Have you sent your teen to Europe with school group, my DS is going, need tips!

[Jillpie]

My son Pat, is going to Italy on his April school vacation and we are so excited for him. I know he'll have a trip of a lifetime. We just got his passport 2 weeks ago, so thats all set. Do you have any tips for us or things that he should absolutely pack that I normally wouldn't think of? thanks!

 

[mrsv98]

I don't have a teen traveler yet, but I was one. Italy is famous for its pickpockets so I would get him a money belt that can be worn under his pants. Any travel store would have it and it would help keep his valuables safe.

Other than that, he should bring layers of clothes because the weather is changable in April. I am sure the sponsers have informed him all about the different voltages so he won't be able to charge his iPod without a converter.

He will have a wonderful time, I remember my trip as a highlight of my teen years.

 

[BibbityBobbitySue]

My son went to Europe with his high school French Club a few years ago. Make sure he has an International Calling Card so he can call home.

 

[Jillpie]

Excellent suggestions, thank you. Yes, the money belt is on the list to get. He doesn't have an ipod, but has an Mp3 player, does that need a converter? I haven't thought about the phone card yet, thanks! What do they go for and where do I buy it?

 

[Kycha]

Toilet paper.

When I was in High School, I went to France with my French club. I remember the tp there was usually pretty rough. Thats probably why they have bidets in every bathroom. But, as a 16 year old kid, I had no idea what those things were for.

 

[cepmom]

my DD16 just returned from a 10 day trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland..one thing her teacher stressed was to get a passport holder to be worn around the neck..I got one at REI for $10 or $11 ~ it worked great to hold her passport, debit card, calling card, cash etc.

I got her calling card through the tour group (EF Tours) the teacher said we would have a hard time finding and international card in the States. I think the rates through EF Tours were reasonable. I loaded it with $20, it came with $2.75 on it already and if you charged $20 or more, they gave you $5 extra. So she had $27.75 on it and never ran out. They will charge per minute, the rate depends on what country you are in and whether you are using a pay phone or a land line (someone's personal phone or the hotel phone) The teacher told them never to use the hotel phones ~ the hotels will charge you additional fees for making outgoing calls even if you use a calling card

I got her a prepaid debit card through AAA ~ the Visa Travel Money card. We did have a few problems with it though. the phone card I got was not activated properly and she could not use it to call home to let me know she had arrived. She used her debit card instead and apparantly they put a $25 hold on the debit card for each phone call made, then the actual charge for the phone call comes though several days later. The $25 charge will reverse in 7 - 10 business days. I almost died when I checked her account online and saw that she made 4 phone calls the first night she arrive in Europe!! The total for the 4 phone calls was something like $150 after the $25 holds were finally reversed!
Also, I loaded the card the day I bought it at AAA, then decided to add more money for her a few days before the trip. I created an account online and added the money online, to be withdrawn from my bank account. Except that the website did not say anywhere that the money will take 7 -1 0 business days to post! I had to have them reverse the charge and go to the AAA office to give them cash to load on to the card instantly.

He will need an electric converter for the mp3...we borrowed one from a friend, but I've seen them at REI, Best Buy, Radio Shack etc.

dress in layers, pack light, bring lots of film or a digital camera with plenty of memory, rechargable batteries for the camera...I know I'll think of more ideas,but it's late!! I'll post again when I come up with more info

 

[Jillpie]

Cepmom, wow, thanks for all that. He is going thru EF tours as well. He'll be going April 13th, should I get these cards now? I have about 500.00 for him to spend for 10 days, can I just call EF tours and they'll send it to me? He'll be getting the money belt, he will in no way wear anything around his neck for all that time, but that was a terrific idea. So I guess I should order the phone card thru EF tours as well as the debit card? How many minutes on a 20.00 card?

 

[golfgal]

Sam's Club and Walmart used to have calling cards that worked internationally, we used them when we went to Mexico. Check the back of the card or the information that comes with the card, some cards have better rates then others.

I would have him pack only a couple outfits and then send some laundry detergent along to wash out his clothing if they are going to be moving from hotel to hotel. By the end of the trip he will have more stuff to carry. Pack an empty suitcase for the return trip if you can, even some kind of duffel bag into his suitcase to carry all the stuff he buys.

Send some anti-diarrhea meds along with some Motrin. Bandaids are a good idea, too. A package of cold medicine wouldn't hurt either. He may or may not be able to find something there.

You might be able to get a pre-paid Visa card at your bank. I would check there first. It will make loading the card easier if you need to add money to that. Banks also have trip packs of foreign currency. It is nice to pick some of those up for things they may need right away or if they can't get to a bank for a day or so. Most airports have exchange counters but they don't offer the best exchange rates. Keep an eye on the exchange rate and the hit your bank on that day.

 

[cepmom]

Cepmom, wow, thanks for all that. He is going thru EF tours as well. He'll be going April 13th, should I get these cards now? I have about 500.00 for him to spend for 10 days, can I just call EF tours and they'll send it to me? He'll be getting the money belt, he will in no way wear anything around his neck for all that time, but that was a terrific idea. So I guess I should order the phone card thru EF tours as well as the debit card? How many minutes on a 20.00 card?

at somepoint, shortly before her trip, EF sent me a phone card packet. The actual phone card was in the packet and all I had to do was call and activate it. I charged the $20 to my Visa card. The number of minutes you will get depends on what country you are in ~ they will give you the rates when you call to activate the card. For instance, the rate was, say, .49 per minute in Germany, but in Austria it was $1.29 per minute. She had plenty of mintues on the card and I know she used it to call her boyfriend most days! There is an 800 number you can call and leave voice mails for him for free ~ I did that several times just to say hi to her or to get her a message.
you also can call the 800 number and add money if you see that he running low

Ef offers a debit card, but it cost too much (I can't remember how much though ~ might have been like $20) the AAA card was $4.95 for members and $9.95 for non-members. Other than the problems I described in my previous post, the AAA card was fine. I just wish I had known about those issues beforehand! I did like that I could check on it at anytime online to see the balance etc. and if I needed to add money, the AAA office is only the next town over.

Her teacher exchanged some money for Euros before they left, so they would a little cash as soon as they arrived in Austria ~ I think she got about 20 Euro to start and then as she needed more money she could withdraw from the debit card at an ATM. He will need to watch the exchange rate ~ when my DD went it was soomethinglike $1.21 = 1 Euro, so I told her to just figure $1.25 for every Euro spent. Not all ATM's will give the current balance. Also, there is a $2.00 charge for using the ATM and possibly another charge from the bank itself.

She packed light and wore the same clothes several times. I packed Shout wipes just in case she spilled anything. The teacher stressed they would not have enough time to do laundry and most hotels would not have laundry service anyway. I would not send him with the expectation of him throwing in a wash. The tour is very busy and I doubt he would want to spend his "free time" doing laundry! My DD was a little put off at first wearing the same clothes, but she got over it ~ everyone else is in the same boat and you're in Europe..who cares??

The EF people made it very clear they were to pack light ~ the suitcase had to be 44 lbs or under. She packed 1 med size bag and a spare duffle bag for purchases, but she didn't need the duffel. She also had that cool EF Tours backpack, a nice electric blue and orange that they were required to use throughout the trip

Can't think of anything else right now. HTH


ETA:
just thought of one more thing ~ put a copy of his itinerary including the hotels and the dates he will be in each hotel in case his luggage gets lost on the trip over there, they will know where to reach him. Also, a copy of itinerary and hotels in his money belt, in case he gets separated from the group.

 

[gharrer]

I think one of the best things I did is to bring a light rainjacket that you can layer clothes under. Italy is pretty warm then but I did use my rainjacket. I bought dd and mine from LL Bean. I used my debit card all the time,no problem, I'm not sure if you can get a prepaid one. A passport carrier that either goes around the neck or the waist is necessary. Nancy

 

[golfgal]

at somepoint, shortly before her trip, EF sent me a phone card packet. The actual phone card was in the packet and all I had to do was call and activate it. I charged the $20 to my Visa card. The number of minutes you will get depends on what country you are in ~ they will give you the rates when you call to activate the card. For instance, the rate was, say, .49 per minute in Germany, but in Austria it was $1.29 per minute. She had plenty of mintues on the card and I know she used it to call her boyfriend most days! There is an 800 number you can call and leave voice mails for him for free ~ I did that several times just to say hi to her or to get her a message.
you also can call the 800 number and add money if you see that he running low

Ef offers a debit card, but it cost too much (I can't remember how much though ~ might have been like $20) the AAA card was $4.95 for members and $9.95 for non-members. Other than the problems I described in my previous post, the AAA card was fine. I just wish I had known about those issues beforehand! I did like that I could check on it at anytime online to see the balance etc. and if I needed to add money, the AAA office is only the next town over.

Her teacher exchanged some money for Euros before they left, so they would a little cash as soon as they arrived in Austria ~ I think she got about 20 Euro to start and then as she needed more money she could withdraw from the debit card at an ATM. He will need to watch the exchange rate ~ when my DD went it was soomethinglike $1.21 = 1 Euro, so I told her to just figure $1.25 for every Euro spent. Not all ATM's will give the current balance. Also, there is a $2.00 charge for using the ATM and possibly another charge from the bank itself.

She packed light and wore the same clothes several times. I packed Shout wipes just in case she spilled anything. The teacher stressed they would not have enough time to do laundry and most hotels would not have laundry service anyway. I would not send him with the expectation of him throwing in a wash. The tour is very busy and I doubt he would want to spend his "free time" doing laundry! My DD was a little put off at first wearing the same clothes, but she got over it ~ everyone else is in the same boat and you're in Europe..who cares??

The EF people made it very clear they were to pack light ~ the suitcase had to be 44 lbs or under. She packed 1 med size bag and a spare duffle bag for purchases, but she didn't need the duffel. She also had that cool EF Tours backpack, a nice electric blue and orange that they were required to use throughout the trip

Can't think of anything else right now. HTH

We rinsed things out in the sink in the bathroom and hung it in our room overnight. They were dry by morning.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

Hi Jill!!

So exciting for Pat!! I know my Pat would be extremely jealous! He so wants to go to Italy . . .

Just wanted to wish him a wonderful time!

 

[CarolA]

Having taken a group to Europe a few times (including one EF Tour) here are my suggestions.

1. Packing. Have him lay it out. If it doesn't fit in a 22" suitcase tell him to try again. He doesn't need his entire wardrobe. If he whines have him drag the suitcase up about 4 flights of stairs. (EFTour hotels do NOT all have elevators!)

2. Money Belt. Abosolute MUST. The money belt is for storage. It should not be access every 2 minutes. Passport, Debit Card and "large" cash goes in the money belt. Daily spending in your pocket.

3. Visa Debit Card. The best place we found to get this was AAA. It takes a little while so don't wait too long.

4. Phone cards are cheaper if bought in Italy so if his runs low just tell him to go buy one.

5. Tell him it's not really required to call his GirlFriend EVERY night. (On my last trip I finally had to put one girl on phone restriction. Our Girl Scout center had two phones for the entire place and this child was tying one of them up for two hours a night to tell her boyfriend she loved him. I had enough compolaints after about three nights and restricted her!)

4. Peanut Butter. EFTours is not known for great food. Each of my girls packed a jar of peanut butter. Some of them lived on it. (The tubes are great if you can find them)

5. Electronics. Check your plugs. My IPOD and Digital Camera have dual voltage on them, all I need is a plug adapter not a converter. That is geneally true for most electronics now.

Have fun

 

[luvflorida]

I don't have a teen traveler yet, but I was one. Italy is famous for its pickpockets...

My oldest daughter went to Italy on a school trip when she was in 8th grade, (9 years ago). It was over April school vacation. I still can't believe we actually let our not quite 13 year old child go that far away from home. What were we thinking!?!

The kids were warned ahead of time about the pickpockets in Italy targeting American students. One of the students in my daughter's group was so afraid of someone taking his money that he gave it to one of the teachers to hold for him. Yep, the teacher lost his wallet to pickpockets! Thankfully, he didn't have all of his money, or the kid's money, in his wallet, but they both ended up losing some cash.

My biggest concern was making sure that my daughter could reach us anytime she wanted to, so the international calling card was a must. Her tour was also through EF Tours and that's where we got the calling card through. They were also required to wear the bright blue EF backpacks whenever they were outside.

We made sure she had plenty of film and batteries for her camera, (nowadays it would most likely by a digital camera), and I packed a small first aid kit, (bandaids, Neosporin, Tylenol, etc.), that didn't take up much room in her backpack.

The students were told to pack light and bring comfortable clothes that could be worn more than once. There was no time to do laundry.

I also was paranoid about something happening and nobody knowing who she was, so I made sure that EVERYTHING had some sort of identification on it. I tucked her name, address, phone number, teacher's name, group name, anything I could think of, into her suitcase, backpack, purse, anything she would have with her. Medical issues also concerned me and I made sure she had copies of her medical card, doctor's name, emergency contact information, and signed consent form for medical treatment if necessary.

I cried when she boarded the bus that took the group from the high school to the airport and I worried until she returned to the high school a week later. In fact, I'm going to cry right now just thinking about it!

Despite my worries, everything went fine and she had a wonderful time. She has memories that will last her for the rest of her life. She told us that one of her favorite memories from the entire vacation was one evening toward the end of the trip. One of the teachers had brought his guitar with him and one evening everyone, students and teachers, gathered in the hallway of the hotel they were staying at, and sat around in the hallway singing and chatting.

Hope your son has a terrific time in Italy!

 

[golfgal]

Do you think that this tour company has a deal with the pickpockets in Italy? If they make them wear those backpacks everyone it talking about, doesn't that make them an easy target .

 

[cepmom]

Do you think that this tour company has a deal with the pickpockets in Italy? If they make them wear those backpacks everyone it talking about, doesn't that make them an easy target .[/QUOTE

I agree....the backpacks do make them stick out like a sore thumb, but I guess it makes it easier for the tour guide to see who is with their group and who is not for head counts etc. I imagine that any group of students traveling together will be easy to spot even without the backpacks though.
DD's group had about 50 people all traveling together

 

[buddy&wooz]

I bet your son has a great time! My son went to London 2 years ago and it was the best experience in his (short) life, so he says.

He brought very little cash but he also brought a Visa with a PIN if he needed to get more. In the end he used the Visa (an extra card in his name on my already existing account- get one now because it takes some time) for almost everything- including some things for friends (who gave him dollars so they wouldn't have to exchange their money.) Had a nice hefty charge from Harrod's when he got back . He had a calling card but he never called! He did email me once from an internet cafe, and probably told me more in that email than he would have over the phone, anyway .

I think every kid should get an opportunity to travel abroad if they want to. My husband and I have never been off the continent, we need to plan our own trip to catch up!

 

[Sleepy]

I live in Naples. Have quite a bit of advice I can give. I will PM you later, but here are just a few.

Toilet Paper........ok, here in Naples, toilet paper is nonexistent unless you are in a really nice place. McDonalds usually does have TP, but they also have paper napkins dispensers attached to the trashcans, so IF he needs TP, just have him grab some napkins BEFORE going in the bathroom. However, my suggestion is that you buy one of those bulk packages of Kleenex tissues....the small pocket sizes they have you buy little kids for school. This is what they sell to people at intersections. Everyone uses them. It is also customary that if you use the bathroom (and they are beyond disgusting) in a bar (cafe), you purchase something. Also, tipping for attended bathrooms is customary. Example....McDonalds in Piazza Garibaldi is attended and they do expect something (E10 cent is enough).

Pickpockets...yes, they are a problem. Make sure you tell your son to NOT allow anyone to touch him. The local salesmen on the street have learned to sell belts as a way to draw your attention from theft. THey will approach you and insist you need a belt (we all know American boys wear their pants loose). The salesman will come to you and grab your pants and give them an up and down shake...while his hands are searching your pockets. Stay away from beggers. Don't give them anything. THey usually have their little kids do the work for them. The kids will latch on to your pants and not let go. Stop them before they get to you. JUst place your hand out on their head to avoid further contact. Demand NO! THey usually give up. Remember...if you refuse to give them anything, it helps the locals as they will go away for good. I get much entertainment from the kids.......one little girl in the Galleria Umberto across from the S Carlo has a fake limp. Once the people walk away, she starts skipping and running around. SHe is about 3 years old...they learn early.

Bring anything you will need for headaches, upset stomach, etc. THese things are not easily available and many of our common items are not found here.

Rainy season is almost done. Weather here is hit or miss with cold and rain.

Make sure he gets a sandwich with buffalo mozzarella (if in this area). Also, get the pizza. Nothing like it on Earth. Same goes for gelato. Bet ya never saw a pizza with corn, french fries and hot dog slices have ya? Oh and there is no pepperoni here. If you ask for it, you will get green peppers.

Never pay full price. If a vender says that pair of sunglasses is E20, tell him E10....you can even get brave and tell him 2 pair for E15. If he tries to go up in price from 10 for 1 pair, tell him no and walk away...they will chase you down to sell for price you insist. Don't fall for "You are my friend. I will sell for cheap". or "It is the end of the day......I sell cheap". THey are lying. ALso, NONE of the stuff they sell is the real deal. No Oakley, no Gucci,. More like Fauxly and Gotcha! (this is what we call them). Don't fall for the guy on the scooter who tells you he has a great deal on a camcorder. It was stolen and he will do a switch if you buy it. You will get a box of rocks. ANyway, just be aware of your surroundings.

Oh, my fav is the vendors who suddenly pack their stuff and run. They have no license to sell and the police is coming. What entertainment.

Check for service fees for credit/debit purchases. Usually there is a 3% fee of the total purchase for international purchses. Be aware of the Euro coins. Ones and twos look the same....small difference in size. Same with 20 and 50 cents. At least learn "thank you" and "please" in Italian.

Don't walk in front of a scooter or a Smart car. THey don't stop for anyone. Don't fall behind in the crowd as they walk across the street. IF there is a break in pedestrian traffic, you bet the next car will go and so will everyone behind him.

Have anymore questions, PM me.

 

[skuttle]

Definitely drill into him to keep track of his belongings while out! When I went to Paris for summer school while I was in college, I had my wallet stolen at the Louvre. Luckily my passport wasn't with me!

 

[Carl]

I go to Europe every year and I always carry baby wipes instead of toilet paper. They take up less room and work better. The tp in Europe is no good.