Anyone who has traveled to other countries will tell you that the experience causes a permanent shift in how one sees the world. It is one thing to read about other countries. But quite another to open all of your senses to a completely different place. Those who walked out of an airport to be blasted in the face with the heat of a Hong Kong summer or assaulted on the street by the smell of the food served by street vendors in the night market know what we mean. When we see how others work and live it changes us. When we see the love a foreign mother shows her child it reminds us of our own humanity. For those of us lucky enough to travel, there are few things more satisfying than sharing these experiences with our children. 
Teenagers are a complex creature. Some are moody. Many don’t seem to like anyone or anything. Some want to experience new things but don’t want to be seen with their parents. Others are too nervous to spread their wings. And a few are easy going and happy to do whatever they are asked to do.
Trips are expensive. Most of us like to make a plan to see as much as we can when getting to a new city. If we don’t get to do all the activities we plan, it can be easy to feel like we are not getting our money’s worth from travel. It’s important to remember that teenagers don’t think this way. Our advice is to stay flexible. When you get to your destination your teenagers may want to do something that seems boring. Their idea of fun might not fit in with the itinerary. Resist the urge to be dismissive. Running around a fountain or kicking a ball with the local children may have far more of a lasting effect on your child’s worldview than the extra hour spent seeing every piece of art in the museum. With a supplemental ECARD prepaid card and our Smart Wallet technology, your Teenagers can enjoy some freedom and you can control and see exactly how they spend.