A Hodophile’s Guide to Homesickness: 5 Tips for Staying Connected With Home While Traveling

You might be a travel-loving, thrill-seeking hodophile, but what if you’re a homebody, too? Though seeing the world can be refreshing and inspiring, nothing beats connecting with your friends and family. Despite your best efforts to immerse yourself in new cultural practices and live as the locals do, homesickness can still be an unwelcome dampner on the excitement of travelling

With these five tips, you can travel as far as you want without sacrificing a connection to the home you love. 

Invest in a digital mailbox

A digital mailbox from providers like iPostal1 is one of the best ways to stay connected to home when traveling and adventuring across the globe. Not only does a digital mailbox help you connect to your mail back home easily and affordably, but it also has the following benefits:

  • You can worry less about international mailing restrictions
  • Remote viewing of important mail 
  • Safely receiving mail or packages without fear of theft 
  • Easily staying in touch with friends and loved ones through letters
  • You can manage postal mail and get packages almost anywhere in the world

Suitable for businesses and individuals alike, a digital mailbox can help you stay connected with friends and family both overseas and domestically, without the hassle of international postage or expensive phone calls. 

Pick up postcard writing

For those who get enjoyment from the art of letter writing, picking up postcard writing is a great way to stay connected with home while traveling. Purchasing different types of postcards at every location you visit can become like a personal little scavenger hunt

As long as you have the time and energy to write a few loving notes and have access to stamps for sending snail mail, these postcards can act as a temporary placeholder for digital connection and blast from the past while traveling the globe.

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Carry photos of your loved ones

In addition to your other camping, adventuring, and travel gear, keeping photographs of your loved ones with you at all times is a powerful way to combat homesickness.

While it might seem like an outdated practice to some, taking out a physical photograph of loved ones or even a picture saved on your iPhone can bring comfort and joy to those feeling homesick or missing their friends and family.

Schedule family video calls

If you opted to sign up for roaming wifi or a cell phone hotspot, you could schedule video calls with your family from virtually anywhere. 

Though it isn’t exactly the same as seeing your friends and family in the flesh, having a video call can be a great way to catch up in real-time while you’re on the road. You can also share part of your journey with those you love by video calling them at iconic landmarks and whilst visiting scenic sights.

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Take lots of photos

If you are feeling a pang of homesickness coming on, try adjusting your frame of mind. Instead of focusing on feeling sad or lonely, consider channeling that energy into creating memories that you can share with your friends and family when you see them again.

Taking photographs of your breathtaking travels is a great way to stave off homesickness while collecting wonderful mementos that your loved ones can enjoy with you later. You could also consider setting up an Instagram account to share your favourite snapshots and collate a digital photo album of your adventures to share with everyone back home in real-time.

Get connected, stay connected

From setting up a digital mailbox to taking photographs with your loved ones in mind, these simple tips and tricks can help keep you feeling happy and focused on creating new memories. Until then, enjoy your travels and send lots of postcards home.

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