Messenger are a cheap and easy way to communicate via the Internet – using voice only or video conference services. Although these services rely on a stable network connection and some IT knowledge on behalf of both users it is the most popular, fastest growing and most effective ways of long-distance communication. It may not be applicable in emergencies but works excellent for everyday usage.
- E-Mail: Electronic Mail is probably the least expensive and easiest method of communication for people in different time zones. Furthermore, many countries around the world are beginning to add or have added internet cafes throughout even the most remote areas, so that gaining access to your email should not be a problem. Internet email providers such as Hotmail and Yahoo are accessible anywhere the Internet is available, and are good options for students who are unsure of how often they will be able to call home.
- Cellular Phone: Cellular phones have become more common and less expensive around the world. Although local calls may be inexpensive, international calls may have a high cost. Short text messages sent from a cell phone may be a less expensive way to communicate internationally, provided the person you are messaging can receive text messages on his/her cell phone. Some multi-band phones that can be used in the United States can also be used while abroad. If you don’t own a multi-band cell phone, but would like to have a cell phone while studying abroad, you can purchase your own cell phone for anywhere from $40 to $300 (prices may change depending on the time of your study abroad program and location of program). Most cellular companies abroad also provide “Pay-As-You-Go” cards, which is ideal for students in short-term programs.
- Wireless/PDA Device: Known as Personal Data Assistants or PDAs, and other wireless communication devices may be another way to communicate while abroad. You will need to ensure that the device you purchase in the United States will work while you are abroad. This pertains especially to the technology standard of your mobile/internet phone (UMTS, CDMA, GSM, IS-95 etc.)
- Fax: In case phoning is not possible, a program’s offices in the United States and abroad may have a fax machine available for communication.
- Satellite Phone: Although still a very expensive alternative to regular or cell phones, satellite phones may be an effective method of communication in parts of the study abroad country where communication can be extremely difficult, or in the case of emergencies.
- Mail: (Regular or Express): Postcards and letters are still an important and inexpensive method of communication. For those documents that need to get there faster, there are many companies that provide fast international mail delivery. Before you go abroad, it is important to find out the mailing address for both your program’s administrative offices in the United States and abroad as well as your own mailing address (at your residence or administrative office when available). The national mail system of the country where you will be studying and other countries may not be as fast as the U.S. mail service, so allow for extra time when mailing from abroad.