Has anyone ever heard of?

[pls5286]

People to People Student Ambassadors? My 12 y/o son has been picked to join them this summer. I am curious about cost and stuff as I am a single disabled mom before I bring it up to him. It would be a once in a lifetime trip and he would get to go to Ireland, Wales, England, France, Belgum and the Netherlands. It is a study program for the summer.

TIA

Patty

 

[golfgal]

They are a glorified travel company that will charge you about $7000 for that trip. Parents are not allowed to go and they have a limited number of 'chaperons'. Not worth the money.

 

[KarenB]

They are a glorified travel company that will charge you about $7000 for that trip. Parents are not allowed to go and they have a limited number of 'chaperons'. Not worth the money.

I agree. My DSs got letters for this every year from the time they entered middle school. We went to one meeting and left after we heard the price and the idea of fund raising for your own child. When DS was a senior, he went to Europe with his German class for a third of the amount and had a blast!!

Karen

 

[golfgal]

I agree. My DSs got letters for this every year from the time they entered middle school. We went to one meeting and left after we heard the price and the idea of fund raising for your own child. When DS was a senior, he went to Europe with his German class for a third of the amount and had a blast!!

Karen

I have always found it interesting that they never tell you the price of the trips unless you sign up for them or go to their meetings.

 

[Piecey]

I agree. My DSs got letters for this every year from the time they entered middle school. We went to one meeting and left after we heard the price and the idea of fund raising for your own child. When DS was a senior, he went to Europe with his German class for a third of the amount and had a blast!!

Karen

I agree. We had a customer at the bank who sent his son on one of these trips and he regreted it.

I did England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands with my college my first semester for a third of what they charge.

And I think I had a better appreciation, as I was older.

 

[KarenB]

I have always found it interesting that they never tell you the price of the trips unless you sign up for them or go to their meetings.

Yeah, and believe me I tried to get an idea. DS went with EFTours-very good experience!

 

[KarenB]

I agree. We had a customer at the bank who sent his son on one of these trips and he regreted it.

I did England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands with my college my first semester for a third of what they charge.

And I think I had a better appreciation, as I was older.

Yes, age does make a big difference in my opinion. Also, I think knowing some of the language makes a big difference in the experience. For example, DS's teacher made the kids speak German in the countries they visited.

 

[java]

My son has been getting invited every year for the past 5 years. I agree- glorified travel company-although we do know some kids that have done the program and loved it.

Now that he is in high school if he were to get it I might consider it. I was able to go to Europe twice in High school. I would love to let my son have that opportunity. But yes it's expensive for what it is I think.

 

[Swimnoid]

I know several people who have taken these tours. As a previous poster said....glorified travel company and very expensive. DD got these letters too. They start sending them when they are around 11 and make the letter sound like your child has been chosen for these great qualities they posess. But EVERY 11 year old who belongs to certain organizations gets one. LOL My DD was involved in swimming and they set up swim meets and things along with the trip. The kids I know who participated had a good time and it was a valuable experience but WAAAAAAY overpriced.

 

[DizneeMommy]

A young lady from our church went on a People to People trip last summer and absolutely LOVED it. It was the trip of a lifetime for her, and both she and her parents were well pleased with how the trip was planned and chaperoned.

 

[Nancyg56]

My DD went with People to People wen she was in high school. I agree that the trip was expensive but she got an experience that she has always appreciated. I did not regret the money I spent nor was I sorry that she went.

 

[golfgal]

A young lady from our church went on a People to People trip last summer and absolutely LOVED it. It was the trip of a lifetime for her, and both she and her parents were well pleased with how the trip was planned and chaperoned.

It's not that they aren't good trips they are just triple what they should cost and NOT all of them are well chaperoned. I know of several that have not been good at all. DD starting getting invites when she was 9-like I was going to let my 9 year old go to Belgium for 2 weeks without a parent along. She gets them every year for soccer. The funny thing is she isn't really very good at soccer at all but you would think she was on the US Olympic team from what the letter said.

You are paying for the travel company fees and they really aren't once in a lifetime trips. You could send a child on 3 of these trips for what they charge. There are opportunities to take these types of trips in high school and in college that are better trips and MUCH less expensive.

 

[Maggimus]

I went on two trips and had the some of the best memories of my life. I definitely dont regret it! SO glad my parents let me go.

 

[KATHINOWA]

My 10 year old DS got a letter yesterday. He could spend the summer in Australia. He was a little miffed that we're not letting him go.

 

[DizneeMommy]

It's not that they aren't good trips they are just triple what they should cost and NOT all of them are well chaperoned. I know of several that have not been good at all. DD starting getting invites when she was 9-like I was going to let my 9 year old go to Belgium for 2 weeks without a parent along. She gets them every year for soccer. The funny thing is she isn't really very good at soccer at all but you would think she was on the US Olympic team from what the letter said.

You are paying for the travel company fees and they really aren't once in a lifetime trips. You could send a child on 3 of these trips for what they charge. There are opportunities to take these types of trips in high school and in college that are better trips and MUCH less expensive.

I agree that there might be some more inexpensive trips out there, but for this 16 year old, this WAS the trip of a lifetime. She had experiences that couldn't be replicated by an ordinary travel company. (Ex.--meeting a member of the royal family in Buckingham Palace, watching Parliament while it was in session, staying in a Medieval "camp" in Scotland beside a castle, staying with an Irish family on a farm for several days, and many more) Her family really did their homework before committing to the trip, and had a friend of theirs that's a travel agent run the numbers. She told them to go ahead, that the trip was actually a pretty good deal. (No, I have no idea how much it cost.) Also, I didn't claim that all of them were well chaperoned. . .but that HER trip was. Her parents had frequent contact with their daughter, and she said she felt completely safe the entire trip. They attended numerous planning meetings before the trip and felt like they knew the chaperones fairly well beforehand.

OP, if you're interested in the trip, contact someone who has participated. You never know, it might be a wonderful experience!

 

[Pumbaa_]

do a google search

here is one article found that would raise a huge red flag for me

 

[KarenB]

If you are considering this, please do a lot of research (for any trip you send your child on for that matter)

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

do a google search

here is one article found that would raise a huge red flag for me

His mother posted on this board a couple months back, second to bottom:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1951158&page=3

DD gets the invites all the time, they go in the trash.

 

[denisenh]

the story on the young man who died was what google brought up for me when i was looking into this program several months ago. that was the end of it for me. it made me very uncomfortabe.

i am not overprotective. both my younger dd's have taken trips with school, one out of the country, but i knew the chaparones/teachers fairly well and that is the big difference.

 

[Camicar]

You're going to hear from folks that thought it was great and folks that think it's a glorified spring break trip that costs a LOT of money. Having done the research, I fall into the latter camp.