DD heading to Paris - what's the best way for her to keep in touch with us

[CindyH in NC]

She will be travelling with EF Tours, and her teacher/chaperone mentioned that they should be able to email from their smart phones at locations with Wi-Fi. Other students have mentioned apps that she could download to text from overseas, but I am not sure if that will leave us with hidden fees or charges.  Anyone with experience trying to keep in touch with a young adult overseas or an app to recommend. (She has an android phone not an IPhone if that matters.) For reference she is 18 and just graduated high school, I am not really concerned about safety, but it would be great to check in and get updates on their adventures.  This is her first trip out of the country. 

 

Thanks,

Cindy H.

[Grantmom]

Someone recently posted about something they used when their child was traveling out of the country.  I saved the link because it sounded like something good to know.  I will try and look for it, but maybe someone else remembers?

[hornblower]

yes, email when in wifi zone or use the facebook messenger app. we have the app running on our android phones. anywhere you have wifi, you can use it for free. (you don't need fb to run the app. You can just set up the fb messenger account)  You can also access the app on your computer at home or on a laptop as it has a browser option. 

 

Skype also has a text messaging option - again free if you're in a wifi zone.

 

Just make sure to turn off the phone cellular data so it doesn't try to connect to any of these apps when not in wifi zone.  
 

 

[meena]

We used WhatsApp for texting/picture messaging while out of the country. It uses wi-fi so no texting charges apply.

[Matryoshka]

We used WhatsApp for texting/picture messaging while out of the country. It uses wi-fi so no texting charges apply.

 

WhatsApp is what everyone in Europe uses for texting, as they don't get free SMS texting like we do in the US.  It's free to download and use with WiFi.  Just make sure she disables Data AND Roaming Data before she lands so it doesn't accidentally connect.

 

If she has WiFi, she can also Skype from her smartphone for free - both text and video chat.

[FriedClams]

We use Google Hangouts all the time from Europe. If you're on Wi-Fi it's free. You can text, call, video conference, whatever. It's easy to use. We're Android, but with Apple you can just FaceTime. We also have data with Sprint in much of Europe, so I'd also check your cell plan. With that we can text normally.

[bibiche]

WhatsApp. Many of my friends also use FB messenger.

[Grantmom]

Would there be any security issues with connecting to public wifi somewhere?  I don't do that here because of security.

[Jenn in FL]

Two of my daughters were just in Paris last month and one of them is still abroad in Ireland.  Download the app Telegram. It is instant communication from any wifi spot!  We are using the heck out of it. :hurray:

[catz]

My husband and I use skype for messaging and talking when he is overseas.  DS and I are going overseas and counting on that working reasonably well while we're in Europe in June.

[crazyforlatin]

Wechat or Line for free texting, calls, and video messages.

[Tree Frog]

We're using GroupMe and it's worked out well.

[HRAAB]

We've been using Facebook messenger and email.  She has Verizon and I added the international plan to her phone - most for my peace of mind.

 

Oh, I guess my younger girls have been talking to their sister with 'online calling' .  I didn't even know.  I'm so out of touch with technology.  Guess I'll have to have my girls give me a lesson.

[J-rap]

Another vote for WhatsApp when she is in public wifi areas.  It's the same as sending a text.  Super easy to use.  She can also send voice recordings on it.  Sometimes my dd will have only a quick minute to send a lot of information, so it's a lot easier for her to just speak the entire message.  Then, I get to hear the recording at my end.  It's fun to hear her voice too!  She can also take a photo with her phone camera and send that through WhatsApp.  There are no hidden charges for any of this.

 

Make sure though that she turns off her data plan, roaming, etc.  She'll want to make sure she is only accessing wifi when she is in a free public wifi area.

 

You'll both need WhatsApp on your phones.  Set it up before she goes so that you have each other's contact info.

 

[TranquilMind]

WhatsApp is what everyone in Europe uses for texting, as they don't get free SMS texting like we do in the US.  It's free to download and use with WiFi.  Just make sure she disables Data AND Roaming Data before she lands so it doesn't accidentally connect.

 

If she has WiFi, she can also Skype from her smartphone for free - both text and video chat.

 

WhatsApp is popular, but it demands a phone number.  Kik does not, so we use Kik.  Same deal, free texts anywhere with wifi. 

I won't use Facebook messenger.  FaceTime is fine if you want to call each other on wifi. 

Edited May 31, 2016 by TranquilMind

[J-rap]

WhatsApp is popular, but it demands a phone number.  Kik does not, so we use Kik.  Same deal, free texts anywhere with wifi. 

I won't use Facebook messenger.  FaceTime is fine if you want to call each other on wifi. 

 

I haven't heard of Kik.  Does it work through an email address then?

[Laurie4b]

Whats App. The calls are free, too.

[TranquilMind]

I haven't heard of Kik.  Does it work through an email address then?

 

Yes.

 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

When I went to France, I went to my cell phone provider.  They showed me how to turn off my cellular, and I was able to buy a 30 day data package (which I could then cancel when I got home, and only pay a prorated fee for the time I was actually in France.).  I found with the time difference, real time conversation was unnecessary and really inconvenient anyway.  E-mail was quite adequate for keeping up with family, and having data allowed my google maps to work.

 

[Starr]

I would also be sure she can call or text if she's not able to use wifi , emergencies happen. That said be sure she knows what an emergency is. lol

[Matryoshka]

I would also be sure she can call or text if she's not able to use wifi , emergencies happen. That said be sure she knows what an emergency is. lol

On our AT&T plan you can add just int'l texting for $10 for a month. There might be a limit, but it's good for possible emergencies.

[Carol in Cal.]

We've been using Facebook messenger and email.  She has Verizon and I added the international plan to her phone - most for my peace of mind.

 

Oh, I guess my younger girls have been talking to their sister with 'online calling' .  I didn't even know.  I'm so out of touch with technology.  Guess I'll have to have my girls give me a lesson.

I was going to add international coverage to DD's Verizon service while she is out of the country--it sounded like a pretty good deal--only $2/day of use for unlimited texting and calling.  However, they would not guarentee that the data plan limits from the Family Base would work when she was overseas, and standard data rates apply.  So I temporarily stopped service to her phone, and we are keeping in touch on facebook.

[TammyinTN]

When I lived in Germany...one daughter was working in Kuwait and one daughter lived in US....we used Facebook all the time.   It was the easiest way to stay in touch and leave messages since we all had different time zones. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Video texting on Facebook is easy and fun.  Just need Wifi

 

[Lanny]

Another thing one can use, free, is the MagicApp from MagicJack.  I believe that one can install it and make calls to the vast majority of phone numbers in the USA and Canada, free.  If one does not pay for a MagicJack phone number ($9.99 a year) one can receive calls, but I think the caller needs to dial a phone number and then input a code for the person they are calling who is using MagicApp.  If one has a MagicJack phone number, the Caller simply dials a regular phone number that's in the USA and they reach the person using MagicApp.

 

We have a MagicJack  in our house (VOIP), so on my Android phone, I have the MagicApp installed and it works with our regular MagicJack phone number and I don't need to pay extra, to use it on my Android phone. 

 

I suspect the call quality, using MagicApp, is usually better, than using Skype or some other service.

 

MagicJack suggests that one use MagicApp on Wifi and NOT on Data, because it will use a lot of Data.

 

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.magicjack&hl=en

 

http://www.magicjack.com/magicApp.html

 

[Lanny]

Would there be any security issues with connecting to public wifi somewhere?  I don't do that here because of security.

 

Everywhere, outside of your own home, there are Security issues using WiFi.  When we were in Orlando, at the end of April, my wife wanted to check her credit card account on the bank web site. We were in the Timeshare, on their WiFi which obviously was not secure.  She knows better than to do that on normal WiFi.  I have an OpenVPN AS, on a server in New Jersey.  The morning she tried to use it, the VPN wasn't working.  :-)   A minor glitch, but I did not want to delay our getting to WDW.  My wife did not connect to the bank...   

 

A childhood friend had his laptop attacked, while using the Public WiFi in LAX (Los Angeles International Airport).  He saw something was awry, disconnected, and then used his cell phone for Tethering or a   cable connection for his laptop.

[Lanny]

WhatsApp is extremely popular down here and I understand in most of the world. Several people in our house use it. It is free. One event that I remember is that 1 person sent a message to another person and it took many hours (one day?) to be delivered. Normally, my impression is that the service is good.  WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, who paid a ton of money to buy the WhatsApp company.

[Lolly]

Dd just got back from overseas. This time, she purchased something at the airport that allowed her to have wifi with her everywhere/all the time. She was her own walking wifi zone. It allowed her to use google maps and such while on the go. We just used Facebook to message each other. The first time she left country, we put her on Verizon's overseas plan. She used it zero times to call. Didn't bother with that again. Just an expensive waste of money.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I was on a tour in France.  Several people had Verizon, and NONE of them could get it to work.  Not even in Paris.  

[Lanny]

OP:    If your DD were going alone, I would, in the strongest possible words, encourage you to set up temporary cell phone service in Paris. Voice, SMS and Data.  On our trip to Orlando in late April, I didn't get temporary service, we were only there for 7 nights, and that was a horrible mistake, that will not be repeated. Since she is going in a group, hopefully the people showing them around Paris will have cell phones that work properly there and know how to speak French.  Your DD (and her group leaders) should be aware of the "Travel Advisory" the U.S. State Department put out for Europe, a week or so ago.  Things can happen, anywhere. We were aware of the possibility of terrorism in the parks, in Orlando, but the risk in Europe is much higher. Hopefully, there will not be any issues and your DD will have a wonderful time in Europe.