Sendboo is an incredible app for iOS that lets you communicate with anybody in any language via text, and have their texts instantly translated into your native tongue. Really! So, I can text with my cousins in Korea in English, they receive it in Korean, they write back in Korean and I receive it in English.

There's even group chat functionality so I can catch up with multiple cousins at the same time. Whoa, that's pretty cool technology. 

Just download the app, and create a user name, similar to Skype. And yes, that means everyone you text with needs to be using the Sendboo app as well. However it doesn't charge anything additional for its translation and the texting fees are covered with your existing monthly plan. The app currently support 30(!) languages including German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Italian, Swedish, Arabic, Hungarian, Russian, Vietnamese, of course, Korean, and many more. 

If you have relatives abroad like me, pen pals, international friends, business colleagues, or just acquaintances you may have met on your travels abroad, Sendboo is a truly cool app for staying in touch. -Jeana