Use Cheap International Calls To Help Your Child Fend Off Homesickness

Every start of term, thousands of students move out of their homes to study in universities located in different cities and countries around the world. Studying away from home can be an eye-opening and exciting experience for many students. The friends they gain in other countries can widen one’s perspective and understanding of other cultures and ways of life.  

For most families, having their child study in another country such as in Europe or North America is an enticing option since foreign universities can provide the study program and opportunities that they are looking for. Cheap international calls replace daily interaction with family members, teaching students to become independent and responsible by forcing them to rely on themselves for the demands of daily life. However, majority of students who opt to study in new locations end up feeling homesick. 

Homesickness can be a problem for students 

Homesickness can generally refer to feelings of unease, loneliness, and difficulty in adaptation when in a new city or country. People often feel unable to connect with people and places, in spite of the fact that it is now easier to make international calls to friends and family back home. They may miss their support system even more since they are unable to be with them, and they may experience shock in trying to adapt to new climates, language, and culture. At its extreme, it can express symptoms similar to depression. Students find themselves unable to sleep, feel drowsy or lazy the entire day, be unwilling to do anything, and have difficulties in concentrating. 

However, before you provide your son or daughter, who is studying abroad and experiencing homesickness, with an international call plan or several calling cards so you can call him/ her anywhere at anytime, note that prolonged communication with family members can actually exacerbate the situation. 

Brief but sustained communication is important 

What then can be done? While the prevalence of services and plans like India Calling Plans, North America, and Asia can be tempting to many worried parents and anxious students, it is important to keep in mind that these calls must be kept brief. Regular and scheduled conversations are more effective as they provide the necessary support for the student, but does not take up too much time that can be used for socializing with his/her peer group in the new environment. 

An Indian student doing postgraduate work in Europe, for example, may find unlimited India calling to/ from the UK and other European countries as highly economical. However, the unlimited call plan can prove to be hurtful instead of beneficial if it continually brings memories of people and locations from home that he cannot be with or visit. This can lead to more frustration and to the inability to further adapt to the new country. 

Cheap international calls are prevalent these days and are invaluable tools to helping students deal with homesickness. However, the regularity and duration of communication is the key. Parents should remember to remain optimistic when talking to a distraught and homesick student, giving him/ her time to adjust and become independent in his new surroundings.