Before you travel – family care tips when studying abroad

Are you pursuing your studies overseas and now counting down to your trip?

We understand how exciting and refreshing it is, especially if it’s your first time being in another country for an extended period of time.

However, as with all things in life, there are bound to be ups and downs on your trip.

That’s why it’s so important to ensure you have a support system that can not only celebrate your victories with you, but lend a listening ear and keep your spirits up when things get rough.

And what better support system is there than family?

You’ll also want to make sure your family is well taken care of. Remaining contactable and staying in touch is a good way to do that because you’ll get to keep up with their lives. In turn, they’ll also gain peace of mind knowing that you’re safe and doing fine.

Read on to explore the things you can do to stay in touch with your family throughout your study trip!

5 things you can do to keep in touch during your study abroad adventure

1. Share your social media updates

Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram or Facebook, social media can be particularly useful when it comes to staying in touch with your family, especially with different time zones.

After all, stories stay up to 24 hours after you post them, and posts remain on your page unless you take them down. Your family members can visit your profile or even view your social media updates on their newsfeeds.

On top of simply posting photos, you can also put together little reels or videos and write descriptive captions with details to keep them updated.

Pro tip: when they leave comments on your posts or reply to your stories, make it a point to not only “like” the comments, but also reply them.

2. Schedule regular check-ins

Thanks to the recent pandemic, we all got familiar with communicating virtually with one another, be it over a smartphone video call, or on platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet, which can be accessed on a laptop as well.

It could be a good idea to make arrangements with your family ahead of time – maybe a fixed day and time per week – to ensure you have enough quality time to catch up.

Remember to cater for the time difference so that everyone can talk freely, after their work for example.

3. Send periodic postcards

While it might feel like an old-school method of staying in touch, there is something particularly heartwarming about receiving a handwritten note or postcard in the mailbox.

During the holidays, you can pick up some postcards that showcase special landmarks or views of the destination you’re in, and surprise your family members by sending them some handwritten festive greetings.

Having said that, you don’t necessarily have to wait until the holidays to do this – we’re pretty sure they would love to receive some air mail from you any time of the year!

4. Return home if your finances permit

While social media and video calls can help you to stay in touch with your family, there’s nothing that beats seeing each other in person and catching up face-to-face.

That’s why you should consider making trips back home during your school semester breaks if you can afford it.

As air tickets could potentially be pricey, you can always book your trip back home months in advance or keep an eye out for any special student discounts and promotions.

Or consider using your spare time to take up a part time job to save up for your air tickets and earn some extra pocket money.

5. Start a travel blog

While blogging is no longer as popular as the revolution it once was, you can consider creating one and posting regular updates for your family to read.

On top of using it as a tool to document your study adventure and stay in touch with your family, it also serves as a creative outlet if you enjoy writing and photography.

Long after your study trip ends, you’ll have this blog to go back to for memories – quite possibly the best way to remember your journey, struggles and successes.

Embark on your overseas study adventure with IDP

Keeping in touch with your loved ones is important, especially when you travel overseas. Not only can you get moral support during the tough times, they’ll also be there to celebrate your victories.

Now if you’ve been thinking of heading overseas to pursue your studies, there’s no better time than now – we’ll help you get there.

At IDP, we have experienced education counsellors that can navigate the application process as well as offer tailored guidance according to your individual situation and preferences, so that you can pursue your studies in your dream destination.

Get started with your free counselling session today!