Suggestions for best way to keep in contact while in Spain??

[paulat585]

I'm going to Spain for a week at the end of November. My host there wants to know how we will keep in contact while I visit. I do not own a smartphone, do have an ipad. Don't want to go to a major expense as it will only be a week. Have checked out Skype, which means I'd have to carry my ipad around, or a SIM card bought there. Any other suggestions? What would be your preferred way of keeping in contact?

[Fraugoofy]

I'm going to Spain for a week at the end of November. My host there wants to know how we will keep in contact while I visit. I do not own a smartphone, do have an ipad. Don't want to go to a major expense as it will only be a week. Have checked out Skype, which means I'd have to carry my ipad around, or a SIM card bought there. Any other suggestions? What would be your preferred way of keeping in contact?You will have to use your IPad if you don't want to purchase a cell phone. You can connect to one of many apps that communicate with others. Skype, Hangout chats, Facebook chat and since you have an Apple product already, FaceTime. Any of these allow you to video chat with others no matter where you are. You will most likely have to put your IPad on airplane mode and use your hotel's Wi-Fi services. If you prefer something more manageable go to Wal-Mart and see about a throw away cell phone that has data. You can accomplish the same thing that way. Or ask one of your grandkids for their old phone. You can connect to your hotel Wi-Fi through your cell phone. Good luck.

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[paulat585]

LOL. I only wish I had grandchildren to help me. Thanks for your advice!

[l2ridehd]

Buy a smart phone. They are cheap now as long as it's not the newest model. Download an app called VIBER. With this app you can call anyone else who has the app when ever you have wi-fi which is available most places in Spain. You can call your friend in Spain as long as he also has the app, anyone in the US with the app, text with all of them, all for FREE.

[Waverunner]

There is VIBER and also WHATSAPP. The foreign exchange students that came to The Villages recently used both, with their own cell phones and tablets as long as WiFi was available. You can text or call as long as the person on the other end also has the app on their device. Both are free!

[CFrance]

You will not have to put your iPad in airplane mode to take advantage of fraugoofy,s suggestions, so you won't have to worry about taking that extra step. I notice you said your host asked you how you would keep in contact. I infer from that that you may not be staying in a hotel or other place that has wifi. If not, you will not be able to use any of the suggestions given here, all of which require wifi, unless you can go to a cafe, etc., that has wifi.

Let us know so other suggestions can be made if you'll have no wifi.

[Carla B]

We did fine in Spain just using Email when we had a WiFi connection.

[paulat585]

You will not have to put your iPad in airplane mode to take advantage of fraugoofy,s suggestions, so you won't have to worry about taking that extra step. I notice you said your host asked you how you would keep in contact. I infer from that that you may not be staying in a hotel or other place that has wifi. If not, you will not be able to use any of the suggestions given here, all of which require wifi, unless you can go to a cafe, etc., that has wifi.

Let us know so other suggestions can be made if you'll have no wifi.

I will be staying in a friend's apartment. She has wifi.

[CFrance]

I will be staying in a friend's apartment. She has wifi.
My favorite way to communicate when overseas is my skype account. I can call others who have skype for free, but I also have money in my skype account that I can use to call anyone without a Skype account, at a few cents per minute from Europe to US, and seven cents per minute to Australia. Again, you must be in wifi. I use a Windows operating system. I don't know if you can put skype on Apple products, but they have FaceTime, which may work the same. Just set up an account and load some $ into it.

Also, there is a skype app for cell phones. Again, not sure if it would work with iPhones.

Have fun in Spain!