Though working abroad often means garnering a competitive salary and having multiple opportunities to move up in your career, it’s no secret that this work arrangement also comes with its fair share of sacrifices. One of the hardest things to give up is the chance to be close to your family, friends, and significant others in terms of physical distance. If you work in a different time zone, you can also expect simple communication with your loved ones to be more challenging than if you were based in the Philippines.
Knowing that, it’s natural to be worried about forging lasting relationships with the people you’ve left back at home. But even if working abroad means missing both major milestones and everyday moments with your loved ones, it’s not impossible to make them feel like they’re cared for and connected to you, despite the distance between everyone. Here are a few ways that you can cultivate your relationships with the people dearest to you in life, both when you’re abroad and when you’re able to come home for a holiday.
Create Special Routines for Keeping in Touch
Communication is the key to maintaining any long-distance relationship, whether it be with family, close friends, or a romantic partner. Find creative new ways to communicate with each other that are both easy and fun for all parties, then make it a point to establish routines around regular communication.
The first communication method that may come to mind is the group chat, which is great for immediate family members, extended family, and large friend groups. A group chat will help you keep in touch and share content like photos and videos. But of course, you don’t have to stop there. Why not encourage your friends or family members back home to upload content of their favorite moments in a dedicated Google Drive folder? You can keep a regular habit of uploading these so that you can store your memories together.
It’s also a good idea to establish special rituals that will allow you and your loved ones to bond. Consider scheduling virtual game nights with your buddies or virtual dates with your partner once a month or once every two weeks.
Pave the Way for Spectacular Vacation Experiences
When you have the opportunity to come home, for example over the holidays, it’s crucial to spend quality time with your loved ones. One way to make each visit a more memorable and poignant one is to go the extra mile for your vacation experiences.
For example, you can invest in a vacation house and lot for sale in Lipa City or any other vacation hotspot in the Philippines and make family vacations there a staple of your trips home. A vacation home can also serve as a legacy home for your family and be used by other family members even when you’re away. Either way, you’ll be able to strengthen your filial bonds and celebrate your identity as a family, no matter where you all are in the world.
Adapt Celebrations to Fit Your Circumstances
Being away for work means having to celebrate milestones like birthdays and anniversaries from a distance or postponing such celebrations for when you’re in the country. Though there are few joys quite like being able to make merry in person, there are several ways that you can adapt.
If your child’s birthday is coming up soon, schedule an online birthday bash complete with games that you can play from a website or a videoconferencing platform. Once you’ve confirmed your next visit to the Philippines, plan a joint birthday celebration with friends who share the same birth month or were born in the same quarter as you. Again, it may not be the same as an in-person, real-time celebration, but your loved ones will never forget the efforts you make to share life’s happiest moments with them.
Find Ways to Surprise Your Loved Ones During Special Moments
Using the element of surprise is another way to express your thoughtfulness to your loved ones, making them feel special and showing how much the relationship matters to you. Have a birthday cake with a special message delivered to your child on their birthday, arrange for flowers and chocolates to be given to your partner on the day of your anniversary, or make an online collage with get-well-soon messages for a friend after they’ve gone through surgery or another type of medical procedure.
Oftentimes, being far away can make people forget about each other’s presence. A pleasant surprise is one of the best reminders to your loved ones that you’re there for them and that you’re thinking about them during the most important times.
Make Good on Your Promises
Lastly, be extra careful about the promises you make to the people back home, whether it’s about your ability to visit home or to communicate with them on a specific basis. Don’t make any promises that you know you can’t keep, as this is sure to create disappointment and drive a wedge in your relationships. For every promise that you make, on the other hand, stay faithful to it.
Those who work abroad often find their wills and good intentions challenged by difficulties like a tight work schedule. Don’t assume that it will always be easy to either make or keep promises to your loved ones. Make it a point, however, to be as honest and intentional as you can possibly be. That, among other things, will be a solid foundation for healthy and lasting relationships.
Remember that it’s perfectly normal to be homesick, to miss your loved ones, and to think often about how much more you could be doing for them. But if you commit to making the best of both your career opportunities and your chances to bond with them, your love for each other will always come out on top.
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