I’m sure this has been discussed here before, but since the search function isn’t happening for me this morning, I’ll go ahead and ask anyway.
My 15 year old daughter has been contacted by the People to People Student Ambassadors program about going on a trip to Ireland, Wales, England, France, Belgium, and Holland next summer. We’ve been to the informational meeting and it all sounds pretty exciting. Heck, I’d like to go myself. But the cost (about $6500all inclusive) seems a bit on the high side for a three week tour in Europe.
So, does anyone here have any first (or second) hand experience with this organization? Was it a worthwhile experience? What sorts of activities did you get to do that you wouldn’t have on a regular group tour that would justify the extra cost? Any other information, pro or con, that you would like to share would be greatly appreciated.
I’m not sure if this is much help, but back in the mid-to-late 90s when I was in school, I was also contacted by them. I had never heard of them before, and went to several of their meetings and info sessions. I think mine was for an Australian trip.
My main impression was that it was overly expensive for what they offered. I stopped attending after a while because of the huge cost and the local people were sort of pushy. It just seemed ridiculous to pay that much.
Plus, if she goes to college, chances are she can do study abroad programs that will be much cheaper, last much longer, and be more geared to personal field of study.
Yes, it’s expensive, but you won’t have to worry about anything.
I have been on a People to People professional trip and it was life-changing. After that experience, I was able to make a return trip under my own steam (and more cheaply) because I had contacts and a sense of how the countries operate. I’d go on another to a different country or region if my schedule and finances permitted it.
I’ve also heard high praise from a fair number of adults who did it as high schoolers.
I don’t have experience with the student ambassador program, but I do with the People to People Sports Ambassador program. My daughter went to Holland 2 years ago to play soccer in the World Friendship Games with them at 13 years old. She toured the canals, a cheese factory, a wooden shoe factory, the Anne Frank house, all in addition to playing sports at an international level. She still stays in touch with some of the friends she made on that trip via email. It was pricey (I’m still paying my mother-in-law back) but the experience she had was worth it.
It’s an expensive vacation for kids, not that that’s a bad thing. I’d love to see more American kids travel overseas. Just don’t fall for the “selected” nonsense. Your kid was no more selected than the ones who are “selected” to appear in the “Who’s Who of American High School Students” or the ones who see the flashing box indicating you have been “selected” to win a free iPod if you only click on this link.
Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but your early teen hasn’t played international sports anymore than I did when I played pond hockey in Canada on vacation when I was 12.
susan, Since you’ve personally been on one of these trips I’d like to ask you how did it change your life? Were you able to do anything on the PTP trip that you couldn’t on the return trip?
In the favorable testimonials I’ve read in my research, people talk about life-changing experiences, personal growth, coming back a different person, etc., and I guess I’m just looking for some specific examples of how this was achieved and how it manifested itself. In other words (and in the spirit of this board) - cite?
My daughter went on a two week P2P trip this summer to England, France, Belgium and Amsterdam. Yes it was expensive. I think it was worth it for her. She is sixteen and I felt that she needed some time away from her parents and time to grow. The trip is fully chaparoned, usually with teachers since they have the summer off. P2P gives the kids access to some things that a “regular” tourist might not be able to see. She met a former member of Parliment in London and got to spend one overnighter on the grounds of Warick Castle. Parents were told that only P2P students had the opportunity to stay overnight there. They went to Oxford, Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral. They took a ferry (more like a cruise ship) overnight across the channel and visited Normandy and saw the vast graveyards of those lost in WWII. Three days in Paris. They had a reserved time to go up the Effel Tower. I cannot remember all the places they went to in and around Paris. Everything was covered. All meals and transportation. All she needed was spending money for a few t-shirts and some small gifts to bring back home. If you feel you can afford it, it would be a great gift for your child.
My mom has chaperoned two People to People trips, one to Western Canada, and one to Australia. It seemed to me, and I have traveled quite a bit, that the experiences available to the P2P students were beyond what someone would do on a simple vacation. There are special accommodations and activities arranged for the students that I as an average traveler would have a hard time arranging for myself.
Also, I know that the recommendation process is not very discriminating, but all students go through a selection process where they are interviewed and I believe have to submit letters of recommendation. The leaders are able to choose which students they want to travel with. So the final group going is a little more selective than the initial group recommended.
Speaking about the worthwhileness of the trip, I know that several students in my mom’s first group came back a second year to travel with P2P again. And these are 5th and 6th graders that my mom travels with. So if parents are willing to shell out that kind of dough for their 5th grader, not just once but at least two years in a row, they must see something of value.
When my little ones are old enough, assuming I had the money, I would love for them to travel with P2P.
Thanks ez2slip and Peggy Larner, that’s the sort of thing I was fishing for. I am kind of surprised at the lack of response to this question, though. I was sure that the kind of people who populate this board would be the same kind of people who would have done this sort of thing in their youth or have friends or family who did. Or not.
My daughter did a P2P trip to France, Spain and Italy back when she was 13. She had to do some research on where she was going and wrote reports on several topics. In addition before the kids left they received instruction in the cultures of the countries they would be visiting.
I remember making a large pan of Paella for the kids to eat at one of their meetings.
My daughter received some type of school credit for the trip (I don’t recall what)
In addition she got to grow in many ways that I don’t think would have happened otherwise. Part of it was the activities, the other was the dynamics of the group itself. She got to leave childhood, and spread her wings so to speak as a young lady.
I know she looks back on that trip fondly, and I considered it at the time (and still do) money well spent.