^^When our son (2011) went to Edinburgh a few years back he had either an iPhone 4 or 5 and simply went to the UK carrier store for Three where they swapped his SIM card in a matter of seconds and he then had a local Three network phone. That was all there was to “unlock” the phone.
Some US carriers sell the phones already unlocked while others don’t, although I think all the big ones today do. DH and I have international plans because it’s more convenient given the travel we do, but our kids just swap SIMs when they travel outside North America.
T-Mobile doesn’t have a roaming charge anymore, worldwide. I don’t know what service is like in some parts of the world, but you no longer have to do anything to have service.
My daughter went to Italy for student exchange this semester. We have AT&T and signed up for the Passport package for $40 extra month. It allows for unlimited texting and very little data (she waits until she has wifi to post any pics). Talking is expensive so we facetime when she is back in her apartment. Would it have been cheaper to get a SIM card?
@yellowgranite56 , We also looked into AT& T passport package, but found out local SIM was much cheaper,My daughter was in England this summer and she got gifgaff SIM. They have goody bags packages for 10, 15 etc pounds for a month. Our daughter got the 10 pounds for a month. She got within UK unlimited texting, some minutes talking and 2GB UK data. We used Whatsapp to text, talk and send photos between US & UK for free. We could skype as well. It worked out great. She used free wi-fi wherever possible instead of using the data.
Flu clinics are available at colleges now-- reminding my daughter to get her flu shot.
Thanks for the flu shot reminder. I’ll have to tel my sons. At the moment, neither should get one until he is well. Son '14 texted me the other day saying that his school’s student health center has made an appointment for him with a local ENT. The health center is concerned that he has had many issues with sinus infections so they want him checked. The other son is in law school, and he is battling a flu and low grade temp. Of course, all the rain probably does not help.
Speaking of flu shots, as a teacher, I need to get mine!
Yeah I need to schedule my free flu shot. And next week there is a movie being shot on campus which is cool even if it’s inconvenient
My daughter is in University of Melbourne, Australia this semester. We unlocked her iPhone and have a local SIM card, paying about US$30 unlimited text/call (even to the US) and about 3G of data per month.
Spent the weekend with our son at his school. Did a couple of dinners around his schedule. Went shopping. Learned that he will graduate on time (thank goodness), and then plans to stay at least another year to earn his masters degree in a new program that the school offers. He spoke with the department chair about everything, and it looks as if he will work as a TA for the school, get his grad tuition and earn a salary. Truly a great opportunity for him. Won’t see him again until Christmas break, but we get a “kid” fix later this week when we pick up his older brother from the airport. He’ll spend the night with us before returning to law school.
Today S14 was invited to join Tau Beta Pi (engineering honors fraternity) at Tulane…a good thing I guess >:)
I’ve seen DS 4 times since August since I travel to his away games and then last weekend for Parents’ Weekend (and a home game). Tailgating with other parents, dinner and shopping with DS pretty much summed up last weekend. I’ll see him for one last game in November, then he’s home with Thanksgiving and he’s bringing his girlfriend.
Winter break starts Dec. 21 for him and he will fly directly to California to meet up with us at his grandparents. We’ll be there until Christmas and then we leave directly after that for Europe where there will be plenty of time for bonding ha ha.
Someone posted about hotel rooms for college graduation in the HS Class of 2018 group so I thought I’d mention it here. We are already on a wait list for a hotel room for DS’s graduation in May 2018. The hotel’s system isn’t live that far out yet but they are maintaining a manual waiting list from which they will migrate people once their system opens up. And no, we were not the first ones to put our names down!
We had a nice visit with our son in Glasgow. I actually got up the nerve to rent a car and drive on the left (despite DH’s trepidation), and the three of us had a fun 3.5 day road trip around the highlands, including the Isle of Skye. Awesome! DS is doing well and enjoying his time abroad (though he does have his criticisms of some aspects of the Scottish higher ed system). We had some interesting chats and it was a bit like our old-time family vacations, but with more interesting conversation (and interspersed with cries of “Look out, Mom! You’re too close to the edge!” and “Remember to keep left!” - as he was charged with helping me to navigate the “great wee roads” and ubiquitous roundabouts). I hope he is able to get to Edinburgh, he says he’s going to try to after his essays are done (at the end of next week). He’s not the type to be trotting all over Europe with friends, but it would be great if he could at least see Edinburgh since it is so close, and maybe meet his friend in London for a weekend.
He is stressing out a bit about the grading system, since he only has one essay and a final exam in each class (he prefers lots of assignments and feedback), but managing the stress ok. He knew what he was getting into but it is still stretching his comfort level. He has visisted his friend who is studying in Bangor, Wales, and says he would probably have preferred to be there, in a small town rather than the big city, but again he knew he was pushing his limits, and overall is not unhappy with his choice. I was a little disappointed that his roommate is from the US, but apparently they put international students together as it helps some of them with homesickness. DS doesn’t mind, and says he’s met lots of locals, especially in his theatre class.
DH and I also had fun touring London, York, Edinburgh and Glasgow. We saw an awesome play in London. It was a long and wonderful vacation, very much fun, but I got a cold and my brain is really messed up from the 11-hour time difference, so I need a few days of recuperation. Can’t wait for DS to be home for Christmas!
You are fortunate as the Aussie dollar is way down at the moment versus the USD. We are heading to Melbourne for the holidays to see DW’s family. I hope your D is enjoying her time there.
Heard from Son '14 the other day. He interviewed for two positions at the student success center and hopes he will be working as a tutor or TA for a professor this spring. Praying he gets the job, because he could use the money to offset some expenses. He says he is doing well in his classes – always like to hear that. Already registered for the spring, and plans to take one class at the graduate level, because he has been offered the chance to pursue a masters degree in a related field. So the class applies to undergrad as well as grad studies. Went to New Orleans with his fraternity for their formal. Is dating a nice, new girl who attends a different university. Oh, and he will not be home for Thanksgiving. Instead, he is joining his older brother at the Iron Bowl.
Heard from DS’14 this afternoon. He signed up for his classes for next semester - so great to hear he is still excited about the classes he will take. Hr too will not be home the Thanksgiving, but we already have his ticked for Christmas break.
So, I think if dd’14 could do it all over again, she’d have majored in studio art and CS instead of math and CS. I really wish there were a way mature the kiddos brains a little faster before they started college. Even with taking some art classes it wasn’t until now that she realized this was what she really wanted to study and develop skills in, and honestly, she doesn’t have the time left to finish another major because I can’t pay for more than 4. Yep, that first programming class was love at first sight. And art? Has always loved it, but it’s an affair that just keeps getting stronger. Anyway, I guess hindsight is 20/20. I’m feeling a little bit sad for her, though.
DS called today to say he got a job offer – for a co-op in the spring! He had been hoping for a summer internship but I suppose it’s a good sign that they want him now (and told him that the spring co-op will likely turn into a summer job). He’s very excited. It is with a large multinational firm so he will see what it’s like to work for a mega engineering company.
It’s also within commuting distance from school so he can continue to live in the fraternity house and remain active in the school scene (and stay close to his girlfriend who is a senior), so really it is the best of both worlds.
This means he will take an extra semester but that’s fine, since we will only have to pay room and board at school, which will be offset some by his housing allowance. Full adulthood is looming on the horizon!
2014novamom: That is awesome that your son landed a co-op. Hopefully it will lead to full-time employment if he really likes the company. Many of my son’s fraternity brothers do co-ops, and already, they have the promise of full-time jobs following graduation.
Ordinary lives: Can your daughter drop the math major, and add art as a minor? At least she would be happier. My son dropped his math major midway through his first year and turned it into a minor. Then, he picked up finance as a new major, along with economics. He is much happier. The one CS class he took really threw him, but he does wonderful in the information systems classes.
As for Son '14, he has been doing extremely well this semester in his classes. That’s good, because he was a bit unhappy that he did not land a tutoring job on campus for the spring. Maybe he just does not interview well, because he definitely knows the material in his two majors and math minor. Meanwhile, he is sending out resumes for internships this coming summer. He could return to the bank where he worked this past summer. It is large enough to have a wealth management internship program. That is the area that definitely holds his interest.