International Travel with Allergies
Traveling to places where people don’t speak your language can be a frightening ordeal, and even more unsettling if you suffer from allergies. The fear of having an allergic reaction in a foreign country where you’re not fluent in the local language should not stop you from embarking on international travels.
Use Translation Resources
There are many resources to help you communicate while traveling internationally. A friend of mine
traveling in South America used Google Translate on her phone to help get around. There are several translation apps like Google Translate Speak, TripLingo, iTranslate, and many others. Just “Google”- Translation Apps and you’ll get a ton of available apps for your phone or computer.
How to Handle an Allergic Reaction
But what if you’re not able to speak, as a result of an injury or allergic reaction? Then I suggest an I.C.O.E. Allergy Bracelet with dual languages.
Some of the photos here show English/Italian and English/French. We create a number of bracelets in French for our friends in Canada and France. They also have options to add the US international code with your phone numbers so you can be called from outside the country. If interested, you can use the special instructions section when ordering to provide the foreign languages to be engraved. (I don’t want to sound like a commercial but had to get our pitch in.)
Traveling With Epipen
EpiPen is a brand name medication that is used to subdue an unexpected and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Make it obvious if you carry one and be sure that it’s readily available for use in case of emergency. One final suggestion before you depart, create a card that has your allergy info translated into the languages of the countries you will be traveling. When dining out, show that to your server before ordering so you don’t order any foods that might cause a reaction. Pinterest has some interesting resources as well. There are many more precautions that can be taken, so please do your research before embarking on your travels.
Until Next Time!
About the Author: Michele Redmon is the owner of I.C.O.E. Bracelets. She loves the peace of mind these bracelets provide to parents, grandparents, and children. With customer service a priority, she loves talking to her customers so drop her a line at mailto:mredmon@icoebracelets.com.