<p>I’ve never traveled outside the NA continent. DD will be studying abroad this summer (London). For all those parents of students who have had this wonderful opportunity, could you help to make a running checklist of things she (or I) need to do before the summer? (Flights are already made). For instance, what do we need to consider for medical insurance? What is the International Student discount card, and where does she apply? Should she bring money, or just use a credit card when there? Best plans for cell phones abroad? Hints to pack light? I know all these have been discussed in other threads, but it would be so helpful to have a checklist in one place. Don’t focus on London, as this could be helpful for parents and students in other programs as well. (Although feel free to send me an email for London specific advice!). </p>
<p>It might be helpful to keep it in checklist format by copying the most recent post, and adding your advice to the end. </p>
<p>Well, just to attack one of these: Best to use a credit card only when absolutely necessary. The exchange rate will not be in your favor. I sent my son overseas with travelers checks, and a credit card to use in case of emergency or jumbo expense.</p>
<p>I beg to differ. DD is using credit card over debit card in Turkey. She finds that it ends up being cheaper. She pays it off regularly online. Traveler’s checks are not easy to use, and many vendors do not like them. Most kids are using debit or credit cards nowdays. (DD also spent 5 months in Chile: same deal there.)</p>
<p>DD just returned from Florence and used ATM card exclusively, good exchange rate and not bad as far as bank charges. We did rent a phone from Piccell and it was a pretty good deal. Had a virtual US number we could call her one.</p>
<p>We skype a lot, although DD also has a pre-pay cell phone and must have some international minutes, since she does call us to say, “hey, let’s skype.” Definitely set up a skype account for free computer to computer calling. Don’t bother bringing any electronic gadgets with you except laptop. travel light.</p>
<p>For any debit/credit card: Make sure the PIN is four digits. (Essential for both UK and EU.)</p>
<p>Call the bank/credit card company two weeks before leaving; tell them where you’ll be living and list any other countries you’re likely to visit. (This reduces the likelihood that the debit/credit card will be slapped with a hold while they figure out if it’s been stolen or not.) </p>
<p>Talk to as many students as possible who’ve done a term/year abroad in the place you’re headed to. They’ll have the small but hugely helpful details (e.g., which Tesco is closest to my flat?) you’ll appreciate most in the first weeks.</p>
<p>Make sure that there is someone in the US who is also on her credit card. I was on my daughter’s card. When she was studying in France, I received a call from the credit union asking if she had charged something in the Philippines. Obviously, no. However, even though she had a cell phone, it would have been difficult to reach her. I also was able to make a payment for her, if she needed it. I had to express ship her the new card. They would have sent it to her, but she was traveling, so I could send it as soon as she was back at school.</p>
<p>Our son returned last month from a semester in London.</p>
<p>For the phone: he purchased a phone with a sim card and had it “unlocked.” Then he purchased time from the carrier in London (I think it was Vodafone) as he went. We communicated via Skype, which, if you have never used it, is great. On occasion, he called our phone here via skype (because I wasn’t online) and it was pennies a minute.</p>
<p>Medical Insurance: I called my carrier and determined that he would be reimbursed for covered care, but would have to pay out of pocket for it while abroad and then submit for reimbursement. We did purchase student travel insurance that included coverage for flying him home or one of us there if her were terribly ill. This and “repatriation insurance” was required by the study abroad office at his school, even though he was not on a school sponsored program.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM if you think our experience may be helpful.</p>
<p>It’s a good idea to make sure at least one parent has an up to date passport, just in case an emergency occurs. Hopefully not needed, but better safe than sorry.</p>
<p>Son is leaving for UK in Feb. He is required by the UK school to choose a medical facility to be his primary for the national health coverage. He signs up at school in the first couple of days. No cost to us. He’ll use the medical facility on campus. Should be the same for you. Our own insurance is the back up.</p>
<p>Per CC parents, debit machines take 4 digit pins. Your daughter will need to change hers at her bank if need be. Plan on getting him a credit card in his name (from his bank). Low credit limit to use in emergencies. He can build credit if it is not a joint credit card with us. From reading above posts, we’ll make sure he used our home phone, not his cell, for contact.</p>
<p>Go to “Discussion Home” on left side. When the topics come up scroll down to study abroad. I’ve been on a couple of the Scotland/UK threads, all with helpful info.</p>
<p>^^^as I recall, there is a minimum stay required before the student qualifies for NHS benefits. I’m not sure what it is, though our son, who was there 3 months did not qualify.</p>
<p>When our dd was abroad, she mainly used her debit card. She had a credit card that she did not carry around with her. This prove invaluable when her backpack was stolen. Make sure you have copies and she has copies of all credit cards, debit card, medical info, and passport. If something happens, the copies are extremely helpful. Tell your dd not to carry the copies with the originals. Remember debit cards do not have the $50 liability that charge cards do.</p>
<p>I hit the enter key too soon. We got the International student card online. I don’t know if my dd ever used it. As for packing, try not to pack all the toiletries. Part of the experience of living abroad is learning to shop. Some of my dd’s favorite memories are from trying to buy items such as shampoo from little mom & pop shops. Like the others have said, we used skype with a webcam. It was always so exciting to see her and she could wave the camera around and we could see her room. It made her seem closer.</p>
<p>And really, the main thing your dd needs to take is a sense of adventure. I sure wish I had study abroad!</p>
<p>D left Friday for what H & I are calling her “Amazing Race” study abroad semester – 10 days in Geneva, followed by approximately 5 weeks each in India, China, & South Africa. Absolutely no computers allowed – she has strict instructions to send us “I’m OK” emails any time she’s within spitting distance of an internet cafe. We did get her an unlocked cell phone so she can buy sim cards for each country. She was severely restricted on luggage weight, plus had to consider her clothing style (modest) and hand washability. We scoured EMS, REI, and the internet for “travel clothing.” She has a money card that we can track online and reload instantly, as well as a credit card in her name, but attached to our account.</p>
<p>S1 arrives home today from a semester in Thailand. Here’s my list (which repeats some of the info above)</p>
<ol>
<li>Skype for phone calls</li>
<li>Take 2 credit cards or a credit card and ATM card. One for backup/emergencies</li>
<li>AMEX has the lowest foreign $$ conversion rate (2.5%). More typical for other credit cards and ATMS is 3%</li>
<li>4-digit PIN for ATM</li>
<li>Have health coverage.</li>
<li>Copy of passport in luggage. </li>
<li>Take a personal first aid kit. Not all over-the-counter medicines in the US are over-the-counter elsewhere.</li>
<li>Pack light. You can buy whatever you need in London</li>
<li>Be knowledgeable of cultural differences before you leave</li>
</ol>
<p>And for the parents. If you can, plan to visit. I spent 3 wonderful weeks in Thailand with my sons over the winter break.</p>
<p>My son did a study abroad this past fall in England, not London, but I got him a great book at Barnes and Noble - “When in London: The Ultimate Study-Abroad Guide” by Sparks notes. It had really everything one needed to know plus great London only tips. They have it for sale at Amazon, no review or pictures but we both thought it was a great little book.</p>
<p>My D is in London right now doing a 10 week exchange program. The above list sounds good, but I would not use an AMEX card. The best card for foreign exchange is the Capital One Rewards credit card which charges NO conversion fees and is free. For ATM, use the Charles Schwab debit card,(you have to open a Charles Schwab checking account) which also has no conversion fees and no withdrawal fees.</p>
<p>Make sure the credit card and debit card are from different banks. I speak from experience. We did not think of this and when S was traveling abroad, his bank experienced a security breach and canceled both cards without warning. You can imagine being abroad with no ready access to money nor the ability to charge anything and it was complicated by a long bank holiday. A brief, but stressful, nightmare.</p>
<p>Son did summer internship in London last year.</p>
<p>He purchased a “pay-as-you-go” phone and loaded it a few times.</p>
<p>We talked over the internet, but it wasn’t Skype. Just a microphone and AIM.</p>
<p>I sent him with British Pounds, Travelers checks and a CC. He said the Travelers Check’s were a pain. We have an American Express Travel Center close by and I just converted his dollars to pounds before leaving…converted back when he returned home.</p>
<p>He started out with on-campus housing that was very expensive. I went on Craigslist and found rooms/flats for him to check out. He found a nice room with 2 other students for the remainder of the semester and saved quite a bit of money. </p>
<p>He also invested in a Oyster card for the subway/busline.</p>
<p>Make sure you have a copy of their passport info at home - just in case.</p>
<p>Get a good map of the transportation system.</p>