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Living in Murcia: The best tools for staying connected when you travel abroad
When you live abroad, there are certain digital tools that are indispensable for staying in touch with those back home
Whether you have moved to live in Murcia full time or have bought a second property there that allows you to spend half the year away from your main residence, it will always be important to remain connected to your loved ones and contacts back at home and around the world.
Of course, with all the tools available on the internet, staying connected these days is easier than ever, but sometimes we can be spoilt for choice. There are so many options out there for different online tools and programmes that are used to boost connectivity in a globalised world, that sometimes it is hard to know where to start.
Here are 5 top tools you need to stay connected when travelling or living overseas:
1. WhatsApp
Since it first launched in 2009, WhatsApp Messenger has grown to become the instant messaging app par excellence of the whole world. Sure, you can use Snapchat or Facebook Messenger or Instagram for sending and receiving messages online, and there are parts of the world where Comera is more common, but WhatsApp still stands as the undefeated queen of messaging apps.
And now that it has expanded into calls, video chats, audio messaging, video notes, groups, communities and even statuses, it really is the ultimate way to keep in touch with everything that’s going on.
2. Yesim
But that’s all a moot point if you don’t have access to WiFi or any phone data. Phone coverage is essential wherever you are in the world – for calling a taxi, Googling things, using Maps to get around, making payments using the bank card on your phone – and roaming is not always an option.
That’s why travellers overseas cannot do without an international mobile data plan. YESIM is a leading provider of eSIM mobile data plans for travel and business, and with more than 3 million users worldwide, it is the most functional eSIM application in the world. With only an eSIM-compatible device and the YESIM app, users can connect to mobile internet in over 200 countries without incurring roaming fees or changing SIM cards.
eSIM technology lets you activate mobile data directly through your smartphone settings, and with YESIM, you only need one eSIM for over 200 destinations worldwide, using the same eSIM and just switching your plan depending on where you go. No need to have a physical SIM card! Better yet, the payment options are so flexible, you can either pay for a whole year or only for the days you go online, meaning you can tailor your internet useage to your budget with no hidden costs.
Murcia Today readers can use the promocode MURCIATODAY26 to get a 10% discount on their first purchase with YESIM. Just visit www.yesim.app to redeem your code now.
3. Zoom
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, Zoom absolutely blew up across the world – including in Spain – as locked-down families everywhere realised they need a high-quality, affordable way of seeing and talking with their contacts around the globe via video call.
Video conferencing software comes in many forms, and Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and even WhatsApp’s own video messaging service all do a perfectly good job of keeping you in touch, free of charge. But many people still prefer good old Zoom, if only for the sake of pandemic nostalgia, although it is still kind of annoying being limited to 40-minute calls on the free version. Pay for the subscription and access all the features, including unlimited calls.
4. Malware
It may not seem very flashy or glamourous, but the benefits of a good-quality, all-in-one malware and spyware software package cannot be overstated. The internet is rife with spam, phishing, smishing and dozens of other types of viruses and scams just waiting to take advantage of the unprepared.
Common examples of better-known malware systems are Norton, McAfee, Avast and NordVPN, each with varying price plans. The more expensive models are not always necessarily the best performers, but it pays to do your research and contract the software that best meets your needs.
By keeping your computer and other digital devices protected, you can be sure that you'll always remain connected safely... and only to the ones you want to hear from!
5. Personal organiser
Working and living across different time zones can be a logistical challenge. From the differing ways people write dates in various parts of the world to the disconnect between the cultural aspects of when you do certain things like eat and sleep depending on where you are in the world, it can sometimes be hard to keep everything straight in your head.
That’s why it’s not a bad idea to trust in an app for personal organisation. Using a tool that helps you to optimise your daily routine can greatly improve your capacity to connect with people back home or around the world. Apps such as Notion, Todoist and Ticktick all include an integration of a calender, automated habit tracker, notes and more, which when combined with a smart watch really can become the ultimate life hacker for gym days, dinner plans, to do lists, errands, bills due and pretty much everything else you can imagine.
Of course, this is just a small selection of the connectivity tools available out there, and you should search around to find more which adapt to your lifestyle and can make your foreign journey the exciting adventure you want it to be. The sky really is the limit!
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