My girlfriend is heading to El Salvador for some "alternative" spring break thing this Thursday. She was wondering what her best option was to make calls from abroad back to family and friends. Any suggestions?

Cell phones rates I am sure will be ridiculous. I have heard about some sort of calling cards but do not know how about to get them (she does not know).

3/7/2011 10:59:24 PM

will she have access to a computer/internet?

something like skype is way way way better.

you can purchase calling cards almost anywhere...sam's club, costco, i'm sure they have them at like target/walmart/etc. i've always purchased mine in bulk at like costco. but the last couple of times i've been abroad i've just used the internet to video chat or skype instead of messing with phones.

is she only going for a week? if it is only a week it almost doesn't seem necessary to even bother calling back. but i guess that is just my opinion hah.

[Edited on March 7, 2011 at 11:04 PM. Reason : .]

3/7/2011 11:03:50 PM

if her phone is 'unlocked' then the best option is to buy a prepaid SIM - assuming she'll be in areas with cellular coverage

i travel the world a good bit and always buy a local SIM wherever i go and pop it in my phone

3/8/2011 12:21:50 AM

I would have never pictured you to go for the religious type...

3/8/2011 12:25:13 AM

^^ I second this route. Its generally cheap and you can keep in touch with family back home as well as people that you are traveling/working with.

[Edited on March 8, 2011 at 12:29 AM. Reason : 0]

3/8/2011 12:27:10 AM

if she has WiFi available in EL Salvador, and an iPhone/iPad/iPod touch, then Google Voice account + Talkatone is all she needs

We've been using Talkatone on both of our phones for the last three weeks here in Africa. Works great and calls to the US are all free. Even compared to a prepaid sim card, it's saved us nearly a hundred bucks at this point.

3/8/2011 1:18:41 AM

I came in here to post:

"more like calls from a broad am I right?"

and I was right.

3/8/2011 1:24:04 AM

All I ever used overseas was Skype. Phone calls were always free

3/8/2011 9:36:48 AM

never been to el salvador, but in Peru they had stores where you could place calls for cheap. They used VOIP and cost less than a penny per minute. The call places were usually located on the main streets in town and close to where people could exchange money.

3/8/2011 11:42:27 AM

+1 for Skype.

I have used calling cards, and have had some problems with them. Confirm access numbers and specific rates for where you are going, from someone there, if possible.

I have not used local cell phones, but friends have. In many non-US countries, incoming cell phone calls are free. This allows you to use US outgoing rates if you desire.

3/8/2011 12:46:33 PM

VoIP

3/8/2011 2:44:50 PM

as long as she doesnt use one of those pay phones that you just put yuor credit card in. those are about $40 per min.

3/8/2011 3:25:30 PM

What is an "alternative" spring break?

Please tell me is is some kind of butt fucking orgy or something.

3/8/2011 3:42:36 PM

spring break is a week

just tell her to write down what she wants to say and tell people later. that's the easiest solution.

3/8/2011 3:42:49 PM

^^ My guess is missionary work.

3/8/2011 3:55:15 PM

It's a volunteer trip through CSLEPS.

http://www.ncsu.edu/csleps/service/asb.htm

3/8/2011 3:57:24 PM

I came in here to post:

"more like calls from a broad am I right?"

and I was right.

3/8/2011 4:29:04 PM

You can't go five feet in Latin America without stumbling over a place that sells prepaid calling cards. All she has to do is buy one, go to any phone, and follow the directions on the card and the number it tells her to dial.

3/8/2011 6:04:03 PM

I used Google Voice to make all of my international calls from Australia for free.

3/9/2011 11:17:00 AM

It's one week. Half a week, really. I mean you subtract showers and meals, it's like 3 days."

3/9/2011 1:35:30 PM

i strongly suggest using skype. Cost only pennies per min. Thats what I do when I travel to south america

3/9/2011 3:54:56 PM

When I went to ASB in Belize last year, we had no access to phones, and weren't allowed to use any of the locals' phones. It's only a week, tough it out.

3/9/2011 4:58:21 PM