Originally Posted by
cma2407
Use Skype freely. You can call home a couple times a day if you want for pennies. Some guys setup a webcam; kids seem to like that. Cingular has an int'l phone that you can text home from overseas at will if you have teens; doesn't cost much either. (My teen would rather text than talk anyway. Wave of the future I guess.) Plus they can contact you anytime you're not in the air, if you want that. Bring home goodies from far away places for the kiddies. I also try to bring the frau along on a good int'l trip (i.e. long layovers) once or twice a year so she's "involved". Big points there. When you start heading home, even if you're operating, try to start resting on your home schedule. Even in the air. Take naps at home. Doing that, two day recovery is pretty much the norm.
Last bit of advice: NEVER whistle while you pack!
NEVER whistle while you pack - GOOD advice...
I used to come home and the entire clan would be p*ssed at me for being out of the loop and absent for such long times. I wouldn't know what had gone on (other than the major items) or what was coming up for any of us.
Then I set up the web cams. Now when on extended trips, I stay in touch with the video chat set up on my laptop and the home computer in our kitchen. High-speed connections are at all of our layover hotels and are either free or paid by the company. The actual connection time is free as well (I use Apple i-chat).
With the free connection, I we can talk for really long times. I'll order room service and eat "with" the family while they eat at home. I can "baby sit" the kids or read a story to them from 8000 miles away while the better half gets some decompression time. That scores big points. The real advantage is that you have a real chance to catch up with them all and get filled in on details that are usually edited out of expensive phone conversations.
Now that the newness of seeing themselves on screen has worn off, the kids share all the small but important stuff about their lives that you would never get otherwise while you're away. Same for the spousal unit although the mute feature works well when she goes off on one of those rants.
Reentry is now basically seamless. I'm caught up on the family's accomplishments, schedule, and problems so I can hit the ground running with no need for the recap and thankfully without the "attitude".
As for the sleep thing, it totally depends on your schedule. I basically stay up the first day and zonk out early the first night (sometimes in the quiet of the basement - small house) for a full sleep cycle on day one.
Good luck.
8DRIVER