When Your Family is Far Away…

The Holidays are all about family. When part of your family lives in a different country and the other part is a couple thousand miles away, the Holidays can be a little hard to get through. I would know, this is the 4th Christmas that I’ve been away from my family. Its hard, I miss them and I definitely get a little more homesick this time of year. Fortunately I’ve learned a few things over the years about staying connected, even when my family is far away…

 

Video Chat! If it wasn’t for technology I probably wouldn’t have made it this long without seeing my family! Thanks to being able to chat almost face to face, I’ve been able to get to know my niece, stay up on the latest and not feel so far away.

 

Good Old Fashioned Snail Mail! There is nothing I love more than a good old fashioned hand written letter from my sister. I’m looking forward to the day that Abby sends me a scribble picture. As awesome as technology is, having something tangible that I can hold in my hands has so much more meaning.

Plan Your Chat Sessions in Advance! and don’t cancel no matter what! We always try to have the next video chat or phone call penciled in before the end of our conversation.

Send Random Photos! Silly pictures, Selfies, pics of what you’re working on… it doesn’t matter what the picture is, send it! Its the little things that make you feel connected.

Do Things Together! My sister Emily and I love to do things together via video chat 🙂 We’ve had crafting sessions and coffee dates, but my favorite is when we bake together. We love to make family favorites together, munch on cookie dough and talk about anything and everything.

Honestly, the baking sessions are some of my favorites. Family, traditions, flavors… all the things that make the holidays THE Holidays! There is something about food that brings people together, the first time I watched this #WUHomeCooked video, I sobbed. If you’ve ever been far away from home during the holidays, grab some kleenex before you watch!

 

 
There is so much about this that I can identify with! There are certain foods from home that I can’t easily get her in Texas, but when I can get my hands on them, I’m instantly transported back home.

Western Union has customers that are often called, “Dual-Belongers.” They are folks currently living in one place and from another – their heart feels like its in two places. Many are pursuing education, career or simply a style of life for them and their family; but with family members and strong ties to their birth country.

So Why a video about food? Well, Western Union’s aim is to connect people globally. And as we all know, food is a connective tissue to a person’s family and culture. #WUHomedCooked is a heartwarming storytelling video, where Western Union surprises and delights our customers with their favorite meal from home from their families. If something like this happened to me, I’d be a sobbing mess!

As a “Dual-Belonger” myself, staying connected is the only thing that keeps me from going nuts during the holiday! How do you stay connected when your family is far away?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.