So you’re heading off overseas and you’re excited as hell! And so you should be! What an awesome experience. But one of the things that suck about heading off on an adventure, is saying goodbye to all of your friends. And of course you want to maintain these friendships while you’re overseas. But believe it or not, even when you’re not in the country – you can still do things to annoy the hell out of your friends.A common fear is homesickness. So it’s only natural to want to keep your friends close. But you don’t want to get to the stage where you try to keep them so close that you suffocate them through their phone buzzing day and night at them. So here’s my quick little guide of what you can do, to be the best long distance friend.
DO: Have a send off
Before you head off, have a little send off with your close friends. Whether it’s a coffee sesh , drinks or a cute little dinner date, make sure you take the time to tell your friends how much they mean to you and how much you’re going to miss them. You can also take this time to share your excitement and fears. When you’re all on the same page before you’re about to leave, you’ll be much more prepared (mentally) and feel a sort of closure, a sense that you know your friends will be there for you.
Don’t: Over Message
This is probably the biggest point! We already know how annoying it is when that one friend just doesn’t stop messaging you, so why would it change anything when you’re overseas? By over messaging, not only are you going to push your friends away, but you’re going to make them think that you’re not making the most out of the opportunity you’ve got.
DO: Look for alternatives ways to communicate
Get off of Facebook messenger and get creative! Look into Skype, Whatsapp and Viber. One of my friends and I use Whastapp to record messages and send to one another. It’s so much fun because when you listen to a message you’ve received, it feels like your friend is sitting there with you. Or go back to basics with a pen and paper. Make a cute card, write a letter or send a postcard. Whatever it is – just don’t stick with your basic messenger because that ‘ding’ sound will get very old very quick.
DON’T: Overshare your selfies
This is a hard one because of course you’re going to want to share your adventures with your friends. But there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing the same selfie face in front of a different landmark. Get creative with what you share – there’s so much out there! Instagram is my go to photo sharing site because it allows your to get creative and you can share as much as you want – it’s Instagram! Experiment with apps like Boomerang, Snapchat, Blogging or 1SE. Remember, you want to have things to talk about when you get back. Get creative, share something interesting and enjoy the moment you’re in!
THINGS TO NOTE:
It’s not all about you. Remember that your friends back home still have to deal with life’s many problems. Don’t forget that they may need to lean on you for advice and support just as much as you might need them. At the end of the day, that’s what friendship is right?
Be open to change. Naturally if you spend time away from home, things are going to change. And so will your friendships. You win some, you lose some, and those that matter will be there through it all.
So, I hope this helps you be the best friend you can be whilst you’re on your adventures overseas making new friends and keeping your friends back home!
A Worldly Addiction 
Good post, it is great that you are thinking how to make your long distance friendship work, not many people do. I have been changing countries for over a decade, and most of my best friends have been in different places. What worked for us is being in a constant contact with each other, by various means of communication, and to ALWAYS be there – virtually or in person – when something big happened (good or bad). We are now in our 30s, ALL the things in our lives changed, but we are still super close.
That’s so lovely to hear! True friends are always there! X