Traveling Blues -- advice?

[leaveluck2heaven]

So I'm an international student in Europe which means I actually don't have a ton of time left before me and my boyfriend close the distance for good at the end of May, which we're both looking forward to.

In the meantime, my classes are about to end, and I'm using the rest of the time when I don't have exams scheduled to travel around Europe. I've never been and I'm really excited about seeing the world. I'm sure it'll make the rest of the time go really fast for me! But also slower for him because it's longer and longer since the last time we saw each other and I'm gonna be really busy and out of town a lot and less able to talk to him. I realized that between now and when I go home to America, I'm going to spend more nights traveling than I will at home in Ireland. When I'm out of the country, my ability to talk to him is pretty low.

I feel bad that I will be out having great experiences and leaving him at home with no real way to even contact me for the better part of two months. He's very supportive and says he doesn't want me to worry about that and just have a really amazing time and he'll see me lots when I get home. But I can tell he's sad about it too. I don't want it to hurt our relationship, so far we've done remarkably well with the distance. Do you guys have any tips on making him feel less lonely and remind him that I care about him when it might be hard/impossible to call/text some of the time?

[LadyMarchHare]

Perhaps you could take a notebook with you when you travel and write him letters about what you've seen and places you think he'd like or you think would be a good romantic spot for the both of you. You don't have to mail them, but you could later give him the notebook so he could know you thought about him while you were gone. It's not exactly something to comfort him during your travels, but I imagine it would make him smile knowing you thought of him.

I think it's a good sign that he's being that supportive of you and encouraging this despite any sadness he may have. Even though he'll miss you no matter what, more than likely he'll be happy with the thought that you're doing something you really want and will come back and share your experiences with him.

[sabby64]

Maybe you could send him postcards from all the places you're visiting That way he can still look forward to hearing from you.

[lucybelle]

I spent 3 months traveling Spain last summer. I would send my SO occasional emails and try to set up chat dates which was difficult because of the 7 hour difference. I also sent him a postcard from every town I went to. Postcards are cheap and so are stamps so it's super easy to just jot down "Here in Sevilla! It's really hot and this hostel sucks. Miss you!" and shove it in the mail.

Please don't worry too much over your SO. HAVE FUN! And book hostels that have internet so you can stay in touch. Good luck and happy travels!

[OliveOyl]

oooh i love those ideas! I want postcards!!! and I like Lady's suggestion about sending letters very cute!

[GatoGirl]

I've traveled all over without my SO just because that's how things worked out! Postcards, voicemails, emails if you have access to the Net on your trips are great. Send pictures over email if you can, and write letters! Sometimes it's really cool for your SO to get a letter or postcard from a trip after you've gotten home!
Enjoy your trip!

[LostInLove]

Like other people have said, send him stuff. Email, post cards, the occasional text, whatever you can manage to let him know you're thinking about him. You don't have to do it every day, but try to send him SOMETHING 1-2 times a week to let him know you care.

[leaveluck2heaven]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll have to figure out how international stamps work in all the countries I'm going to.

I think some of my hostels have some internet access but I'll be backpacking so I won't be able to bring my computer. Maybe hitting up the internet cafes occasionally will be the way to go.

It's nice to know that once I'm done with all my traveling, I'll be home with him only a few days later. My last trip ends on May 25th, then I only have three days left in Ireland before I go home on May 29th.

[Dziubka]

Like everyone said, try to write him emails/texts as often as possible and send postcards and letters.

My boyfriend went on a two week-bike trip with his friends last year and sent me a lot of texts, an e-mail almost every day and lots of postcards.
If he managed to buy the right stamps in Hungary, not really speaking English or any other language than Polish and bad German, I think you shouldn't have a problem

Out of curiosity: Where exactly are you planning to travel?

[leaveluck2heaven]

It's not one trip, it's like a bunch of different trips over the course of the next two months, I'll be at home in between them but usually not for more than a couple days at a time. I'm going to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England, Wales, Austria, Spain and France. I'm gonna be backpacking so some of the time I'm not even sure where I'll be staying. In Germany and Italy, I don't even know what cities I'll be in. That's why I'm afraid it might be hard to send regular emails all the time but I'll do my best. Also I think texting is gonna be pretty much out of the question other than when I'm in England and maybe Wales, because I shouldn't have any cell service on mainland Europe.