Spending time studying or traveling in another country provides students with a new perspective on the world and new insights about themselves. As hard as it can be for parents to wave goodbye to their son or daughter and put them on a plane to a country thousands of miles away, the experience can be priceless.To make it a bit easier on both parents and students, consider sending them off with an international cell phone. That way, parents know that they can always reach their kids, and kids have a lifeline home. But don't assume that your child's current cell phone will work in other countries.
"A lot of people don't realize that their cell phones won't do them any good in another country," says Morris Shawn, president of Roadpost, www.roadpost.com a company that rents cell phones, BlackBerrys and satellite phones to overseas travelers.
Most U.S. cell phones do not work overseas because U.S. companies use different forms of technology which don't conform to the GSM system used by most of the international community, including Europe.
The company supplies everything a student needs to stay in touch while studying abroad. In addition to the phone itself, Roadpost provides a spare battery, hands-free headset, travel charger, all adapters and a leather carrying case. You'll even get business cards preprinted with the student's international phone number. "Some carriers will allow you to forward your North American phone number to your Roadpost international phone," says Shawn. If you want to explore this option, contact your current cell phone provider for details and associated costs.
"Renting these two phones was the smartest thing I have done in a long time. I was able to get in touch with my two kids anytime, day or night, and I felt very secure about them being over in Europe by themselves," says Candace Pope of Costa Mesa, Calif. "They, in turn, loved that they could get me out of bed anytime, and be able to talk with me. They sounded like they were right next door."
Students who prefer to stay in touch via e-mail can rent an international BlackBerry. "It can be hard to stay in touch by e-mail when traveling," says Shawn. "Usually, internet cafes can only be found in big cities. They are overcrowded and expensive. And often, you are forced to use an international keyboard with a confusing interface." With an international BlackBerry, you can send and receive as much e-mail as you like, without worrying about an expensive bill.
For students participating in Study at Sea programs and those traveling to remote areas, Roadpost offers satellite phones. Because they receive their signal from satellites orbiting the earth, these phones work anywhere on the planet - including oceans and mountains - as long as there is a clear line of sight between the satellite phone's antenna and the sky. This makes them ideal for cruise ships and boats, airplanes, wilderness travel, mountain climbing, safaris and other remote areas. The easy-to-use phone lets students receive incoming text messages and voicemail, as well as short e-mails.
When students return from their travels, they simply ship the phone back to Roadpost using the pre-paid return kit the company provides. For frequent travelers, Roadpost offers monthly airtime plans with bundled minutes that carry forward. This way, you will always have the same number while you are away from home and your phone is always ready and waiting for your next trip.
To find out more, go to www.roadpost.com or call (888) 290-1616.
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