<p>My kid will be studying abroad next semester and we are a bit worried. We wondered about GPS tracking, iphone tracking etc but does anyone have any ideas for a method to track someone if, God forbid, something should happen to them while in a third world country (or first world, for that matter)? One problem with iphone tracking (if that even works overseas) is that if something happens to a kid it is likely that their phone would be taken from them. </p>
<p>Any ideas to help ease our minds are appreciated. </p>
<p>What do u imagine will “happen” overseas to your child that requires real-time position tracking. Is this a study abroad program in North Korea or Syria?</p>
<p>GMTson dropped his iphone in the ocean during a study abroad stint at age 16. He was wearing his big boy pants and figured out how to contact me via skype on his laptop. He was more upset than I was, bcs he couldn’t instagram the remainder of his trip.</p>
<p>If u are really that worried, consider taking out a subscription to International SOS for your son. They are an int’l emergency concierge service. If poop hits the fan where he is, he can call them and they will help him. Our family has coverage, as do many international staff for multinational companies.
<a href=“International SOS”>https://www.internationalsos.com/en/</a></p>
<p>GMT wrote: “What do u imagine will “happen” overseas to your child that requires real-time position tracking. Is this a study abroad program in North Korea or Syria?”</p>
<p>No, but Vietnam and Burma aren’t exactly like visiting Canada or Hong Kong and are probably closer to NK than many others. </p>
<p>I would just like something where if she turned up missing I could tell the local authorities she was last seen in X location (or, better yet, she is in X location now).</p>
<p>I think many of us understand your concerns. One of mine was in quite a remote area for 9 months, where few others spoke English. I hope your thread attracts some of the other parents whose kids have gone off to all corners of the world. </p>
<p>Will she be with a group? In my mind, that’s one of the first, most important points- responsible adults who know what to do, run interface if needed. We went over and over what safe choices are, the buddy system, what to do and whom to turn to. Best wishes through all this.</p>
<p>Hmm, that’s a tough one. I was going to come here and say to use iPhone tracking but you raise a good point that if something did happen the phone might be lost or taken away. With that caveat, I don’t really see why the V-Alert system would be any better unfortunately. Most of these personal safety devices rely on Bluetooth anyway and most of them can be lost, broken, or stolen just as easily as a smartphone. </p>
<p>That international SOS sounds good, but honestly I would spend a lot of time trying to get familiar with the tour coordinators. They may have their own safety protocols in place that you could take advantage of and those are probably the main safety net that students going abroad have. Personal tracking devices can be easily eliminated by anyone who means harm but street smarts and a good security protocol are much more effective.</p>
<p>My kid traveled abroad this year, last year and the year before. The other kid did a study abroad.</p>
<p>We did NOT track the whereabouts of either kid while traveling. We did ask them to let us know if they were moving around or traveling. They were very obliging, sending us names of hostels, and airline and train travel plans.</p>
<p>I personally think the GPS tracking is unnecessary…and you do know your kid has to agree to it. I wouldn’t even ask my kids.</p>
<p>P.S. Count me amongst those whose kid was in a remote place for two years…really remote. Yes, she was in the Peace Corps, but they said not to be concerned unless we didn’t hear from the kid for a month. But really…the kid contacted us weekly via Skype or FaceTime. We didn’t need to know every single move she made!</p>
<p>My oldest DD has lived overseas for most of the last five years. I rarely know where she actually is at any given time. She is registered with the US embassy so that they know she is in the country of something happens. My middle DD lived overseas for 2 1/2 years - same scenario as above. They both had local dumb phones. They both traveled fairly often and I usually found out afterwards. Tracking them never even crossed my radar.</p>
<p>My kid was also registered with the American Embassy while living abroad…but then…she was a Peace Corps volunteer. She also used a local dumb phone while in country. Tracking was never considered…and it was not considered when she travelled abroad this fall either.</p>
<p>I think if you will be doing an extended stay, it is a good idea to register with the embassy, but if it is a formal study abroad program, perhaps that is already handled.</p>
<p>We didn’t consider any kind of tracking our D when she was abroad. She did get a local phone with a local SIM card for her use there and we kept in touch primarily via Skype and email.</p>
<p>While intellectually I understand the concern/desire, I also strongly advise AGAINST you even mentioning your idea of tracking your kid while abroad. Your child isn’t a dog with a chip implant. Your child is an adult, participating in a program with other adults and run by even older adults. There is nothing YOU can do if your child gets “in trouble” thousands of miles away. All that “tracking” would accomplish is to tick off your kid. For good reason. If your child is a novice traveler he/she will have plenty of support and advice onsite from program coordinators and other participants. If your child isn’t a novice traveler, there is something wrong with this picture of wanting him/her “tracked.” </p>
<p>I say this as the mother of kids who lived/studied abroad in high school, college and who are huge travelers drawn to remote, exotic parts of the world. (Daughter trekked Inca trail into Machu Pichu last fall; son trekked in the Himalayas last winter.) I also say this as the wife of a former academic who ran international university programs and now runs an international non-profit that places kids in internships/study abroad/volunteer programs around the world. His impression is that parents are way over-involved in their college-age kids’ daily lives at school and on school programs. </p>
<p>Now, if your kid were a novice traveler heading out alone, or with another novice traveler, my post would be entirely different. </p>
<p>“Now, if your kid were a novice traveler heading out alone, or with another novice traveler, my post would be entirely different”</p>
<p>My kid is a novice traveler and a complete airhead. I expect she will be traveling alone at times. One of the places I know she will be going is to an insane asylum in Ho Chi Min City. </p>
<p>I also promise you that she would be completely on board with it. If I were going over there I would definitely do whatever it took to let my wife and family know where I was if something happened. I’d go so far as to have a chip implanted in myself. Obviously a few of you disagree with my thinking. </p>
<p>I’m not mentioning some of D1’s antics. She did have a plan to go to Iran (“Mom, day visas are easy. And I can take the little independent van taxi (like a gypsy cab in the US) from here to there.” Ugh.) Work on getting her to rely on the buddy system, to wait on certain plans til she sees who’s willing to go and the advice, at that point. </p>
<p>I checked state dept traveler advisories (not that she cared.) But I also use tripadvisor and see what others post about singles (or young women) venturing out, etc. Sometimes, what sounds iffy "alone,"can be done by hooking up with a local tour guide/group. D1 flew off to Africa herself (from the country she resided in,) but let me find, vet and recommend where she stayed. (And did heed what I learned about what’s safe, what to avoid.) I lean on advice from other English speaking travelers- many of their interests and cultural expectations are similar to ours. </p>
<p>I do have young friends who did the semester in Vietnam and had a wonderful time. And in other places that give us pause. Btw, mine skipped Iran. none of her friends were interested.</p>
<p>I’ve just returned from a trip to Asia where I went to an insane asylum. Not Ho Ch Min City, but a similar place: Phnom Penh. I can assure you, there are few safer places on earth! </p>
<p>Plus, she’s clearly on an organized trip. Great. A chip implant will not be necessary. She will be escorted, won’t have to make any independent decisions, and will be in the safety of many, many tourist groups. Her biggest safety threat will be tuk tuks and wild drivers. And that no amount of tracking will diminish! </p>
<p>Perhaps your time would be better spent working with your daughter on common sense behaviors when traveling abroad. Knowing where she is at lol times will NOT prevent her from going to places that might be iffy. All that will happen is that you will know she is there. And really SHE probably will be safe even at that asylum. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what you hope to gain simply by knowing her whereabouts 24/7.</p>