5 Ways to Stay Connected to Family From Far Away

I’ve been living in the U.S. for almost two years now, and much of that time was spent under closed border restrictions. Because we weren’t able to plan visits, we had to put in more of an effort to feel connected in other ways. I’m grateful for this, because reaching out more helped me in those moments that I felt the most homesick!

Here are some of the different things we tried:

1. Good old organized FaceTime calls
   Not the most creative, but the quickest and easiest. I still FaceTime (or WhatsApp video call) my mom and sister-in-law almost every day to stay up to date with what they were doing in Toronto! And then every so often we have a more organized call, either with all my cousins, or if they’re having a get together, they dial me in ☺
   
   In this day and age, sending a text is usually default, but it doesn’t have the same effect. I love hearing my SIL laugh or listen to the tangents my mom sometimes goes on during our FaceTimes that I wouldn’t get from our texting conversations. FaceTime is more effort, but it’s worth it!

2. Ordering food/grocery deliveries
   This is my favourite thing to do as a nice surprise – I really like the “gifting” options that are now available on apps like DoorDash, which make it super easy to order from afar!
   
   When Azim and I first moved from Michigan to North Carolina, my mom had groceries delivered for our first night in our new apartment. I was so touched, and it was extremely helpful! She even ordered treats for Kylo ☺

3. Picking a TV show to watch together
   This is a tricky one if all of your loved ones have different watching styles (ie. bingers vs. savers), but it can be a lot of fun – especially if you pick a show that drops episodes weekly. I always enjoy debriefing after the episode, sharing opinions, and speculating about what will happen next. This is definitely an unpopular opinion, but I actually prefer when shows release on a weekly basis (don’t come for me!!).

4. Attending a virtual event together
   This is probably the most fun way to stay connected with loved ones that I’ve tried! I know the world is opening back up, but I’m really hoping that virtual events are here to stay.
   
   I had an awesome time attending a virtual séance with my bestie, which included a virtual haunted hotel tour as well. It sounds crazy, but it was a lot of fun ☺ I know some friends who organized virtual murder mystery parties, did virtual cocktail making classes, and who took virtual fitness classes together – all great ideas!

5. “Just Because” mail
   Is there anything better than getting an actual letter in the mail? I love buying 99 cent cards from Trader Joe’s and sending little notes to let my friends and family know I’m thinking of them ☺ 

Speaking generally, I think we’d all like to leave anything pandemic-related in the past, but I do think the ways we found to stay connected will be relevant for anyone living with the reality of long-distance relationships. 

Xox,

Jocelyn