Traveling with ADHD Part 2: Using Digital Tools When Traveling Abroad

When traveling, I used to have a love-hate relationship with my tiny pocket computer (a.k.a. my phone). Now, however, between the advancements in apps and my own learning process, I have learned to love my phone as a magical uncertainty-reducing machine… so long as I prepare for its limitations.

If you don’t feel like a long read, I’ve made a handy-dandy infographic to help you think through what info you want to save and where you might want to keep it. Obviously, every person’s situation is different, but that’s the template I use when traveling. The infographic is at the bottom.

While international plans and additional SIM cards are a whole other topic, here are my top recommendations for using your phone as your travel guide. Most of them are suitable for a no-data situation!

So… let’s start with the good stuff! How can your phone help when you travel internationally?

• Google Translate can translate text in images (like a menu or road sign) and even have a speech-to-speech conversation, just like having a translator with you!
  • This means that even if you’ve put off those Duolingo lessons you meant to do, you can still get by – and maybe even make some friends!
  • Google Translate lets you download many languages without relying on cell service. Download via Wi-Fi before you leave, and you can translate without needing to use data.
• Similarly, you can save essential places on Google Maps and then download the map of the area you’ll be visiting. Thanks to the magic of satellites, you’ll be able to see (roughly) where you are relative to your saved locations. While you can’t search or get directions without a signal, it’s still a far cry from grabbing a paper map and figuring out where you are!
• Handy information to save offline on your phone:
  • Make a note on your phone of currency conversion rates. If you dislike doing math in your head, save a few different amounts to compare to; for example, how many Euros are equivalent to $1, $20, $50, and $100. You can tailor the numbers you choose based on the expenses you’re likely to incur. That way, you can easily estimate prices and avoid post-purchase sticker shock.
  • Save the addresses and phone numbers of all the places you’ll be staying, and if possible, the name and phone number of someone who lives in that country in case you get into a jam.
• If you’ll be jet-lagged when you arrive, preplan your transit from the airport to where you’ll be staying. Personally, my peak un-smart time is the first couple of hours after I step off a transatlantic flight, so I’ve learned that I need to have my directions spelled out and printed out so I can follow the bouncing ball all the way to a cup of coffee and a hot shower!
  • Bonus points not just for finding the directions but for saving them in an offline format!

Before we grab our passports, let’s remember the potential drawbacks of having your travel information in a digital format and some ways around these issues:

• Your phone has to have battery power
  • Be sure to pack an adapter if you’ll need one. You can see what kind of outlet each country uses at the IEC’s website.
  • If you’ll be away from outlets for day trips, consider taking a fully charged power bank and placing your phone in battery-saver mode when you unplug in the morning.
• You may be in an area of poor (or no) reception
  • Download PDFs and take screenshots of important information like tickets and itineraries.
  • Download maps and languages if possible.
  • Most airports have free Wi-Fi and those that don’t usually have a paid option.
  • While internet cafes are becoming a thing of the past, a cafe is still a likely place to find wifi, so even if you can’t get a cell signal, you can connect to the internet to communicate or find answers.
• Technology can be frustrating when it tries to “help.” If you live and die by the calendar (like me), beware of automatic time-zone adjustments on apps like Google Calendar.
  • One method around this is to set the event for the time zone it will happen in (i.e., make sure you don’t just let it default to your current time zone)
  • Another method is to include the time zone in the title (e.g., “Sake tasting at 11 am Local Time in Tokyo” as the event title)
  • Bonus points: do both of them at once, just in case
• Technology can be glitchy!
  • Write down crucial information on paper and keep it in your wallet, just in case.
    • The address and phone number where you’re staying
    • The itinerary of your next departure
    • A local contact’s name and phone number (if possible)

An international trip requires a great deal of planning (with some locations requiring more than others). Yet, often, we want or need to improvise on the fly (pun fully intended). Having all of our must-have information safely stored and access to a map and a translator makes us feel freer and less flustered!

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