Distant-living: Ways to Keep Yourself Connected with Your Family in Uruguay

Making new friends, learning the local language, and immersing yourself in the new culture is critical for living a happy expat life. However, maintaining a connection with your friends and family back home is equally important. 

Here are six steps you can take to stay connected with your family in Uruguay:

1. Recognize the Challenges of Staying In-touch

Living abroad means having different work and sleep schedules. As an expat, you might feel frustrated or aggravated when your loved one isn’t available for a quick chat. As you and your loved ones become absorbed in life, keeping in touch will become difficult. 

Understand that you need to make a constant effort to keep communication going. Be considerate of time zones and schedule calls at a time when both are available.

2. Schedule Regular Video Calls

Video calls are one of the easiest ways to stay connected to your loved ones. Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom, and FaceTime are free platforms that facilitate international calls. Video chats have significantly advanced, making you feel like you’re in the same everyone as the other person. 

Video calls can mitigate feelings of loneliness and isolation. Have a heart-to-heart with your closest friend, see how your parents are doing, and watch your nieces and nephews crawl around on video calls. 

3. Share Pictures and Videos Everyday

As an expat, you might feel you have no one to share your experiences with. Summarizing a week or a month of your life with friends over a video call can become overwhelming. Consider sharing pictures and videos from your day-to-day activities with friends and family. 

Whether you’re cooking a new dish or exploring a new part of town, click a picture or make a small video and send it in the group chat. Sharing your challenges and worries will help you feel less lonely. 

4. Plan Occasional Visits

Nothing comes close to in-person visits. On holidays and summer vacation, visit your loved ones, even if it’s for a short while. You can also send them a ticket so they can spend some days with you. 

If money is a roadblock, consider saving up for a plane ticket in advance. Occasional visits will strengthen your bond and help you make unforgettable memories. 

5. Send Thoughtful Gifts

Tell your loved ones you’re thinking of them by sending a small yet thoughtful gift. From art supplies to tech gadgets, consider the interests and preferences of your loved one to send them something they’ll use. 

In addition to physical gifts, you can also send them money on birthdays and weddings. Consider various options for money transfer to Uruguay and choose the most convenient and hassle-free method.

6. Do Regular Activities Together

The usage of video calls goes beyond sharing day-to-day updates. Do regular activities together to create a sense of familiarity. Consider the following ideas:

• Keep all the ingredients at hand and cook your favorite meal together. 
• Use screen sharing to do crosswords together.
• Play games on PlayStation. 
• Use the group-watching feature on streaming services to watch movies together.