2. Translate the passage.
It is not easy to keep in touch with friends when they are far away. This is certainly true in my case.
It has been a couple of years since I left my old neighborhood and all the friends I had there. I have been meaning to write to them but something or other comes up and I just don’t seem to find the time. They are always on my mind, however, and I think I will certainly make an effort to keep up correspondence with them in future.