Communication
I can’t imagine what it was like to travel 100 years ago, or even 20 years ago when communication would have been limited and difficult. I’m okay with going off the grid for a while and being out of reach, sometimes that’s what I really need when I travel. When I come home though I always want to call home. My mom, on the other hand, is not as okay when I travel off the grid for any periods of time. She, like most mothers, want to be sure I am safe and happy. She like’s pictures and updates. My grandma scrapbooks. She always wants pictures up on Facebook and is great at reminding me if I forget/get lazy.
Facebook was great for seeing what people were up to, now it’s mostly a pointless place where I go to see what news other people like and what stupid but funny videos are popular and occasionally see a relevant status update. As a person living abroad, it’s also my lifeline to what is happening. Those status updates between random shit help me stay involved with my friends and family at home. It helps me plan trips for my parents and I (Iceland June 2015, Ireland July 2016) and lets them know that everything is alright with me.
Skype (and FaceTime) are what really help me stay in touch. I think of this because since I had my month off beginning at Christmas my communication with some of my friends’ has fallen to the wayside, our Skype dates were abandoned. We still like each others posts on Facebook and Instagram, we comment and poke at each other but it’s not the same. Some friends are less to not at all active on Facebook, some have things that they want to talk about or vent about in a face-to-face conversation (or as close as you can get living on different sides of the world).
I have been busy with work and committees and report cards and events and it feels like everything. My friends are busy too, with work, with Masters Degrees, with kids, with life. It’s not always easy to find the time. Luckily yesterday I found some time to Skype with one of my bestest best friends and we both really needed it. I know because we had so much to say we were on for 3 hours before other people came home to disturb us. It always feels good to have a sympathetic ear, we were both able to vent about the school, work and life so that we could move past it.
If I had to survive on letters or phone calls that cost way too much I’m not sure what I would do. Still, travel too much for my families liking but I’d probably take more trips home when possible. WiFi may not be needed when I travel, but when I get home it’s the first thing. Though it’s nice to have WiFi when I travel.
