I'm studying abroad- any tips?

Question

I'm going to Ecuador for a while to study spanish (which I stink at) and stay with a family. I'm worried about communication with back home- even though I will have a cell phone I don't know the most efficient way to keep in contact with home.

Answer 1

Well, if you're in Quito, there is an internet cafe in the Mariscal district called Friends, and you can use their phone to make international calls at a good rate. You might also want to look into Skype or Vonage for communicating with your family at a low cost. But you also don't want to talk to your family too much, because then you'll get more homesick and feel less obliged to spend time with your host family. Three times a month is a good frequency for talking to your family. Many, many Ecuadorians (like 15%-20% of the population) have emigrated to Europe and other parts of the world in the past 15 years, so I'm sure you'll meet somebody down there who can help you with this.

I studied abroad in Spain and spent a summer in Ecuador, and I can tell you that my experience in Ecuador was tons mellower than in Spain. People in both places have a good time and love life, but people in Ecuador give you more space and quiet moments. People in Spain are a little louder and the men can be relentlessly flirtatious.

Answer 2

I used a lot of IM while I was in China.  It depends on where you are...

Phone cards are usually available.  Make friends and ask them :)