In one week in Italy, I have spent over four hours on the cell phone. That roughly translates to over $100 dollars in cell phone minutes. I can’t be upset about it because I love to talk on the phone; it makes me feel more comfortable about being away from home and it helps me feel connected to those that I love so much.
I bought a phone card today in a little shop off of the main piazza, but I can’t figure out how to use it. When I dial the numbers on the card, all of the instructions are in Italian and it is extremely frustrating. I just want to call home when I have a minute of free time; it’s what works for me. Some people are fine with email or instant messaging. Some people even have video chat, but all I want to do dial a quick number, listen to a few short rings, and then I am home free.
My mother is worried about how much money I am spending on phone calls. I hate to think that she probably has a valid point. The most money I will spend during this trip will be on cell phone calls. Friends have called to talk and catch me up on the gossip. My mom calls almost every day because she worries that I am not happy and that I am not having a good time here. I call home because I just like to have some familiarity in a place that is so different from where I come from.
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I know exactly what you mean. But I must say that skype, with its video option, is even better than the phone, when you have a great connection (usually early in the morning). In fact, I have found that because it is FREE, my husband and I have a chance to get silly and be playful over the phone because we are not stressed out about how much it costs.