Also posted on DWF... but it's too funny of a situation:

Arrrrgh!

Sorry - Need to vent.

Just sent my 15 year old daughter off to Europe on a People to People Student Ambassador trip.

She called us from the stop over airport to see if she had left the envelope with her British Pound and Euro currency at home.

Yep. She did.

After she'd told us repeatedly "I KNOW how to pack! I have it!" whenever we'd ask if she had packed this or that. She forgot about $200 in already converted cash to spend on snacks, nik-naks, and (gasp) PAY TOILETS!

I hope she has enough clean underwear! She may need it!

Anyway, if we can find out what hotel they're going to be at, we're considering sending the currency via FedEx. But, then I thought, will she have to pay customs fee on getting cash in a FedEx parcel in a foreign country?

Hmmmmm????

She's at least got a visa card -- but it's the gift card variety, so she cannot use it for cash withdrawals. Our bank wouldn't issue her a regular debit card due to her age, so we went with the gift card.

Venting done. Anyone got any ideas on how to get the cash to her? Remember, she can't use an ATM with her gift card.

And my apologies to Tami and the Brits -- you're stuck with her in your country for about 10 days. I hope she doesn't forget to turn off the water in the loo, and flood all of London.

Bad packer or not, I give it 3 days and I bet Daddy will be missing his little girl...

western union make be a good option to try and should be fairly quick - 24 hours i think?

Does WU do cash to her, or a check that she'd have to go cash?

Since these are all minors (albeit know-it-all teenagers) they have to go EVERYWHERE as a group. No private excursions, and there are 40 kids from Indy and New York in her group.

My wife said that the kid is resourceful, she'll probably try to do odd chores, like wash out t-shirts and such for the other kids to earn some "toilet" money.

My guess is that she'll end up trading - by buying souvenirs with the credit card for cash from the other kids.

Get a loan from Tami. I'm sure her interest rates are reasonable.

I lost my wallet last year in Vegas and Mike Western Unioned me money... and I got it in the form of cash.

Good luck Troy!!!!!!

i think there is an option to pick up cash at a WU location - takes 24 hours to get it there. I'm just trying to find out for sure on the website.

Thanks for checking.

However, it's going to depend on having a Counselor make a side trip with a bunch of kids. There's 40 of them in her group that HAVE to travel together. The age range is from 12 to 17, so they're not allow to wander on their own.

We'll have to see what the Counselors say after they get to London tomorrow.

send me a paypal payment and i will withdraw cash and give it to her. send me a PM and we can discuss my terms heheheheehehehheee


seriously - i'll help if i can.

Haha I want to heat these terms.

But seriously, that's so sweet.

Thanks Tami, I'll PM if I need help. Are you close to London or Oxford?

I've had two other British folks offer to do the same.

But, until she calls home, I won't know where they're staying, or even how long they'll be bunking at that location! I do believe the trip organizers want the parents to stay out of the kid's way, and let them have fun without phone calls to the kids every night!

no problem troy - just let me know - i'm actually going to be in london today for a wedding but after that, not till monday. i'm never near oxford.

she's probably already got it handled anways - i'm sure she has struck a few deals with her classmates!

keep me posted.

Heh heh. I have a 17 year old. I've heard the exact thing for every trip she's done. And yet, she always seems to forget something, usually an item applying to the purpose for the trip.

Glad you have it worked out. She'll be fine, and maybe, just maybe, learn a lesson about listening to Mom & Dad.

Maybe not.

Oh --- from the title -- I thought you meant your daughter was turning democrat.

Niiiiice...

My biggest fear is that she'd marry one!

EEEP!

I'm sure Ryan and Shane are now conjuring up images of Archie Bunker and Meathead!

Update:

They finally posted the schedule... we know where they are!

But they're only in London for another day. Then the great trek begins!