Category: Planning to Travel

Emergency preparedness for travel, Planning to Travel, Travel, Travel tips for Paris, Wisdom

12 Ways to Prepare for Emergencies when Traveling

Mona Alvarado Frazier

Although I’ve been blessed to be able to travel to France for a month I have been lacking in adequate preparation. How serendipitous, for me, that the Traveling Latina placed this on her blog the other day. 

In my travels, and through trial and error, I became well acquainted with seven of these 10 items. 


I’m debating on “Emergency Cab Fare.” It’s not about having cab fare but I don’t know about putting 20 Euros in my sock. I rarely wear socks. How about my bra instead?


“Make use of Hotel Safe.” Well, that one’s debatable. I’ve read yes, then no, and back and forth. I use the safe and never had a problem. 

One of the most handy, which I hope I will not need, is designating an “Emergency Meeting Spot.” 


That would have been very helpful at the Louvre a few years ago. My mom slipped by my sister and went her own way. We spent 5 hours there, when we had allotted 3 hours to see the highlights. 


Because she’s over 79, with limited eyesight, and diabetes, we were worried. We had to send security staff to find her 10 minutes to closing. 


When she strolled out she insisted she was not lost, she was enjoying. She has the right attitude, but the rest of us missed getting to the Musee d’ Orsay before it closed.


I’d venture to say that the “Emergency Meeting Spot” should not be a crowded area-leaves out Eiffel and Champs Elysees. How about just meeting back at the apartment or hotel. 


“Information About Your Accounts & Will.” Oh, dang, now I have to tell the kids where the living trust is and my account access numbers. 


I’m sure they’ll read my Will and see what’s in store for them, before I pass on to the last great travel site. 


And, I do not plan to “Purchase Evacuation Insurance” for a remote location because as third World as I have traveled is tent camping. But I do think this is excellent advice. 


My friend and traveling sister is Amada, my writing group leader, award winning childrens book author, and traveler extraordinaire. She has a tip too:

#11: Write down emergency phone numbers, passport/visa number, medications, health insurance providers, and any serious allergies on an index card. Trade with your travel partner.


This info can go on the back of this free card. 


#12: And lastly, from a site I cannot remember, but it’s not my idea to claim, is carry a business card from the hotel where you are staying. If you get turned around, dazed, confused, or just plain tired of walking you can hand the card to a taxi cab driver. He/she can zip you back to your temporary home. 

And don’t forget that you have the equivalent of $20 in your shoe or bra for the trip back. 


Let me know if you have any emergency tips for traveling. The more the better. 

Parenting, Parenting our Parents, Planning to Travel, Quesadilla Generation, The Sandwich Generation, Travel

What’s the Quesadilla Generation?

Mona Alvarado Frazier

Sandwich Generation

If you’re over 50, I’m sure you’ve heard of the phrase “The Sandwich Generation.” The term, TSG, refers to a generation that is simultaneously caring for parents and children. 

And what about the “Club Sandwich Generation?” Carol Abaya, who writes and lectures on the subject of the sandwich generation refers to people, usually in their 50s or 60s, who assist in the care of aging parents, adult children and grandchildren. I’ll pass on the Club Sandwich, thank you.

There is an estimated 8 million Latino baby boomers taking care of both elderly parents and children. Switching between two cultures and two sets of expectations is why I call TSG the quesadilla generation. Like melted cheese, one feels stretched and stuck to both sides of the tortilla. 

But recently I almost burned the quesadilla. I wasn’t watching the comal close enough.
toasty quesadillas

My focus was on my upcoming month long trip. Among the important issues like passport, tickets, transportation, and lodging, I also had to arrange for my live in kids to take care of the house while I’m gone.

Three young adults, ages19-26, (hey, no judgement-bad economy and all that) have to remember to buy groceries, feed three pets, clean up after them and themselves, water the lawn/ plants, go the mailbox, keep the house standing, not maim each other, and get to work and school without any reminders from me. They do know how to cook and do their laundry though.

Back to the quesadilla analogy: I forgot about preparing for my mother’s needs while I’m gone. There, I confessed it. How did I not remember to prepare her for my departure? Maybe because she used to be so independent, buen chingona mi madre, or because I have never left her for a month.

Mom’s diabetes has taken its toll these last five years. She is legally blind and hard of hearing-good reasons for her not to drive anymore. Mom hates not being able to drive. “Getting old is a bitch,” she says. (Yes, she really used that word). “Losing my independence has been the worst thing.”

vintage postcard of Bette Davis
Yes, getting older is no place for wimps. 

I usually fill her pillboxes with over 10 daily medications, take her to the doctor’s, groceries, pay her bills online, and make several telephone calls for her because the telephone voice robot can’t understand her, she can’t hear it or she can’t punch the large keypad on the phone menu fast enough. 

The upside is that after 5 p.m., she’s pretty well taken care of since everyone is out of work or school by then, but prior to that time, it’s a challenge. Mom refuses to have “…some stranger come into my house to take care of me, what if they steal from me. Did I tell you about…”

Although my sister helps with transportation quite a bit, she lives in another city and isn’t always available for my mom’s numerous appointments. With my departure, and school beginning, there will not be anyone to get her to where she needs and wants to go. Staying home for 4 days in a row is 2 days too much for Mom. She’s a pretty lively woman who likes to visit, shop, see movies, and dine out. She asked me to send her postcards, because “…you guys take thousands of pictures and then put them on that thing (digital frame) and I never see them good.”

Mom’s also pretty smart. Yesterday she called me, “I need to prepare for when you leave. Call that you know, that senior place where senior people, who need rides to wherever in those little buses, come pick up seniors.” I ‘googled’ that phrase, lol, no I did not, but I did find such an agency in my county. 

After downloading a 4 page application, I filled it out for her, forged her name (she told me too) and mailed it in. In 2 weeks a person from the Council of Aging will come and interview her, give her a photo ID and get her set up with a bus card that provides door to door service. She wonders if it’ll take her to the casino.

My niece, the Pharm Tech who just graduated, will fill her pill boxes. My sister will take her places when she can. My kids will visit her on their days off and call in between those times. I’m making calls to my cousins to ask them to drop by. With everyone’s help I’m sure Mom won’t miss my assistance, but I know I’ll sure miss her a lot.