Travelling is a fantastic way to meet new people and create friendships that can last a lifetime. There’s often a special connection when you share experiences in unfamiliar lands, away from your daily routines.
However, maintaining these relationships after the trip can sometimes be challenging, given geographical barriers and busy lifestyles. But worry not, as this article will help you discover clever ways to stay connected with your new travel friend.
Stay Connected with Travel Friends via Social Media
In today’s digital era, social media is one of the easiest ways to keep in touch with your travel friends. It provides an effective platform to share and reflect on your collective memories.
Sites like Facebook or Instagram enable you to regularly update each other about day-to-day lives, revisit remarkable moments through photo sharing, exchange messages, or even plan future adventures together. Furthermore, LinkedIn can facilitate professional networking with travel acquaintances.
While these platforms are easily accessible and offer multi-functionality, you will want to use them regularly to communicate and engage with friends you’ve made while traveling. That way, you will show sincerity and effort and, as a result, nurture and sustain long-lasting friendships despite geographical distances.
Don’t Forget Messaging Apps
Messaging apps take communication a step ahead of the public sphere of social media. These platforms, including WhatsApp and Viber, have revolutionized how we keep in touch globally.
Offering both text and video calling features at no cost, these apps allow for a personal connection to be sustained without any geographical restriction. You can share your day’s highlights with a quick message or engage in long conversations during your free time.
It’s these moments of one-on-one interaction that bring people closer. The convenience offered by messaging apps makes them an ideal choice to stay connected with friends you’ve made while traveling, ensuring your friendship continues to flourish regardless of where the road takes you next.
Send Postcards or Letters Using Snail Mail
In the face of growing digital communication, sending postcards or letters via snail mail may seem antiquated. However, this old-school method holds a uniquely personal touch that most modern means lack.
Receiving a handwritten note from a distant friend can bring feelings of excitement and warmth. It’s a tangible piece of sincerity, conveying more than just words but also effort, thoughtfulness, and care. A letter or postcard becomes a keepsake, something to hold onto and revisit in the future.
If your travel friend lives internationally, this method also gives them a little glimpse into your world through stamps and postmarks unique to your country.
Use an Online Translator to Stay in Touch in Their Language
More often than not, the friendships you form while traveling may involve varying language backgrounds. In such cases, using a translation tool like Google Translate or QuillBot can be an excellent way to bridge the gap created by language barriers.
Even if your friend speaks English well, making an effort to communicate in their language can signify respect and genuine interest in their culture. It shows your willingness to understand and appreciate the nuances of their native language and enriches your friendship.
However, be patient with each other as you navigate the world of different languages together – it could potentially be another exciting journey for both of you!
Plan Subsequent Trips with Your Newfound Friend
Another exciting way of sustaining your newly-made travel friendship is by planning future trips together. Apart from sharing costs and having a familiar company, it allows you to further explore and understand each other in various travel settings.
Coordinate your vacation leaves and choose a destination that intrigues both of you. The planning process itself can be a bonding experience as you discuss potential activities, accommodation choices, and places to eat.
Not only does this ensure continued shared experiences, but it also helps keep the adventure alive in your friendship. After all, there’s nothing like embracing new journeys with someone who values exploring the world as much as you do.
Consider Interactive Online Games
The world of online gaming provides another fun and interactive method to keep in touch with your new travel friend. Many multiplayer games on platforms like PlayStation Network or Steam offer chat functions, allowing you to engage as you game.
Whether it’s teaming up for a mission in a role-playing game or competing in a friendly match, these interactions foster teamwork and spark conversations beyond the scope of travel-related ones. You could schedule regular gaming sessions depending on your mutual free time.
It’s important to remember that these games should remain a fun communication mode rather than an obligation. So, find games that both of you enjoy playing together – there are plenty out there!
Endnote
It is important to appreciate that every friendship comes with its own unique dynamics and trial periods of understanding each other’s routine and personality traits better. However, both parties must put equal effort into communication and keeping up with changes occurring in one another’s lives for lasting friendships built on mutual respect, love, and shared experiences while traveling.
