Alone as in no one else at all.
Thank you for all the comments. This is giving me lots of ideas, some of which I might share if my friend asks my opinion.
Respectfully, I don’t agree with the suggestion to wear your passport around your neck. I think devices like this make you stand out as a tourist. Besides, if you are robbed, wearing a neck wallet or money belt isn’t going to help you - thieves know they exist.
I traveled in Europe alone at 20. I like to think I was pretty street smart though, and not interested in bar hopping, nightlife or partying. I have encouraged my kids to travel solo, or with a group, but no one was interested. (To my disappointment.)
Even in this day of smart phones and ATMs, much of the common sense sort of approach still applies. For instance, step into a doorway or restaurant or store to search GPS, check email, etc. Smart phones can make you a target for theft. Standing and using a map can invite attention - this has always been from kind, helpful people when I’ve encountered it, but can also make you a target. Don’t leave the cell on your cafe table. Use ATMs during banking hours when possible and lighted areas. Carry a business card from your hotel - helpful in communicating with taxi drivers or if lost. Money belt concealed under clothes. No backpack on back, unzipping and pick pocketing common. Don’t leave back pack or purse on floor of train, cafe, restaurant, etc keep on lap or a hand on it. Keep money and cards spread thoughout different places, pockets (I have velcroed pocket closures in my travel clothes), purse, wallet, hotel safe (when available). I carried cash in shoes when I was young and backpacking! Pre-plan your route for the day. Contact those at home with plans or updates. (I did not do this personally at this age, but do now and I travel overseas frequently solo.) Etc, etc.
Standard advice re getting inebriated - maybe in these days of date rape and secretly drugged drinks she’s aware of these concerns?
For my daughter, wearing the passport in a neck passport holder was safer than putting it in a backpack or other bag. She’s forgetful and could easily set down a bag or have the straps cut. She’s easily distracted and the possibility of being a pickpocket target is high.
She was pretty easily identified as a tourist anyway.
I don’t see that the story of the American student being killed in Rome is much different than any story of an American student being killed anywhere else (which does, in fact, happen). Imagine parents in Europe reading about murders in the US and wondering if it’s safe to send kids HERE.
So yes, I’d send my kids … IF they had basic street smarts and resources to navigate strange places. And yes, better to travel with a buddy than alone.
But that’s just it… @porcupine98. OP thinks this young lady ISN’T street smart. For all we know, she’s never traveled internationally, has never been in a place where people speak another language, and has never had to make her own travel arrangements. Would I recommend such a teenager travel on her own?
I’m not sure.
How would the parent feel about her daughter traveling around the U.S. alone for a week? Not instead of Europe, but a food for thought question.
Because I know my friend well, I’m actually surprised that she gave her daughter the go-ahead to travel alone for a week after the group program. I just found out yesterday. I’m guessing that my friend wanted her daughter to have the opportunity to see a little more of Italy while she’s there anyway because they do not have the money to do trips to Europe frequently. This trip (a few thousand dollars) was a big stretch financially for them.
@rosered55 How old is your friend’s daughter and how responsible is she in general?
my daughter, 18, has not traveled abroad, and no, i would really not like it if she were to do it alone. I’d nix it at this age where she’s still dependent on us. After she does time abroad with her school, perhaps i’ll feel differently. My son, 20, sure.
speaking of safety, we met a kid my son knew from china at college this last year. We asked what he thought, and he said how safe he felt in the US. We were so surprised! Compared to where he lived in china, the US made him feel safe. I actually liked hearing that.
Yes and, in fact, d3 (19) was alone for a couple days in Europe in between traveling with one friend and then a second friend last month. Totally agree with the posters who say that it’s far more dangerous to ‘cross the street in a major US city’ etc.
The hosteling world is made for college age/young 20s to travel and meet one another. D1 (25) just spent one week traveling alone when her friend cancelled at the last minute. She met 2 UK twins and a 20 something from Texas at her hostel and they spent 3 days together traveling. D2 went to Europe last year for 2 weeks on her own, before meeting up with a friend, and met two girls from U of Alaska. Ended up traveling with them for 5 days and saw things that hadn’t previously been on her list. She met one of the girls back in Barcelona for 4 days just this past month to go to a music festival. I hope they’re life-long friends!
Critical thing is to really research the hostels for safety, location, etc. There are lots of like solo travelers just hoping to meet others. And, if the OP’s friend’s daughter isn’t particularly ‘savvy’ then it’s a good opportunity to talk about how she can be. I certainly talked to my 19 yo about a variety of things before she left.
My daughter wanted to travel for two weeks abroad after her classes in Europe ended. As a safe compromise with the worried moms, she and another classmate booked a Cost Saver trip through Trafalgar instead of going it alone.
For example:
https://www.trafalgar.com/usa/tours/italian-holiday/summer-2016
The cost could be worth the peace of mind. (It was for me).
Where does the girl go to school and how does she get back and forth from home? Maybe there’s some experience with travel safety and campus smarts already?
The summer I was traveling alone in Europe, a friend was raped on our US campus returning to her apartment after an evening rehearsal. One of my kid’s freshman orientation week, two young people were mugged at gun point on their urban campus. They were walking at about 1 AM, but throughout the four years of my kid’s college years, there were other incidents of muggings at gun point just off campus, many during daylight hours. My kid witnessed a shooting aftermath (with police) in the parking lot across from the apartment building. A friend’s daughter was mugged at gun point on another campus. There are many, many areas of my city that I avoid and areas of cities I travel to that I avoid. Safety is a very relative thing.
The most common tourist thefts are pick pocketing and other crimes of opportunity. I have several acquaintances who foolishly left their purses unguarded and wallets in back pockets who ended up losing them.
My daughter, probably not. But she did just jump in her car to drive 12 hours in a tour around the southeast to visit friends, her college and her cousin…all in different states. But it’s familiar to her. My particular daughter is a huge risk taker and sometimes impulsive and views herself as immune to bad things. I’d let her go with an organization, but not wandering alone.
Would I allow it? Yes. Would I worry? Yes.
Thankfully, my kids always travel with a friend/buddy and don’t tell me if they venture out alone at all. We have safety discussions often, even here at home. My kids grew up in a city, but I don’t think either of them is especially street smart. D carries mace here in the US. It is allowed in checked baggage.
My biggest fear in life is losing one of my children - I have watched too many friends suffer. BUT, I can’t let my fears determine what my kids do/don’t do.
D is 19 so not sure it would be a matter of what I would “allow” at this point. If she was determined to go and had the funds I doubt there is much I would be able to do about it.
I really am not a big fan of traveling alone. I don’t like to do it and I do think your risk increases when you are on your own - you become an easy target. And I think that holds true for men and women alike. Just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me - unless I was taking some sort of “spiritual journey” where I decided I wanted to be alone, it is a lot more fun for me to travel with others - I like the companionship.
Given the global landscape we currently have I would not be any more worried about Europe than I would the U.S. We all are at risk and no one country has been spared. Although if I had to pick a place where I would feel the safest I would probably say Ireland or Scandinavia.
No, I wouldn’t let my 19 year old travel around by herself, in the states or abroad. Would I let her get on the plane by herself to go visit a friend? Yes. Would I let her go travel around for few weeks by herself on limited budget (staying at hostel) at 19? No. I would consider it if she were to go with a buddy or a group of friends. I used to tell my girls not to go bathroom by themselves or walk back to their dorms by themselves after a party.
My girls have been traveling since they were babies. They know how to rebook a flight or get an upgrade at a best hotel, but I wouldn’t want them to travel by themselves. Who would they eat with or party with? Perfect strangers, and that’s when one gets into trouble.
My kids have also been traveling on planes since they were 6 months old. Fortunately, they mostly want to travel with friends of travel to be with friends.
My D is older (26 now), but has travelled on her own many times. She stays in female dorms in hostels and meets people to eat with and often goes sightseeing on her own. I like to think she travels with her street sense on high alert, and I know she is very careful regarding things like her passport/money etc. after an experience when, ironically, she was with a group. During her study abroad in Vienna when she was 20 she became very comfortable. One day she pulled her wallet out of her backpack to buy a pastry in the Metro on the way to school and put it back in her backpack. When she got to school, it was gone. She was with kids on her program when it happened. She learned lessons about how to deal with an Austrian police report and how to get her cards replaced…and she never put her wallet in a pocket of her backpack again. She’s headed off to Australia and New Zealand for six weeks after the bar exam and will be alone for half the time. My H is still not happy, but again, she’s 26.