Staying connected with family while abroad
This post has been sponsored by Western Union. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For us immigrants, it’s sometimes tough to feel comfortable in a different country while staying connected with family while abroad, and maintaining relationships with loved ones back home. We are very family-oriented, and helping with bills and expenses is possibly the best way to demonstrate that we care for and are thinking about them.
The Western Union® service is best for quickly sending money to people you know and trust. I love it because I can choose how to pay, and even if you don’t have a bank account, you can easily transfer funds to your loved ones.
You have options when you transfer funds with Western Union at Dollar General. Simply pay with a debit card, or with cash at over 16,000 Dollar General locations nationwide.
I initiated the transfer on my laptop while making my “grocery list” at home, before heading to Dollar General.
You can bring cash or your debit card to pay with a Dollar General representative. Download the Western Union® app and learn more here.
There is also a My WU Loyalty® Program where customers earn points towards price reductions on their fees for future transactions. Go to this link for more details on the program.
As challenging as staying connected with family who are abroad can be, supporting my family makes me feel close to them.
Another challenge is the time zone, which in my case can sometimes be as much as a 4 hour difference from my family in the Dominican Republic. Of course, the challenges can be different from family to family, but I will give some other examples of ways to communicate and keep your loved ones close.
Time Zones – I remember when I first moved to the US, I was receiving calls at 5:00 AM and it took us a while to get used to the time zone. I found the best way to battle the time zone differences is to set times for calls and video calls. We also have a different time zone on our phones to check the exact time before making that call. It is just an easy way to respect everyone’s schedules.
Apps – My phone company offers international calls, which was the main reason to I chose it from the others. But our loved ones back home don’t always have the same service, and here is when apps come in handy. They are great to create family group chats to stay connected.
Social Media – For many people, social media can be a waste of time, but when you live abroad, it is an ally. Social media is a fun, easy, and fast way to stay in touch, share photos, videos, and our lives.
Be consistent – Being present while being far away takes effort. So be consistent and keep the relationship as stable as possible until you meet again.
It’s not always easy to keep in touch and stay connected with family while abroad. To be honest, I feel very lucky to be living in an age where the Western Union® app makes it easy to support them, and to have free apps to stay connected and social media to keep them a part of my life.
How do you stay connected with your family and friends? Let me know your challenges and tips?
