by Annette

Created on: April 07, 2011   Last Updated: April 12, 2011

Twenty to thirty years ago it would have been far more difficult to keep contact with your family who live abroad than it is today. Some people are more in contact with their far-away family than what they are with those staying close by.

When you are far away in another country you realise the importance of keeping contact while when you live close by, you don't always make the effort.

The Internet and mobile phone technology took the world by storm during the last ten years and it is far from over. 

Skype manages to bring your grandchildren, children or parents who live abroad right into your living room. Skype is so popular that you can easily find a couple of million people online at any given time. By making use of the video feature you can see the person you are talking to and can even share views of your new house, friends and the area you live in. It doesn't cost you anything except from a few megabytes on your broadband. With most areas having unlimited broadband access there is no reason why you can't spend an entire day visiting in the virtual world.

Grandparents can build wonderful relationships with grandchildren, born abroad, long before they actually visit each other in the real world. 

Social media, such as Facebook  and Twitter, instantly shrinks the world. Most mobile phones can access these web pages and you don't even need to be at your computer to quickly send a message or a photo to family all over the world. 

The good old traditional ways such as written messages for special occasions will always have a place, but can't compete with the instant access the technological world provides. 

It is essential to make an effort to keep in contact with your family abroad. Depending on how close your relationship was before the move, you can decide to Skype, email or send a message on Facebook at least once a week. Most people with access to computers will have daily contact even if it is just a quick wall message on Facebook or an email. 

Family members who had daily contact previously don't have to forfeit that, even if they live miles apart. With a computer and internet access you can have as much or as little contact as you wish. 

The massive world of a couple of decades ago has become a small global village and will continue to do so.

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