Keeping connected with family abroad

In May this year my first grandchild was born and for this happy event, I stepped up to technology to help us get our relationship started.

It started the night he was born. My daughter Catherine and I prepared for a Skype chat from the hospital so she could give me the news and let me see him right away. There would be no sleep for me the night my grandson was going to be born so Hans and I set ourselves up to wait with snacks and music.

Cathy’s call came around 02:00. I was not 100% awake but levitated from the couch and fumbled everything and then recovered and got Skype going without video. It was great because the pictures came in via Facebook soon after. I was pleased and proud to see the little guy they named Natsu, which means ‘summer’ in Japanese.

My grandson had the biggest mop of black hair that has only grown more impressive. With pictures coming in by snail mail and Facebook, I have watched him grow. Now he’s smiling, teething, and chewing on Sophie the Giraffe, a French toy I sent him that he likes very much.

Recently, we had a video chat during “normal” hours. For this we chose Facetime. Working out a time to call was harder. Depending on the time change, we are six or seven hours apart from the west end of Lake Superior in Canada. Cathy and I settled on 20:00 hours here/14:00 there. Natsu was having a nap so we postponed it to 21:00/15:00. When we started he was happy and alert. By the end he was ready for another nap.

I was amazed how well it worked. Cathy and I did most of the chatting while Natsu contributed a few contented gurgles and looked occasionally at the screen, aware of my voice. It was fun to talk with my daughter and watch him play on a blanket with his toys. It was almost like a real visit with tea and cookies. I just couldn’t hold him – that will have to wait until I see him in person which won’t be until next year at least.

My son-in-law uses Facetime to keep in touch with his family in Japan so Natsu gets to know all his grandparents over Facetime! We all have become comfortable using Facetime as our first choice.

My how times have changed! Keeping in touch with family overseas used to involve writing letters on special blue airmail paper and envelopes and sending parcels which would take weeks to arrive and, for urgent situations, we could send a telegram. Pictures were taken on a roll of film that had to be developed so you’d wait until the roll was full before sending them to be developed which would take a while and it would always be a surprise what you got. Now we snap and send.

I’m looking forward to seeing Natsu in person and it’s good to know that when I do, I won’t be a stranger.