keeping in touch with home
I was on skype the other day with a friend who's also living in China, but has been here about 4 months longer than we have. She was asking about our adjustment and if we were missing family a lot already. I was surprised that for me, the answer was- not too much, not to where I feel it yet.
Now I know R would disagree. He has really missed getting to talk to friends. With his work schedule (out the door at 7:30am and home around 6pm) he doesn't get too many chances to catch people 13-14 hours behind on the time change.
But I've been surprised that while I don't have too much to do, I have been able to keep up with our family, a few friends and with some things going on in America. I've actually spoken to my seester possibly more in the last 2 months than in the 6 months before that (granted she is in Seattle on West coast time). Living in Atlanta or DC wasn't exactly close to our family in Tampa, Seattle, Denver or Bartlesville (OK) and only relatively close to R's sister and brother in Chattanooga. So while we're much further away, in some ways we're more intentional and able to keep in better touch than while we lived in the US. (I'm sure our tune will change come the first holidays spent apart over here-telecommuting for holidays is just not a substitute).
So for anyone curious about the best ways to keep in touch with America while living overseas, I thought I'd write up a few of the means that keep us connected.
What did people do before the internet? I'll be honest I'm not sure I would be able to survive abroad in the old days. Clearly I utilize this blog as a way of keeping people posted on how we're doing, but it's so one-sided, and I often want to know what's going on with people at home.
I have enjoyed trading emails with a few friends since arriving, and it always starts my day off well to wake up to a lengthy update from a friend in my inbox. Writing to an individual feels so much more personal than writing to the at-large blogosphere.
Despite the fact that I'm bombarded by Japanese-Korean fashion and New Zealand travel ads, Facebook continues to be a way to connect with those at home. I tend to keep from posting too many personal details (beyond links to these blog posts), but it's always great to connect with a broader group of people. Let's face it, nearly everyone is on facebook so sending messages there is convenient too.
Now with other forms of social media- Vine, instagram and twitter you can keep up with people much better than the last time we were here- even moment by moment, via pictures or video, for better or worse. :)
We rely on a VPN (virtual private network) for security and so that we can get around the Great FireWall of China. Many of you have read that sites like facebook & twitter are blocked in China, but with a VPN you've got no problem! We've also got access to everything else that we would in America while on the VPN. I don't really understand any of the technology but I am so glad it works. We use a VPN called PandaPow! (hilarious name), and we know a lot of people who use Strong's, but we found it to be a little pricier for both of our laptops and our iPhones.
Every now and again when R's whole family wants to connect (from Denver to Bartlesville to Chattanooga to Shenyang) we'll schedule a google hangout. Hangout is a function of Google+ and allows all of us to video chat with one another at once. Honestly I get a little overwhelmed or awkward on these group chats, but it's a fun concept. It's also the only reason I have a google+ account. I do not need any more social media to keep up with!
We also rely on our skype accounts both to video skype with family and friends and just to talk. We purchased a skype-in phone number that has my home town's area code so my mom or anyone else in the US can call the number toll free just like they were calling anywhere else in St. Petersburg. When someone calls it first tries our computers if we don't answer there it forwards to both of our Chinese cell phones. Because receiving phone calls is free in China, we just pay skype 2 cents/minute and the reception is generally crystal clear. We are careful to remind the people calling of the time difference otherwise our phones might ring in the middle of the night!
Speaking of phones, we also utilize iMessage on our iPhones. Because iMessage uses data to send messages, texting from one iPhone to another anywhere in the world is free as long as you have wifi or 3g access. This helps a lot to just say hi quickly or help schedule a time to skype later.
Finally, we keep up on American TV online as well. On our VPN we have access to sites like Hulu, Fox.com or CBS.com and we can stream recent episodes of tv shows. Did you know that outside of the US you can't actually access those sites? Unless you have a magic VPN. We can also get on netflix or amazon and stream movies or tv series there.
I rely heavily on our slingbox for sporting events (march madness is just around the cornere!). Slingbox is a device that captures whatever is on your cable box at home and broadcasts it over the internet to your computer. We have ours hooked up in Chattanooga to R's brother & sister's TV so I often take the chance to watch downton abbey or the Oscars along with R's sister and iMessage commentary as we watch. We can access their DVR as well over slingbox so while they sleep we can watch whatever we like.
Whew, so there you have it. I'm not sure I realized how plugged in we were until writing it all out. Hopefully this will help some of you considering your options of communication when moving abroad and inspire others of you to write me an email or iMessage me or connect otherwise...
Have I missed anything? I know there are lots of world travelers reading and lots of different ways to do this. If you have suggestions for communicating worldwide and staying in touch easily- let us know!
Now I know R would disagree. He has really missed getting to talk to friends. With his work schedule (out the door at 7:30am and home around 6pm) he doesn't get too many chances to catch people 13-14 hours behind on the time change.
 |
| people we like to keep up with- moms |
So for anyone curious about the best ways to keep in touch with America while living overseas, I thought I'd write up a few of the means that keep us connected.
 |
| more people we love to email and skype with- friends! |
I have enjoyed trading emails with a few friends since arriving, and it always starts my day off well to wake up to a lengthy update from a friend in my inbox. Writing to an individual feels so much more personal than writing to the at-large blogosphere.
 |
| more friends- skype makes it feel like we're with them! |
Now with other forms of social media- Vine, instagram and twitter you can keep up with people much better than the last time we were here- even moment by moment, via pictures or video, for better or worse. :)
We rely on a VPN (virtual private network) for security and so that we can get around the Great FireWall of China. Many of you have read that sites like facebook & twitter are blocked in China, but with a VPN you've got no problem! We've also got access to everything else that we would in America while on the VPN. I don't really understand any of the technology but I am so glad it works. We use a VPN called PandaPow! (hilarious name), and we know a lot of people who use Strong's, but we found it to be a little pricier for both of our laptops and our iPhones.
 |
| no technology has been able to substitute for eating piroshkies with seester yet |
Every now and again when R's whole family wants to connect (from Denver to Bartlesville to Chattanooga to Shenyang) we'll schedule a google hangout. Hangout is a function of Google+ and allows all of us to video chat with one another at once. Honestly I get a little overwhelmed or awkward on these group chats, but it's a fun concept. It's also the only reason I have a google+ account. I do not need any more social media to keep up with!
We also rely on our skype accounts both to video skype with family and friends and just to talk. We purchased a skype-in phone number that has my home town's area code so my mom or anyone else in the US can call the number toll free just like they were calling anywhere else in St. Petersburg. When someone calls it first tries our computers if we don't answer there it forwards to both of our Chinese cell phones. Because receiving phone calls is free in China, we just pay skype 2 cents/minute and the reception is generally crystal clear. We are careful to remind the people calling of the time difference otherwise our phones might ring in the middle of the night!
 |
| we miss you all! |
Finally, we keep up on American TV online as well. On our VPN we have access to sites like Hulu, Fox.com or CBS.com and we can stream recent episodes of tv shows. Did you know that outside of the US you can't actually access those sites? Unless you have a magic VPN. We can also get on netflix or amazon and stream movies or tv series there.
I rely heavily on our slingbox for sporting events (march madness is just around the cornere!). Slingbox is a device that captures whatever is on your cable box at home and broadcasts it over the internet to your computer. We have ours hooked up in Chattanooga to R's brother & sister's TV so I often take the chance to watch downton abbey or the Oscars along with R's sister and iMessage commentary as we watch. We can access their DVR as well over slingbox so while they sleep we can watch whatever we like.
Whew, so there you have it. I'm not sure I realized how plugged in we were until writing it all out. Hopefully this will help some of you considering your options of communication when moving abroad and inspire others of you to write me an email or iMessage me or connect otherwise...
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