5 Tips to Stay in Touch with your Foreign Friends

They lit up your life during your international adventure: Your friends from all over the world. But how do you maintain these friendships after graduation?

When living abroad, you and your new friends grow very close, very fast. While a few years seem like a long time before starting your study journey - a friend by your side makes time fly!

When you finally go back home after graduation, you are determined to stay in touch. And here’s how!

1. Explain your life to your friend

Tell your friend about your life.
Did you start a new job? Have you made new friends or did you run into an old flame? Your friend wants to know!
You might feel details don’t matter in a long distance friendship, but the opposite is true! These details make you feel close to each other, even though you are in different parts of the world.

2. Pretend you still live close

This may sound silly, but trust me, it works.
Just because you can’t see each other every day like you used to, that doesn’t mean you can’t still do most of the things you used to do together.

Watching a movie? Turn on Skype or FaceTime and watch the movie simultaneously. Your friend can still make the same funny comments and you have will something to talk about after.

Exercising together? Keep track of each other’s achievements, and try to beat them! Not only will it be fun to work out together like in the old days, having a friend beat you is the biggest motivation to push yourself.
Check out these 8 apps that use your friends to motivate you!

4. Plan

With the time differences, and both your busy lives getting in the way, it can be difficult to find the time to contact your friend. Schedule in your calls to make sure you get to speak to each other on a regular basis.
Before hanging up, ask your friend when you will speak to each other again. “Same time next week?” or: “Call me after your test tomorrow!” is enough.

5. Never think it’s been too long

We can often feel a little embarrassed when it has been a long time since we thought about someone, or when we have been meaning to email / text / call them, but there was always something urgent in your ‘here& now’ life.
It would be a waste of your special bond to never be in touch after someone (or both of you) forgot to reply for a while. Think about what YOU would want from the other person. Wouldn’t you love to receive a message, no matter how long it’s been?

6. Think big

No matter how far away now, when and where could you see yourselves reunited again? Dream about a shared holiday, a surprise visit, or even living in the same city again. Dreaming together will make you feel closer already.