The Truth About Travel And Friendships

Great article Britt!! 😉 We all miss you!

Very well stated..sad but true.

I can really relate to this post. Its interesting though, like you I thought that I didn’t have a place in their world anymore, then I realised that its me that’s changed and that actually they don’t have a place in my world anymore. Does that make sense?

The same can be said when you move across country – we did that 3 years ago and many of those “friends” won’t even comment on facebook now. I got to a point where I quit trying long after they quit trying.

This post hits pretty close to home for me right now. It’s nice to know, though, that I’m not the only one out there feeling a little unexpected neglect after a big life change!

I agree with this so much! I think one of the most important realizations for me is that I have fewer friends, but better friends, if that makes sense.
I moved to Thailand 3 years ago (and then to Brazil a year ago), and planning my wedding has made me realize how few people I have actually stayed in touch with. But the friends I do have now, aren’t my friends because I’m near to them and fun to have at a bar crawl on Friday nights or because I can watch their dog when they’re on vacation, but because they actually love me, care about me, and are genuinely interested in me as a person. They’re the people who maybe I don’t talk to every day, or even skype with as we’re on opposite time zones, but who stay connected in other ways and when we meet up it’s like no time has passed at all, we just jump back into the old friendship and catch up on the important bits.
Being friends with someone who is away is HARD, and the one that can do it are amazing and deserve all the love in the world in return.

I totally know the feeling. Having changed careers from palliative care nursing to adventure and Interpretive guiding required a move up north in Ontario. My partner is still with me, however 6 hours away. It’s hard to get time off, harder still to coordinate times home with my partner.
The emails and texts about weather etc I can relate to totally.

We still struggle while I’m away (sometimes 4-8 weeks at a time.

#stongfoundations.

Hi
I can so connect with your story. Thankfully you made me realise I am not alone and going by the comments, it’s a bunch
I have moved locations twice and am back to my city, kolkata, since 2004.
There are only few who have stayed friends and I am happy about it. Some moved away and for some I moved on. It’s like a time filter, really. We have to let go. I learnt it the hard way, wasn’t easy, believe me. But I am happy I did, coz as life goes on and I have a family to spend time with I guess it’s a blessing in disguise. Because if I had not filtered, those guys wd hv filtered me out as I wouldn’t be sparing time for them any case.
Like u have friends of 30 years back who we studied with only 3 years and we meet at the shortest notices. In city or travel to their location. Lucky we stayed that way despite the distances of time and miles. That’s friendship, really. No?

Such a great post. It’s not something I’ve really thought of for when I eventually have to say to goodbye. I expect friendships may suffer, but you find out who your true friends are.