Solo Travel: 7 Tips On How to Convince your Parents

Solo travelling is one of my favourite things to do and I think everyone should try solo travelling even if it's just once, it's a great opportunity to get to know ourselves better. I was one of those people that was intimidate by the idea of travelling alone and never thought that I would do it since it was out of my comfort zone, until I was out in a situation where I had to do it. I met amazing people while travelling solo and had the best experiences and the memories are great. This is a great opportunity to see the world and have a good time and meet new people from different countries, you can do what you want whenever you want, you have full freedom which in my opinion is one of the best things.
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1. Be Prepared and Do Your Research
You need to know nearly everything about your first solo trip if you want to convince your parents. Where are you going? Is it safe? Where are you staying? How are you getting there from the airport? How are you going to move around that city/country? All the questions that you think they will ask you need to know the answers to. You need to plan your trip properly and know everything before going to talk to your parents. Make sure to do a proper research and be prepared. So, anticipate any question your parents will ask and prepare a good answer, a well thought-out and detailed answer. This is the best opportunity to show them that you are prepared and invested in this.
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2. Figure Out Your Finances
You need to be ready for the "How are you going to pay for this?" questions that your parents will most probably ask. You can't just say that you'll volunteer or apply for a scholarship or even that you'll pay from your savings. You need to be more prepared, so prepare a spreadsheet if you want to, but have some receipts and prove to them that you will be able to do so. It of course depends on your destination and how long you are staying, so you need to be well prepared. It is also great fro your first solo trip to choose a country where your currency will take you further and that is cheap as well, but of course make sure it is safe and suitable for solo travellers. Point is, have a clear financial plan that will reassure your parents and that will also show them how responsible you are.
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3. Show Them You’re Responsible
Now this depends on your relationship with your parents, mine knew how responsible I am and that I am not reckless so they know they can easily trust me. Building trust is key here, you can do small things like help around the house if you live with them, or if you live alone then keep a consistent contact with them, I talked to my mum everyday when I was travelling and most times it's once in the morning and once before going to bed. Your parents need to see how independent you are and that they can trust you when travelling solo.
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4. Find the Right Time to Plead Your Case
You need to really think about when you will be talking to your parents, you need to choose when they are both in a good mood. So maybe after dinner, or sometime during the weekend. Also, it is key to let them know that you are planning to speak to them about something so that they are prepared and know that you want to talk about something, don't just walk up to them and just say it straight away. Be prepared and stay CALM!
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5. Have a Good Reason “Why”
They will ask you "Why?" So you need to have a response to that and one that is convincing. Are travelling to study for example, or do you want to improve or practice a language, maybe it's an experience such as an internship. You need to have a valid and convincing reason. Make sure to emphasise of the importance as well and get them to understand where you are coming from.
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6. Involve Them in the Planning Process
Collaboration is key! Get your parents involved and show them that you value their input because it is actually valuable, and this will be great if your parents have an experience travelling abroad as well. Be open to communication and listen to them and learn. Also, show excitement and don't forget to remind them why this is important for you.
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7. Set Your Parents Up with Some Way to Keep in Contact with You
Having a way to contact you is important! They need to know you are safe at all times and have a way to reach you easily. Luckily, there are a number of free apps that you can use to contact them as long as you are somewhere where there is WiFi such as FaceTime, iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook and many more, it does depend of course on how tech savvy your parents are. I also turned on my location in the "Find My" App so they always know where I am and I always had an internet connection so that wasn't an issue.
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You can get a sim card when you reach the airport or an international sim card from Drimsim which is the first universal SIM card and free app for travelers. Drimsim is a real SIM card. It’s a plastic card with a chip, just like any other, which you can insert into your phone, tablet, or router. The difference is that it is not tied to an operator. Once your plane lands in a new country, Drimsim is immediately ready to work. Drimsim operates in 229 countries, provides stable communication, a fast Internet connection, and prices similar to those of local operators. You can call your friends and they can call you. You can chat, post photos, and make routes without being afraid of spending all your money on roaming. Drimsim negotiates directly with the operators. Therefore, Drimsim is cheaper than roaming and SIM cards from other providers. Drimsim has an app to help you keep track of your expenses. The balance can be refilled manually or via auto-payment. Money is written off in seconds and megabytes, but not for packages or subscribers. You can also a virtual eSim, which is stored in the phone memory so you don't have to pay money for shipping and wait for it to arrive.
