If you travel out of the country for a long period and want to keep your US number and make and receive US calls and texts for free you can do this;
1. While in the US switch to google Fi.
2. After one billing cycle close your google fi account but ask google to port your US number to your google voice account (very easy to do but google support can guide you step by step)
3. Install google voice on your forgien phone and log in with the same google account that you ported your US number to.
4. When back in the US resume google Fi and tell them you want to use the same account with the US number from step number 2.
