5 Ways to Communicate With Friends and Family Back Home Whilst Abroad

Spending time away from your loved ones can be rough, so we put together this list of 5 ways you can use social media and your TelAway SIM card to feel as close to them as possible during your trip away from home.

1. 
   

Obviously this would be your first choice - messages and pictures can be sent as well as voice notes and phone calls - all of these are free and use minimal data. Whatsapp is based on your contact list and shows who is using the app, when they were last online etc

     2.

This is a terrific app that’s available for both iPhone and Android devices, and it makes it possible for users to chat with their Facebooks friends wherever they are. Of course, if you’re near a computer, you can still use Facebook’s web chat interface and message platform, but we find the mobile app to be a lot more intuitive, and here’s why. If you have Facebook friends that you chat with constantly, you don’t have to worry about finding a computer to be in contact with them because the app can be downloaded straight onto your phone and used whilst you're on the go!

     3.

If you’re under the impression that Snapchat is only for teenagers, you’re not completely wrong. Snapchat became popular because it solved the problems teens had when trying to communicate with their friends freely on the internet. However, snapchat has one of the simplest implementations of video calling that I’ve come across. If you’ve used Skype, you know how frustratingly complicated video calls can be.With Snapchat, it’s really simple. You go to the conversation view for a contact and if the person is online, the yellow Snapchat camera button will turn blue. Touch and hold the button and you’ll get a little floating circle with the preview of what you’re sending. The video from the other end will fill the rest of the screen. You can swipe up to switch between front/back camera.

   4.

Viber is a mobile application that allows you to make phone calls and send text messages to all other Viber users for free! Viber is available over WiFi or 3G. Once you and your friends install Viber, you can use it to talk and message as much as you want for free!  Viber uses your phone number as your "identity" and lets you make free Viber phone calls to any of your friends who have Viber - using THEIR phone number.You can also call any number that doesn't have Viber at low rates using ViberOut.

  5.

Skype is one of the best, free communication tools for the iPhone. As of version 3.0, the app lets you make video calls. As with other versions of Skype, you can call or chat with other Skype users at no charge, or buy credit to call any other phone number, landline or mobile.

- Estee