Life at a Distance: Five Positive Takeaways

Nowadays distance is no longer a problem and most of our friends and family are not just a phone call away, but also just a video chat away. Prior to everyone staying at home, we had busy lives at school, work, or even both. Sometimes we didn’t make the time to visit our friends a few minutes down the road, or call our friends or relatives living in other places.

That has changed, and many of us find ourselves doing our part and staying inside rather than heading out. We moved away from our windows, or public places, and turned to our bedrooms or living rooms to stay in touch and reconnect with friends.

We’ve started talking more to our parents, roommates or even our pets, that just a few feet away from us, and we discovered there was so much more to learn from them.

Read more to learn the five positive takeaways of managing our friendships and relationships at a distance!

1. Reengaging Group Chats

Here at EdOdyssey, we firmly believe that travel really does change people, that having the experience of living in other cultures reshapes our minds into a more inclusive and humble way of thinking about life and others. Now that the world needs us to slow down for a moment, and technology has come to our rescue.

Some applications we have used for a long time now have issued updates to accommodate the need of more users in a single session. Whatsapp, for example, doubled its capacity to handle up to 8 users for video calls, and Google Meet became free to use for any users, whether they have a business account or not.

Social media and messaging apps become more important to keep these connections alive.  

2. Sharing more on Social Media

Never have we paid so much attention to our friends’ Instagram stories. And so, technology has helped us build virtual bridges that in just a few seconds tell us how everyone’s day is going, we can catch up on the latest with just tapping into a chatbox. There are now applications that say when people are available for phone calls to avoid calling someone when they’re not available.

But no matter how advanced our technology is today, what this actually tells us is that the connection between ourselves and our loved ones remains, despite the circumstances. This sentiment is especially true for those of us who have had the chance to travel.

3. Reconnecting With Old Friends

We have the opportunity to connect with friends on the other side of the world, another area in our region, or even a different state or time zone. The time that we’ve spent living somewhere away from home has given us the opportunity to learn about what makes us different, but also about what we share, and in the things we shared we built friendships.

We have laughed and cried with our new friends, we have been homesick with our new friends, and we have grown together even in our time apart from each other. 

4. Remembering meaningful moments

As we have returned to our lives back home, we too have physically distanced from those friendships from abroad with whom we once spent daily life, but we’ve gained perspective. If the added time at home has taught us anything, it has shown us that reconnecting with them will always feel like the last time we saw each other was yesterday. 

We may have had very little time in our lives in the past to reach out and ask how they are doing, but they were always in our thoughts. And if for some reason we never got to sending that text message, we have learned that it is never too late to pick up the phone and reconnect.

5. Embracing Positivity and Gratitude

From everyone at EdOdyssey, we want to thank you for doing your part during this time and sharing your light with the world. Our teams wants to encourage you to never let go of your adventurous spirit. If you are reading this as an avid traveler, a prospective study abroad student, a passionate teacher, or an EdOdyssey alum, please know that we appreciate you.

We have more options and opportunities than ever, but we have to share those feelings. If it’s a text, or any audio, say hello and you’ll be surprised what you receive in response! Follow us in the social media links below and engage with us!

Why We're Grateful for Our Study Abroad Alumni

EdOdyssey is grateful for all our students who have been involved in our past programs, especially our study abroad alumni from our Peru program who were inspired to call Lima, Peru their home for a semester. They have returned from one of the most enriching experiences of their lives, and we are grateful to have shared their journey. 

Studying abroad allows students the opportunity to care more deeply for international communities, stay involved with education and travel, and inspire others to get outside of their comfort zones. From experiencing different cultures, making long-lasting friendships, and having amazing immersive experiences, we want all EdOdyssey Alumni to know that they make our programs special. 

During a season of thankfulness, we encourage current students and alumni to reflect on the various ways international education have shaped their lives. We hope the current study abroad students in Lima will continue to use their global experiences as a resource and remain inspired as they explore all that the world has to offer.

Here are three pieces of advice from EdOdyssey Alumni for students planning to go abroad! 

Maddie reflected on her experience and offered some advice for other students overseas. Get to know host families and spend time when you can with them, because they’re a great resource practicing Spanish and having people to be around in your daily life while getting to know a foreign country. Also, practice patience with yourself and others. You have it within you, it just takes practice and time. 

Do you consider yourself to be a spontaneous traveler? Katherine advises students to have a decent amount of cash and change at all times. Sometimes there’s different rules in certain places, or you might not expect to visit a place during the day with certain entrance fees or activities you’d like to participate in. 

Margaret recommends study abroad students to really get to know their new neighborhood abroad, such as walking around and getting to know it for themselves, instead of following friends along. Join a club, or other activity. Margaret joined a yoga studio and not only met others, practiced Spanish, but also found joy in an activity while abroad. 

Since their time abroad, our alumni have been helping immigrants, gaining temporary experience and searching for exciting opportunities in new cities! Check out this video below featuring EdOdyssey alumni:

Many of us can agree that some of the best moments of life as a study abroad student occurred while we were overseas. A special thanks to EdOdyssey Study Abroad Alumni for providing thoughtful tips and insight for other students to make the most of their time studying abroad. We are appreciative of what you’ve all learned from studying abroad! 

A huge “Thank You” from the EdOdyssey staff for the opportunity to continue to encourage people to change the world one immersive program at a time. 

Interested in more testimonials? Check out what our alumni are saying here!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!