Staying in touch with your son or daughter

The internet has made it far easier and cheaper for gap year travellers to stay in touch with family and friends.

Email is without doubt the simplest and cheapest form of contact. Email accounts are free of charge and can be set up quickly and easily.

Gap year travellers and backpackers making their way round the world don't have to look too far to find one of the countless internet cafes which have sprung up throughout the globe. They can even share what they've been up to by posting their latest digital photos online. Some computer savvy travellers these days go one step further by using a webcams or even setting up a website where they can write articles or post pictures regularly.

Of course, nothing beats a phone call. While reverse-charge calls are still going to hit your pocket, it's possible for your son or daughter to buy very reasonably priced international pre-paid calling cards whilst they are away. These offer far cheaper calling rates and can be used on any phone simply by typing in an individual pin-code.

There is one other option for keeping in touch that you might not have considered. If your son or daughter's gap year or career break is for an entire year then why not fly out to join up with them for a while? Those working on a volunteer project or job abroad aren't permanently tied down and have plenty of opportunity to book ‘holiday' time whilst they're on their year out. Whatever you do, though, don't plan on springing them a surprise!

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