Keeping in touch – taking emails a step further

11/10/2006

There are many reasons why some people never move. This is a topic for later discussion, but for now lets focus on those individuals who do hop from country to country and make new homes in different countries and often on other continents. Are you one of those people whose address seems to be forever changing?

Luckily, for us expatriates we live in an era of technology when we do not have to rely on the regular mail any longer. Contact is at the tips of our fingers. E-mailing has become a favorite way of keeping in touch with friends and family for all peoples around the world, and specifically for expats. This tool has made the expat lifestyle so much more convenient, acceptable and viable. Family, friends and clients are just an email away.

However, emails are no longer enough. Hearing a voice is comforting and needed. It also puts the issue of distance into perspective. Yes, we may be on the other side of the world, but we are truly only a heartbeat or a phone call away. There is nothing better than surprising friends and family with a phone call just to chat or to wish them on special days. Also, in matter emergencies we need to be able to pick up the phone and make that connection without having to pay the earth for it.

Dear expats, we no longer need to worry about the expense of these calls. Can you imagine being able to call someone on the other side of the world and not have to pay for the call, not even a single cent? Believe it or not it is possible. Maybe some of you have heard about Skype and have been too wary to try it. Then again many of you may not have heard of these telephonic services that are readily available to us over the computer. Well, let me inform you that it works, it is cheap and it has changed the level of my communication with people around the world. I use Skype on a daily basis, sometimes three or four times a day. Because of Skype I am in regular phone contact with friends and family, I study internationally and I operate my business on a truly international level.

All you need is a computer. In fact you do not even need to have your own personal computer. Once you have an account set up, you can log into any and make your call. You will, however, need a need a fairly good headset and these do not cost an arm and a leg.(I paid $10 for mine.)

Go to www.skype.com and download the program. It takes an easy 10 minutes. Set up your account and you are ready to make your calls. If the other person also has a Skype account, both parties involved do not pay a penny for the call. Calls are FREE in this case. However, if you are calling to a regular landline or cell phone number you are charged for the call, but at an extremely low and very acceptable rate.

If you want to improve the quality of your communication as an expat, Skype or another such telephonic service, may just be your answer. Why not give it a try? If you have any problems with setting up or want to know how to mange certain tasks, please email me and I will do all I can to support you in getting set up.

Quote of the week

" Communication is a skill that you can learn. It ' s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you ' re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life. " Brian Tracy

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