CHOLET EXCHANGE UPDATE – May 1, 2017
(44 days!!!)
Bonjour à tous! This is especially for parents. But students should also read it.
The purpose of this update is to mention three things you may to take care of soon.
1. Exchanging currency Though it’s not 100% necessary, it’s good to acquire some French Euros before we leave for France. I would not ever recommend having large quantities of cash handy (more on that below). For that reason, exchanging $50 or $100 would be sufficient. To do this, check with your own bank to see if they offer this service. If they do, they will most likely need a few business days to get the bills. In 2015 I exchanged $100 through my bank (PNC) about two weeks before we left. I had my euros within a few days. In 2013 I didn’t exchange any in advance. I used an ATM at the Cleveland airport. It was convenient, but there was more of a fee.
2. ATM access As I mentioned above, having large quantities of cash can be risky. If it is lost or stolen, it is gone forever. ATM’s are all over France and very easy to use. Yes, there will be a fee. But if the ATM card is ever lost or stolen, you will not lose the money in your account. If your student does not have access to an ATM card, you do have some fairly simple options. One is to temporarily allow him or her access to your account. But an even better idea is to establish a debit card account specifically for this trip. If you are a member of AAA, they do offer this. I used to get Traveler’s Checks through AAA. They stopped issuing Traveler’s Checks and switched to this debit account. I will use this for the tips – keeping a separate account with just that money. If the student's funds run low, the parents can "re-charge" by adding more money, if they choose. (Of course, you'll want to explain to your students their financial limits in advance.) If you are not a AAA member and do not intend to join, talk to your bank to find a solution. I know some of you have already done this.
3. Alert your bank Banks are very good at keeping an eye out for you. If they notice unusual activity from your account (like, financial transactions happening in Europe), they may freeze your account for your own safety. But if you really are in Europe, a frozen account is a major problem. Let your bank know that your student is traveling to France. Doing so should prevent that problem from happening.
That’s all for today! Au revoir!
Monsieur
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