5 “Must-Have” Smartphone Apps While Traveling Abroad
Written by Kaden May 19, 2016
Cost – Free Download – App Store and Google Play
Cost – Free Download – App Store and Google Play
Cost – Free Download – App Store and Google Play
Cost – Free Download – App Store and Google Play
Cost – Free Download – App Store and Google Play
Making the most of your study abroad experience has never been easier thanks to advancements in technology. With your smartphone, you can easily organize your travel information, budget for your trip, and send pictures and messages back home to your family! Here are five must-have applications for your trip abroad.
WhatsApp
If you’re not careful, international data charges can end up being the most expensive part of your study abroad experience. WhatsApp is a free application that removes the hassle and expense of sending text messages back home to your friends and family. WhatsApp allows users to send free messages to anyone in the world from anywhere in the world, all you need is a WiFi connection! Photos, videos, locations, and much more can be sent through WhatsApp. Another bonus is the fact that there are no advertisements, a rarity in free applications nowadays. WhatsApp is “what’s up” when it comes to sending messages while abroad.
Bonjournal
Sending messages back home is great, but what if you want a way for EVERYONE to be able to know the story of your trip? Bonjournal is a free application that allows users to create a digital journal of their trip. Text, photos, and even videos can be added to each journal entry. One positive part of this app is that journal entries can be made without a WiFi connection, meaning you can add to your journal from literally anywhere! Each of your entries are stored in a journal, and your journals can be shared on many social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. You can also convert your jornal to a .pdf file and print it off once you return from your trip. Bonjournal is a great way for you to be able to write and share your trip as a streamlined story.
Tripcase
Being able to remember your study abroad experience is extremely important, but so is remembering when your flight is! Tripcase is a personal planner application that is specifically designed to help make your time traveling less stressful. Tripcase allows for you to link your flight, lodging, car rental, rail, and any other travel information directly to the app. The application then creates your own personalized itinerary, keeping all of your travel times and locations listed and organized. You can also share your itinerary with friends and family so they can follow along with your journey. Tripcase allows for you to stress less and enjoy more of your trip abroad!
Mint
Keeping track and managing a budget can also be a stressful part of traveling abroad. Mint from Intuit is a budgeting application that can help save you save stress and save money! Mint connects directly to your bank account and allows users to set up their own spending categories. By sorting each transaction into a specific category, users can see exactly where their money is going. The app will also tell you how much money you have left in each spending category and will notify you when you are close to your limit. Using Mint is an easy and effective way to manage your money while abroad.
Google Translate
Learning the native language of where you are traveling to is a fun and important part of being abroad. However, there may be situations where you do not fully understand the written language. Using Google Translate can help clear up situations where you are unsure! One unique part of Google Translate is the photo scan feature. By using your smartphone camera, Google Translate can read a foreign language and translate it directly to another language. This can be highly useful, especially when it comes to ordering in restaurants and reading signs. Google Translate is an app that helps you learn and understand new languages!
Blogger: Kaden, Kansas State University
