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Post by gar on Feb 3, 2021 23:05:56 GMT
Both my girls did a couple of similar trips each at that sort of age to Italy, Croatia, Norway and France. It teaches them a lot and is great for them I believe. There will always be a few bad stories but I think the positive experiences far outweigh them and the vast majority of teachers take their responsibilities very seriously. Covid is obviously a different matter and I would need to be very sure of the insurance/cancellation policies. I think the distance and accessibility for someone residing in the UK vs in the US is a contributing factor to those who say “no” or are reluctant. It was for me. Thus why my son traveled to SoCa (1200 miles away) in middle school, but waited to do 2 different UK trips (4500-ish miles away) until high school. Yes I can see that does make a difference.
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Post by workingclassdog on Feb 3, 2021 23:07:48 GMT
Thanks for all the replies... most of them are about the same issues I was thinking of.
I do think it would be great for the sisters to go.. This mom would be jealous.. LOL.. So that will have to be debated and also see if it is allowed (I don't see why not, but you never know).
I think Covid or related stuff is going to be the biggest hurdle so I am sure that will be the number one topic of the evening.
I understand all families and different in letting or not letting kids do things like this.. I totally get that.
I will know more later... but if anyone thinks of anything else or wants to chime in... thanks again peas!!
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Post by workingclassdog on Feb 3, 2021 23:10:07 GMT
Both my girls did a couple of similar trips each at that sort of age to Italy, Croatia, Norway and France. It teaches them a lot and is great for them I believe. There will always be a few bad stories but I think the positive experiences far outweigh them and the vast majority of teachers take their responsibilities very seriously. Covid is obviously a different matter and I would need to be very sure of the insurance/cancellation policies. I think the distance and accessibility for someone residing in the UK vs in the US is a contributing factor to those who say “no” or are reluctant. It was for me. Thus why my son traveled to SoCa (1200 miles away) in middle school, but waited to do 2 different UK trips (4500-ish miles away) until high school. I get that... I do think the trip will be at the end of the 8th grade year and probably in the summer... so pretty close to high school... I do think these trips are a bit much...but I do love the opportunities.. I never had them... My 8th grade day 'trip' was to Hannibal, Missouri, home of Tom Sawyer. No trips in high school.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Feb 3, 2021 23:11:09 GMT
I voted other just because there are so many variables, the biggest of which would be how much it would cost.
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Post by Linda on Feb 3, 2021 23:17:46 GMT
other
-it's too early to commit to 2022 travel (Covid)
-we feel international travel is more of a late-high school activity than middle school
-at 13/14 we would want to chaperone which would make it cost-prohibitive
our older DD went to Europe (Hungary, Austria, Czech Rep., and Germany) the summer before senior year and we felt that was a good time/age to go
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Post by workingclassdog on Feb 3, 2021 23:54:51 GMT
I voted other just because there are so many variables, the biggest of which would be how much it would cost. That could definitely just end this whole thread...
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,684
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Feb 4, 2021 0:39:51 GMT
I’d have to get more information but at first impression my vote would likely be no and it has zero to do with COVID. I would need to know about chaperones, where they are staying and what they are doing.
I went to Germany for 3 weeks in an exchange program at 16. The teacher partnered us up and we each stayed with a different family, went to school during the day and did family stuff in the evening. We also took a short weekend trip to Berlin where we stayed in a hostel. That’s what they told our parents.....
In reality we went to bars/clubs in Berlin, two of my three roommates hooked up with some Swedish guys every night we were there. Back in small town I drank my first alcohol at a German fest and spent the night in a tent with some guy named Jurgend after dancing the polka.....German beer is really really strong (I swear I drank less than 1) and comes with some very thick beer goggles 😳 the only good thing I can say about him is that while he spoke very little English he did understand the word no.
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scrapngranny
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Only slightly senile
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Jun 25, 2014 23:21:30 GMT
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Post by scrapngranny on Feb 4, 2021 0:51:48 GMT
The only way my child would travel to Europe is if I go. If money would be an issue for your family, then no she wouldn’t be going.
As for COVID, that would have to be determined at a much later date. Who knows where we will be with that globally a year from now. If it is still as uncontrolled as it now, travel would be out of the question.
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Post by Basket1lady on Feb 4, 2021 1:31:27 GMT
8th grade? No. It’s too young. Why the need to go to Europe? Why not DC, NYC, LA... somewhere in the States. Enough to make it special without the complications of international travel. That just seems too much for a middle schooler.
If I did decide to let her go, I would want it in writing that I would get 100% of my money back if they cannot travel because of Covid restrictions. Rules here are tighter than ever and are much more strict than in the States. We need not just vaccinations for us, but for everyone else in the world as well. Travel between countries was very common here pre-Covid, similar to travel between states. Especially in the EU where there weren’t any border controls. The only way I knew I’d crossed over into another country was when my phone would ping to alert me that I’d crossed the border.
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Post by freecharlie on Feb 4, 2021 1:36:21 GMT
Usually I would say yes.
This time I would say read their insurance refund policy thoroughly and be sure to get it. Lots of families were screwed last year (I don't know if it got resolved)
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caangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,675
Location: So Cal
Jun 26, 2014 16:42:12 GMT
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Post by caangel on Feb 4, 2021 1:41:57 GMT
Look into what the cancellation agreement is. My friend's daughter was supposed to go to NYC on a school trip last spring break. Instead of cancelling the company "postponed" the trip to this year, and still hasn't cancelled. My friend is in a FB group with others nationwide who were doing trips with this company. Many have kids who no longer want to go, some have graduated HS and some just don't want to go anymore, but the cancellation fee is huge since the trip is just "postponed". She said there is a class action lawsuits against the company. So do your research!
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cycworker
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Posts: 4,387
Jun 26, 2014 0:42:38 GMT
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Post by cycworker on Feb 4, 2021 1:55:12 GMT
I would let her go. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Ideally, I'd go with her, or her sister would attend.
I don't think Covid needs to be a factor in your thinking. If it's still serious by then, they'll cancel or postpone & you should get the money back. But I don't believe it will be. There is going to be more & more political pressure & joint political effort to get our lives back. We can't continue on this path. They'll get the vaccines. I don't think we can even afford to have another American Thanksgiving & Christmas season like the past year. We need our lives back.
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Post by huskermom98 on Feb 4, 2021 3:52:51 GMT
In December 2019 we signed our then 14yo freshman up for a trip to Germany/Austria/Switzerland for March 2021. Our biggest debate was should we sign him up now to go as a 15yo or wait two years for him to go as a 17yo senior. We would have preferred to wait but we then remembered that the big band trip would likely be at the same time.
Last September the teacher leading the trip postponed the trip to March 2022. I feel a little better about him going as a 16yo junior. I'm still a little concerned about Covid being an issue, but not enough to have not signed him up for the postponed trip. My concerns are not health related, but concerns about disruptions of planned activities.
We let him go on a school trip to DC as an 8th grader, without hesitation. He had never been on a plane, but it wasn't an issue. He is very mature and a good kid, but I don't think we'd have let him go to Europe at that age. Parents are not "allowed" on either trip because the chaperones are all teachers. I'd love to go on the Germany trip, but the teacher has done the trip many times so I'm not worried about it.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Feb 4, 2021 15:13:17 GMT
Even if Covid wasn't a factor, 8th grade seems a little young to go to Europe without a parent.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Feb 4, 2021 15:22:05 GMT
I would not consider going with out being vaccinated. As much as I LOVE traveling and would want to go with my kid, I think the two sisters would have a blast together and I would try and make it happen for them.
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Post by tuva42 on Feb 4, 2021 15:48:18 GMT
While we could probably afford it, I would not have sent DD as an 8th grader. There are going to be so many other options for her to go in high school and college and it seems just too young for me.
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Post by workingclassdog on Feb 4, 2021 15:59:42 GMT
8th grade? No. It’s too young. Why the need to go to Europe? Why not DC, NYC, LA... somewhere in the States. Enough to make it special without the complications of international travel. That just seems too much for a middle schooler. If I did decide to let her go, I would want it in writing that I would get 100% of my money back if they cannot travel because of Covid restrictions. Rules here are tighter than ever and are much more strict than in the States. We need not just vaccinations for us, but for everyone else in the world as well. Travel between countries was very common here pre-Covid, similar to travel between states. Especially in the EU where there weren’t any border controls. The only way I knew I’d crossed over into another country was when my phone would ping to alert me that I’d crossed the border. Well it's not up to me to decide where they go.. but the tradition for the last few years (except last year no one went anywhere after March) each grade gets their own trip every year. It's not mandatory to go.. Kinder - The zoo, day trip 1st - overnight at the zoo 2nd - can't remember maybe the Aqua Marine place and spend the night under the 'sea' 3rd - ?? 4th - ?? 5th - YMCA in the mountains (Fri/Sat night) 6th - I can't remember the name of this, but it is just a day thing.. the kids go to some place downtown and pretend to run a town.. 7th - Sea Camp in San Diego (4 nights I think) 8th - Washington DC and/or Europe (I think the kids can go on both trips or pick one.. this is newer as my two older ones didn't have this option at all) This year there is only the one option Europe, no DC. Our rule at home is that between 7th and 8th grade for all our kids, you get one trip. International wasn't an option for the two older kids.. so this is new. If it is too expensive, then the discussion is no. If there is no refund, then the answer is no... to risky. The situation on Covid of course. Still in the air about me or sister going. That will depend on price. So there will be lots of variables. AND still need to discuss with DH. He might have other opinions...
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Post by sam9 on Feb 4, 2021 16:18:09 GMT
I don’t really see what distance has to do with it. Sending a kid across the country on his own is much the same as sending him overseas. We allowed our son to go to a baseball camp in the US with his school at 12 years old (he was in a sports program) and I was probably more worried about that than I would be at sending him to Europe. He was staying in a dormitory and with school shootings that did make me nervous. There are more guns in the US than there are in Europe. Accidents can happen anywhere. I think of travel as the best gift you can give a child.
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Post by Basket1lady on Feb 4, 2021 16:29:57 GMT
8th grade? No. It’s too young. Why the need to go to Europe? Why not DC, NYC, LA... somewhere in the States. Enough to make it special without the complications of international travel. That just seems too much for a middle schooler. If I did decide to let her go, I would want it in writing that I would get 100% of my money back if they cannot travel because of Covid restrictions. Rules here are tighter than ever and are much more strict than in the States. We need not just vaccinations for us, but for everyone else in the world as well. Travel between countries was very common here pre-Covid, similar to travel between states. Especially in the EU where there weren’t any border controls. The only way I knew I’d crossed over into another country was when my phone would ping to alert me that I’d crossed the border. Well it's not up to me to decide where they go.. but the tradition for the last few years (except last year no one went anywhere after March) each grade gets their own trip every year. It's not mandatory to go.. Kinder - The zoo, day trip 1st - overnight at the zoo 2nd - can't remember maybe the Aqua Marine place and spend the night under the 'sea' 3rd - ?? 4th - ?? 5th - YMCA in the mountains (Fri/Sat night) 6th - I can't remember the name of this, but it is just a day thing.. the kids go to some place downtown and pretend to run a town.. 7th - Sea Camp in San Diego (4 nights I think) 8th - Washington DC and/or Europe (I think the kids can go on both trips or pick one.. this is newer as my two older ones didn't have this option at all) This year there is only the one option Europe, no DC. Our rule at home is that between 7th and 8th grade for all our kids, you get one trip. International wasn't an option for the two older kids.. so this is new. If it is too expensive, then the discussion is no. If there is no refund, then the answer is no... to risky. The situation on Covid of course. Still in the air about me or sister going. That will depend on price. So there will be lots of variables. AND still need to discuss with DH. He might have other opinions... I get that you don’t have a choice. And most schools have some sort of cultural “field trip” each year. But why such a grand trip? This just seems unnecessary for a 13 or 14 year old. If each trip gets bigger each year, how they top the 8th grade trip? Is the 9th grade trip to visit another continent? What is the senior trip? And I say this knowing that the parents don’t always have a choice in this. But they do have a choice in what to pay for. I believe in travel. I believe in trips to foster independence. Heck, I sent DS to DC in 8th grade when we had previously lived there for 4 years and were moving back that summer. But a trip doesn’t need to be so extravagant to satisfy those roles. workingclassdog, I don’t mean to go on a rant towards you. I sent my own kid to DC and the only thing new that he did on that trip was the Holocaust museum, which he had been too young for before we moved away. But a school trip to Europe just seems too much for a 13 year old.
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Post by christine58 on Feb 4, 2021 16:57:20 GMT
Absolutely not. There’s literally no reason for 13/14 year olds to go to Europe at this point. Plan a family trip. No school in their right mind should even be thinking that this is a possibility. COVID vaccines are not even close to being given to that age.
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Post by cakediva on Feb 4, 2021 17:03:28 GMT
Grade 8? Not happening for our house. High school senior trip sure, but not a 13 year old grade 8 class.
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Belle
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,309
Jun 28, 2014 4:39:12 GMT
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Post by Belle on Feb 4, 2021 17:04:12 GMT
I have found that the price of a big school trip is often in the same ballpark as what it would cost 2 or 3 people to do the same trip. Something to think about....
When my DD was in 7th grade, her art teacher advertised that she was taking a group of kids to Paris over the summer. I know one family signed their DD up because they were from South Africa and they wanted their DD to be able to travel independently from Seattle to South Africa (at some point in the future, not in 7th grade) and they thought doing the Paris trip would help her get the experience she needed to do that.
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Post by Bridget in MD on Feb 4, 2021 18:04:46 GMT
My DD had an opportunity to go to China in 2018. Because it's, well, China, DH wanted her to go but insisted one of us go with her. He also is a picky eater, so it ended up being me. It was through EF, so we made monthly payments. There were a lot of parents on the trip from my daughter's school, but I am glad I went - I wouldn't have an issue organizing a trip for my family in Europe, but China was a whole big ball of wax. Then our group got put with another middle school group once we got to China. I would ask if you will be added to a larger group, because the group we were put with was NOT a good match. The kids were VERY immature and the parents didn't do a great job keeping their middle school students in line. Again, in Europe, it's one thing, but seeing these kids acting up in China was unnerving.
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Feb 4, 2021 18:07:12 GMT
I would want to know what the tone of the trip is with parents traveling. On the one my DD did - through EFTours but hosted by a teacher at her school - only one child didn't have at least one parent with them, and she was "paired" with her best friend and her mom. The teacher was clear at the intro meeting that she really preferred parents traveling with the kids. As a result, the trip was almost more like little family pods traveling together - even in my memories, I group the family units. The teacher did a good job of pulling the kids aside and making sure they got appropriate educational experiences, but my DD would not have been odd man out if I had not gone. Hopefully, your teacher will set that tone clearly as well!
It was nice doing it through a travel agency like that because they booked way in advance, took monthly payments, etc. It was expensive, but the payments over time were a good way to budget and pre-pay.
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quiltz
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,840
Location: CANADA
Jun 29, 2014 16:13:28 GMT
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Post by quiltz on Feb 4, 2021 20:28:47 GMT
I have found that the price of a big school trip is often in the same ballpark as what it would cost 2 or 3 people to do the same trip. Something to think about.... ^^^ That is because the child is also paying in part for the organizer (or teacher/leader) who is going on this trip as well as all of the transportation fees, airport fees, hotel fees, admission fees and usually there are at least breakfast included in these trips. Do you think that this teacher has the money to do this trip many times? No, of course not. There are many "hidden costs" for this type of group travel and usually a type of insurance is also included. My friend has done several overseas trips (coach tours) and she never has to pay much, if anything, BUT she has the headache of making sure everyone is happy, that the roads are clear for the next day (protests in some countries, weather related issues), bus drivers & substitutes are available, hotel details, all kinds of stuff. NOT a holiday for her but yes, she does get to see & do stuff.
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LeaP
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,939
Location: Los Angeles, CA where 405 meets 101
Jun 26, 2014 23:17:22 GMT
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Post by LeaP on Feb 4, 2021 20:49:57 GMT
Maybe. I would wait and see about covid. And I think you should go because 8th grade is young for a long trip like that.
For the record, I am in California and have sent my kids to Canada, France, Costa Rica, and Denmark while in high school. Now one lives in Amsterdam and the other is heading for Dublin. We had mixed results with the high school trips.
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Post by maryland on Feb 4, 2021 20:55:02 GMT
Not a parent, but I would not take a trip that I had to make payments on/go into debt for. Generally school trips are planned out like this to give parents a way to make payments spread over time instead of hitting them up all at once. There are usually fundraisers to help defray costs. My dd did a Disney trip with band and her bill was $800-but we paid for it over a years time so it didn’t quite hurt the bank account as much. She had over $300 in fundraiser money subtracted from her bill. That's what our band does. We know the cost in the summer, and start making payments in Sept. My daughter is on Poms and they are part of the band. We were supposed to go to Disney last year. But it got cancelled, April trip. The kids were so sad! My husband and I planned to drive down and watch her Disney parade, then pick her up at the hotel as they were leaving. Then on to Daytona to watch our daughter compete in NCAA Dance Team Nationals. Also cancelled. And no trip for the band this year. What a disappointment for these kids.
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The Great Carpezio
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Something profound goes here.
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Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Feb 4, 2021 23:37:37 GMT
Right now I would be concerned with Covid still. I was in the beginning stages of planning an EF Tour (I teach high school Mythology and was looking at a trip to Greece). I was considering bringing my own children with me (and DH). They would have been a couple years younger than the other travelers.
I am holding off until next year before I am willing to jump into the planning again.
Two things: I can’t imagine my current 7th grade/13 year old twins wanting to travel to Europe without me (and DH). They have travelled internationally with us, but my hockey playing son doesn’t even want to go to a tournament an hour away without me/us. I am not sure at what time they will want to travel on their own, but I cannot see it until they are at least 10th graders.
Second, I am just going to admit it...but maybe I am a bit selfish. I want to be with my kids when they experience something amazing like this (again, at least until 16+), and “I” am not really sure how I feel about my kids going to places I haven’t been to myself that I want to go to. If funds were not an issue and we could afford to go on a couple large trips a year, I might feel differently, but we average one big trip a year (or longer), so honestly, I am not really willing to sacrifice my own trips/experiences for them. Of course, we could travel more if we left the kids at home....so I do sacrifice so ALL of us can travel.
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