3 Apps to Help You Feel More Comfortable Traveling Abroad

If you’re new to traveling abroad, you may be nervous about visiting a foreign country; especially one whose language is different from your own. These 3 apps have helped us to feel confident that we can problem solve and get around no matter where we go- even if there is no cellular service! No need to buy a local sim card or even use your phone providers global data plans.

1) Download some sort of global conversion app. We like one that will convert currency, distance, temperature, and speed (if we’re renting a car). If you can use your data, it can find the most current conversion rates. Having it downloaded offline will still give you a fairly accurate amount.

2) Download Google Maps offline. If you know you’ll be venturing somewhere that won’t have good reception or you don’t want to use data, download the area you’ll be traveling to before your trip even begins or before you leave your Airbnb with wifi. Walking and driving routes are all available offline. If you’re able to use cellular data, the live public transportation time table is reliable in most places.

3) Google Translate. This is another app where you can download entire languages to use offline if needed. Type phrases you see and have them translated into your language. Type questions in your language and you can even have it speak the sentence(s) in whichever language you need. Or use the camera feature to hover over menus, directions, etc and it will show a live translation right on your screen.

To see all of these in action, watch our video posted here.