Month: June 2011

Six Safety Tips for Teens Travelling Abroad

Teen travel is a booming industry. Shopping, friends and travel are all on a teen’s list of top priorities. How high is safety on that list?

You may have seen the movies “Hostel 1 & 2” and “Taken.” Is it horror at its worst or a glimpse into the potential problems teens may face when traveling abroad? Sure, these movies are a lot scarier than teen travel and you probably laughed at the reference, but safety is no joke.

Passport Safety

Does a traveling teen know about passport safety tips? A passport should always be on your person. True, many European hotels and hostels require you leave your passport at the front desk, whether you are checking-in or leaving the property for the day or evening. Make several complete copies of your passport prior to leaving home…in color if possible.

Leave a copy of your passport at home with family or friends, pack one in your suitcase (which you can carry with you as you sight-see abroad) and, if possible, a copy with a traveling companion or tour leader.

Know Your Rights

As a citizen of the United States, you have certain rights when you travel abroad. A United States Consulate, in the country where you travel, is where you need to seek help if you find yourself in trouble or if your passport goes missing.

Phone Calling Tips

Dialing abroad is slightly different from domestic calls. Learn the international phone dialing code, as well the particular country code of the area. You should also learn how to call your home numbers from the specific countries visited.

Know the Culture

You will want to do some research on the country you are planning to visit. Know the location of the US Consulate, and be aware of any peculiar laws you may accidentally find yourself challenging. This is especially true of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. To avoid unnecessary trouble abroad, remember that what we generally consider fun and games at home may cost you some headaches when traveling.

Safety in Numbers

Always try to stay together when out for the night. Walking in a strange city, at night can be dangerous enough. If you add alcohol or partying to the mix, you may be opening yourself up unnecessary harm when taking a short cut down a wrong alley, for example.

Watch for Crime

There are so many tricks and frauds, to be aware of when traveling. A common trick involves one person lingering at one end of a street who sends a signal to another person on the next block, indicating you are a good target for harm or theft. Another good example is Italy, where pick pocketing is an art form

Following a few guidelines can make the difference between a fun trip and a frightening brush with danger. By traveling smart, teens can have a truly memorable gap year and enjoy their time away from home.

 

Jessica Bosari writes blogs and articles for AdventuresCrossCountry, a site that helps teens and young adults find teen camps and gap year programs.

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Tips On How To Deal With The Teenagers

Drastic changes happen during adolescent stage and can threaten good relationships. It could be hard for the parents to deal with the changes and sometimes misunderstanding brings separation between the children and the parents. Most of the parents encounter problems due to teenage behaviors and action should be taken soon.

These changes come from physical or hormonal changes. Friends can also be a factor because of the so called peer pressure. Family matter stressors or school problem from strict teachers or isolation from classmates have been the main reasons of unexplained behavior. Problems should be fixed earlier to stop it from getting worst.

Now if you are one of the problematic parents, here are some suggestions for you to easily deal with behaviors:

  1. Make yourself open for a free talk with your child. Making your child discuss concerning his problems will make him feel better and ease.
  2. Involve yourself to the problem. Your child will feel a helping hand and can come to you anytime another problem occurs.
  3. Pass positive behavior and avoid making suggestions. In this way, your child can learn from his own mistakes.
  4. Do not argue things, it can worsen the problem. Instead reward them for the good things they have done in order for them to get motivated. You can also apply selected ignoring for the things that are inevitably wrong.
  5. Sometimes, certain behaviors come from practices such as drug abuse, unsafe sex experimentation, and eating disorders. These situations should be solved earlier to avoid further mistakes someday.
  6. Tackle the problem with complete seriousness to dealt better with his problems.

Dealing with teenage behaviors is uneasy just like adjusting yourself with the fitness program. You need to modify and implement new rules to let things keep going. An advice from Tony Horton or someone who are used to be an expert on dealing with behaviors should be done to solve things early before it turned to bigger problems.

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