Sam and I have been in a long distance relationship for over two years.  There are two technologies, one of which has only recently come into our lives, that have helped the two of us connect and communicate, even when we are apart.

First off, as anyone in a long distance relationship can attest to, Skype is a lifesaver.  Honestly, I have no idea what Sam and I would have done without it thus far in our lives.  (Actually, we would have utilized other, outdated variants of communication, including, but not limited to: smoke signals, carrier pigeons, messages in bottles, and tin cans connected by string.)  Skype is wonderful because of the many different facets of which may be utilized to best communicate.  For instance, there is a “Share Your Screen” feature where you can show the person who you are chatting with your entire computer screen.  While this may seem silly, it has allowed Sam and I to have “date nights” from far away.  The two of us can watch The Office on Hulu, an old episode of The League on Netflix, or Caddyshack on DVD – even if we are miles away from each other.

When I recently took the plunge to get my iPhone, I knew that you can text others who have iPhones by using iMessage.  What I did not realize, until this week, is that iMessage works on Wi-Fi, not on data, so if you are in different countries, you are still able to text.  Since Sam is in Canada right now, I honestly thought we would have no contact this week. However, I have been surprised by a few iMessages over the past few days since the cabin he is staying at has Wi-Fi!  For my future trips abroad (if only…) I will definitely be able to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.

What are some technological lifesavers you have encountered with long distance relationships, studying abroad, or other scenarios?