As I recall, Verizon loaned (or rented?) me a phone to use overseas. Call your service provider and see if they will do that. Since you have a pre-paid plan, that may not be an option.

I used a Mobal phone when we went to Germany and France a few years ago.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mobal

I used buy a phone card when I was over there. But realize, pay phones eat up the minutes fast... even if no one answers.

Now a days, I just use email to stay in touch.

Moni

I take a regular cell phone, call the service provider and ask them to turn ON the international capability. When I return home, I call the provider back and turn it off.

Can someone with regular service trade phones with your daughter while she travels?

Listening to Clark Howard on the radio, he has calls about this often. Seems, he said you can buy a SIM card to put in your phone once you get overseas.
Here's what I found on his question and answer forum, the same question was asked by a woman planning a trip to Ireland, but the answer would basically be the same...
"you could take unlocked GSM quad-band or world phones, and buy prepaid SIM on arrival. If you don't have a phone like that, and can't get it, then you could have your current phone unlocked if it is a GSM quad-band phone. Unlock prices range from free to $30 to impossible -- depends on your provider and your phone. Two weeks is not much time to get a phone quick, though. You also need a plug adapter for any phone, camera, or tablet computer you take, like this.

Phone something like this. Very important! Unlocked quad-band or "world phone" GSM only!

On arrival, look for Lyca Mobile prepaid SIMs from the stockists listed on Lycamobile.ie. Calls to other Lyca mobile SIMs in Ireland will be free. http://www.lycamobile.ie/en/nationalrates Calls back to the US would be 3 Euro cents per minute.

So... a $10 phone, probably 5 or 10 Euros for a Lyca SIM start-pack on arrival (includes SIM with an Irish phone number and usually 5 Euros or so of credit), a plug adapter ... and you're set. Oh, and be sure if you get a phone that it includes the cord!

Otherwise... plan to use the skype app on your phones whenever you have wifi. You can extend wifi spots by getting a one-month subscription to Boingo.com"

OK, that's clear as mud...sounds like Skype would be a viable option.

My previous cell phone didn't have international capability so I rented a phone from Verizon. i think the total cost was around $20 - $30. They mailed it to the house and it included a prepaid return envelope.

I used the Mobal phone also. Not expensive and works fine.

Seconding (or thirding) the recommendation for Mobal phone. You buy the phone and set up the service, and you only pay for the actual usage of the phone. We have one we bought a few years ago, and have used it in France, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Trinidad and Costa Rica over those years. Most of the time though it sits in a drawer at home, and during that time the cost of the phone is zero. When we actually use it, the cost of any calls made merely appear on the next months credit card bill, (and i think there might be an itemized call list emailed to us)

Thanks so much for the great responses. Are Mobal phones only available online?

I went with Mobal. What great service! I ordered off the website and had my phone two days later along with a free plug adapter. Thanks again!

Have them show you how to turn OFF the DATA usage if she gets a smart phone, not the same as airplane mode ( airplane means no calls or data). I used face book message to communicate while I was traveling, data turned on for a few mins. Facebook will keep your messages until she opens them. There are other ways but we both had FB already.

My dd bought a different SIM card in Germany and it worked fine. We also used Whatsapp (a free app) on both our phones, which is a way to text for free.