One way to get a more complete picture and help reduce feelings of homesickness is to write to your student regularly, and encourage him or her to do the same. A letter (the old-fashioned, hand-written kind) that a student can read and reread in quiet moments is always appreciated. Communication should be easy if you and your student have access to e-mail. At the same time, please understand that access to e-mail overseas is not always as readily available as it is in the U.S., even in parts of Western Europe where you would expect access to be comparable. In addition, daily e-mail contact is not always desirable. Students need to separate themselves a bit from their home support networks as they build a local one, as they immerse themselves in the local culture.

Given the turnaround time for international mail, you might not want to wait until you receive a letter in order to write one, but instead make it a weekly habit. In addition to your own letters to your overseas scholar, urge other family members to write. Cards, newspaper clippings, or pictures are also usually welcome. There is a close correlation between morale overseas and mail from home. Strange as it might seem, our students can be almost as concerned about you as you can be concerned about them! If they do not hear from you, they may worry about what is wrong.

In this era of modern communication, phone, fax and e-mail are alternative ways to maintain regular contact with loved ones, especially when you want to get in touch with your student in a hurry. If you think you will be using the phone to communicate, call your long distance company. Many offer special services that allow you to identify one country as a frequently called one, and for a small monthly fee, you can cut the cost of your calls considerably. Another option is to purchase a calling card with reduced rates for the country in which your student is studying.