@belluca Yes, that’s a good clarification to make. 
There are competitors to WhatsApp for international use, if anyone’s looking for alternatives. I use Signal, for instance. It works a lot like WhatsApp. There are others if folks want to compare. And none are perfect, of course.
I was lucky to have Signal on my phones when sitting abroad once — WhatsApp failed and I couldn’t use it as planned with my hosts, who were in Europe. They also happened to have alternatives on their phones, so we switched to Signal without missing communications windows, with them often out of pocket.
1 Like
I use WhatsApp om all my devices and computer. It’s seamless!
@Crosswords_and_puzzles the only problem with Zoom is the call will time out after 45 minutes if you only have a free account and it can be a bit unstable and freeze if internet coverage is a bit dodgy.
2 Likes
Hi @Crookie That can happen, I suppose, but we’ve never had a Zoom video chat – as sitters or homeowners – go beyond 20 minutes. And our wifi is strong, so have never had any issues.
Yes, I too, use “FaceTime” generically for ANY face-to-face electronic connection.
I will always say something like “let’s face time via Zoom or WhatsApp soon.” Although I DO have an iPhone, I’ve never used it for face-to-face calls 
1 Like
Same! I don’t even know how to turn on FaceTime 
My husband is super tach savvy and we are fully immersed in the Appleverse but he refuses to use anything owned by Mark Zuckerberg. So no Whatsapp and jeez, it really grinds my gears to have to be the one to stay in contact the sitter, not to mention with our daughter in Brazil who doesn’t have an iphone and uses WA and instagram to keep in touch.
@Crosswords_and_puzzles out of interest- since you do you video calls over Zoom what do you use for message updates during the sit? And do you exchange phone numbers?
We prefer WhatsApp as the simple all-in-one approach.
@Lokstar We haven’t done international sits, just U.S., so maybe that’s why Zoom has been so satisfactory. We understand the appeal of other platforms for different people and circumstances.
If everything looks good after our Zoom video call, we all exchange cell numbers, full names and email addresses. We use texting for updates during sits, and our sitters also text. It’s never been an issue. It seems everyone texts.
OK that makes sense if you only sit in US. It does seem WhatsApp is the go-to platform for most places outside US.
But for on-sit updates- are you able to send pictures by text? That’s another reason we use WhatsApp- for pics & videos.
@Lokstar Why, yes, one sends the message with pics and/or videos using text!
As a sitter, the more platforms you’re available on, the better for flexibility. That makes it easy to switch for any hosts’ familiarity — less likely you’ll have to walk anyone through apps / platforms they’re unfamiliar with and more flexibility if one app / platform fails, because it’s easy to switch.
That’s why I highlight in my applications that I’m reachable via every major platform — FaceTime, Google Meet, Signal, Skype, Teams, WhatsApp, Zoom, etc. (I use a variety of platforms for work, so switching to me is normal and easy.)
Often when I do U.S. sits, hosts and I communicate via texts — including visuals.
Sometimes I use WhatsApp from the U.S. when American hosts go overseas. But some folks have data plans that allow them to use their existing U.S. phone numbers for texting and calls as usual, even while abroad. Like I had hosts who visited Japan and were available by texts, and when their dog had catastrophic seizures, both I and the emergency care were able to immediately talk to them at their usual cell number. That turned out to be a blessing, because the vets had to discuss treatment options, including care beyond having stabilized her, at a cost of thousands. And they asked for info for forms and later discussed putting her down.
If my hosts hadn’t been quickly reachable around the world, it might’ve been challenging for the vets to have such conversations with them.
Currently, my U.S. hosts and I are on WhatsApp while they’re in Europe. They created a WhatsApp group for us even before I started my sit. That’s been the case with other hosts as well.
On my last sit, thunderstorms had our flight circling, which delayed my meeting hosts at my shuttle stop and their taking me out for dinner. Because I was online even in the air, I was able to let them know right away. I ended up missing my airport shuttle to their town an hour+ away and there was loads of traffic, because of the weather. I was able to keep them updated on ETA, because I could check for shuttle timetables even while my flight circled.
1 Like
BTW, many of us are travelers even without THS, so using WhatsApp can be helpful even while not sitting.
Like I was in Dubai and arranging a driver to Abu Dhabi, or boat rides, etc. All required WhatsApp. The locals used it so widely, they expected everyone else to also. That was how they msg’d all booking info, receipts, meeting points, etc.
1 Like
This thread made me nostalgic about ye olden days of living abroad and traveling with little or no tech.
Back then, we used snail mail, rare and expensive long-distance phone calls, later fax machines and dial-up internet (which few people even had). There was no videoconferencing or GPS. We sent people print photos if needed.
THS wouldn’t have been possible, given all of the logistics and communication involved. We wouldn’t be on this forum. (Some of us used BBSs in early days online if we were tech savvy, but the experience was super stunted compared with nowadays.)
We now living in amazing times of tech. I’m grateful for the flexibility and ease, but I also appreciate having experienced yesteryear. There was a sense of adventure, foreignness and unknowns that doesn’t exist today. And people had to be more resourceful and be able to roll with things much better.
1 Like
That’s just like Thailand and Line.
1 Like
Ha! My spouse works for an NGO in tech. He is not a fan of Apple products. I understand the desire to avoid indirectly helping out Mark, but Apple as a company locks down a lot of its tech and doesn’t do much to help make the world a better place, and supports abhorent working conditions. Simple alternatives with your daughter: Skype which can easily go on your phone and laptop (but not some Apple products because that’s how they roll), Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
I remember asking the “magic man” in India to make a phone call home in 1990 & had to come back the next day as his powers weren’t working And I miss blueys too @Maggie8K Although my poor Mum didn’t hear for months on end in places like India so she likes tech even now I’m 52 and still wandering the globe! #ithinkthatmalesmequiteold 
1 Like
Definitely better for folks back home nowadays, given how easy it is to stay in touch.
1 Like