People to People Student Ambassadors

[texas*princess]

I'm not trying to belittle the program because it sounds like a lot of fun, but how can it be a "resume builder" if the trip sounds like a vacation in another country (e.g. feeding dolphins, snorkeling, etc).

Is there more to the trip than it being a vacation from Mom & Dad?

It sounds like it is a good way to get recommendation letters from the teacher-leaders, but most people have teachers, pastors, etc that would write those also?

Originally Posted by Fleur de Lis

I went on the Australia/New Zealand trip with People to People the summer before 9th grade. It was an amazing experience! I fundraised every cent, and I think they did a good job of using the money wisely. We went to all kinds of locations, fed dolphins, stayed at a Maori village, snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef - things you just don't do on a normal vacation. I think it's a great opportunity to have a little freedom in a very safe setting and start behaving like an adult. I will say if I could do it again, I may have waited a few years, since at 14 you're still concerned with cliques and boys - even the most mature of us.

I don't believe any credit comes out of the program, but it's a "resume-builder" until she has more experience. Also, recommendations from the leaders and building networking skills with the other students is a helpful tool for the future.

[AGDee]

From some of the kids' blogs I've read who've been on the trips, they also do some sort of service project while there.

[AnchorAlumna]

I know a couple of girls who did it while in high school. ONe did fund-raising by selling custom-made throws...I doubt she raised enough money to cover the cost, but at least she did SOMETHING...the other raised money through a custom-printed cookbook.
The price seemed awfully high to me, especially because they stay with families. But because of that, the trip gives them a lot more interaction with local people. Most of the girls learned a lot from the trip.
And it seemed a lot of girls went...not a lot of boys...

[Fleur de Lis]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I'm not trying to belittle the program because it sounds like a lot of fun, but how can it be a "resume builder" if the trip sounds like a vacation in another country (e.g. feeding dolphins, snorkeling, etc).

Is there more to the trip than it being a vacation from Mom & Dad?

It sounds like it is a good way to get recommendation letters from the teacher-leaders, but most people have teachers, pastors, etc that would write those also?

Haha, this was over a decade ago, so I listed what I remembered! We did stay with families one night, and also met with a lot of local people, ate local cuisine, learned about the governments and economies, etc. The program may have changed as well, so definitely voice these concerns at the meeting! My parents were 100% behind the idea (although 0% behind the finances) and I had a wonderful experience, so that's why I gave my two cents.

[AGDee]

And I do appreciate your feedback! I've priced other escorted European tours and it really doesn't seem any more expensive than those if the price includes airfare. Besides, if I took her on a tour, then I'd have to pay for two people (although I'd love to go to Europe) and take 3 weeks off work (and I have 3 hours of time off in my bank at the moment). The itinerary for her trip says that they stay with a family for 3 days in Salzburg. She will LOVE going there, especially if she gets to see where they filmed some of the Sound of Music.

I'm not worried about her getting into a prep school (can't afford one) or college. She's doing a great job of keeping herself qualified to do whatever she wants to do. My biggest worry is that she might eat a peanut product in a foreign country.

I didn't think her dad would go for the idea of her going abroad for 3 weeks, but he said it sounded like a great opportunity (as long as he didn't have to pay for any of it), so he's on board with the idea. The info meeting is tomorrow so I'll have a better sense then. It will also partially depend on how soon they will need money because I don't know how long it will be before my mother's estate is liquidated. So, we'll see. If she doesn't do this, then she'll be going to Interlochen for their creative writing program instead. That's $3400 for 3 weeks and is only in Michigan. I guess that's why $5000 for a 3 week/17 city European tour sounds reasonably priced to me!

[alum]

Now if my kids were talented enough to get accepted to Interlochen, they would be there in a heartbeat. THAT is an amazing program!

And I know it's irrelevant in your decision-making but Interlochen is a huge EC that definitely impresses the admissions officers.

[AGDee]

I think she will still go to Interlochen another year.. for either clarinet or creative writing. She was accepted last year but I couldn't afford it. I think it is more impressive if she does the high school program and this year, she'd just be intermediate.

[AGDee]

So, we went to the meeting. We drove separately from her friend (who had actually gotten the invite letter) and got there first. Her friend clearly believes the whole "selective invitation" stuff and asked us how we got in without her. I told her that we had registered for the meeting online and Shannon just had to fill out a thing with her address on it when we got there. Shannon sat next to her friend during the presentation and said that her friend kept pointing out that she wouldn't be there if it weren't for her. This same friend (they've been friends since preschool) has quit every activity she starts and asks my daughter for answers on homework all the time, which has been driving my daughter crazy lately. So, now she's questioning whether she would want to travel somewhere like this with this friend. She said "I could totally see her asking me what things were all the time when I'd be trying to listen to a guide to learn about it myself and I wouldn't end up learning anything!"

Anyway... so they want $400 with the application and they want to start interviews in 2 weeks. They schedule the interview after they process the application. I told her that if her dad could put up the initial $400, we could do it, but my mom's estate isn't liquidated yet and I don't know when it will be.. probably not in time for the interviews. Additionally, the interviews are scheduled for 3 Saturdays in row. She has band competitions all 3 Saturdays (including states, if her band makes it, which is questionable.) I told her that my philosophy is that if things are meant to work out, they will, so if she is meant to go this year, then the money would come through in time and we'd figure out a way to schedule an interview around band competitions. I also told her that she could always do one of these trips next year and go to Interlochen this year instead.

So, things are pending 1) Her own decision whether to travel with this friend or not, 2) finances, 3) scheduling an interview and 4) the decision of Interlochen vs. Europe.

She was looking at the application and asked me what she thought she put down for what is special about her. I asked her what she thought and she had a lot of good answers (wanting to make a difference in the world, being thoughtful and her ambition). I told her that she impresses me with how goal directed and self motivated she is and that I don't worry about her that much when it comes to things like drugs and alcohol because she knows.. (and she finished my sentence with) "It would totally screw up my life plan". 13.. and has a life plan. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Thanks for all your testimonials! It did help a lot to "know" some people who've done this program.

[Fleur de Lis]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Shannon sat next to her friend during the presentation and said that her friend kept pointing out that she wouldn't be there if it weren't for her. This same friend (they've been friends since preschool) has quit every activity she starts and asks my daughter for answers on homework all the time, which has been driving my daughter crazy lately.

I wonder if you could write her a "no rec".

Your daughter sounds very mature, and I hope she has a great summer, wherever she ends up!

[AGDee]

At lunch today, her friend brought up again that my daughter wouldn't be able to go if this friend hadn't invited her to the information meeting. My daughter finally got fed up and told her about the dead cat who was invited. Of course, her friend didn't believe her but was referred to Wikipedia for the truth! LOL My daughter is leaning toward P2P for this summer anyway. I told her, if it's meant to be, then the interview schedule will work out, the finances will come through, etc. She's going to go ahead and apply.

[AOII_LB93]

I've had loads of students get the "specially selected" letters. When they ask me about it, I say if they are interested to look into it, but it's no different than the trips that I plan in the end, and with me they travel with someone they know and trust, and their friends who come along as well. Being as I'm a foreign language teacher, I actually plan trips to Europe for my students and I've got 11 going with me this spring. I've got my own rules, and my students need to be B students, no truancies, at least in language level 2, etc...I don't take students I don't know personally, nor those who have not been in my class, or ones from whom I get bad vibes.

It's a great experience, but honestly I think P2P is super expensive for what you get. The trip I am taking my students on is 13 days and only 2200...and they stay with a host family for part of the time in France to practice their language skills and compare/contrast American/French life. My students last year even got to check out a French high school, and with the exception of their stellar cafeteria, and different daily schedule, all came back with a renewed positive feeling about American education (meaning that the teachers aren't mean and don't humiliate them in front of the class like in France).

Maybe see if your daughter's future HS offers anything that might be a little less pricey and more geared towards FL learning? Just an idea.

[AGDee]

Well, she applied and interviewed and got her letters of recommendation in and was accepted. She's very excited. Now we have to apply for her passport ASAP.

[Fleur de Lis]

Congratulations to your daughter!

[srmom]

fleur de lis, my son also did the Australia/New Zealand trip before 9th grade over a decade ago. I wonder if ya'll were there together? THAT would be a small world!!

He also did the pre med honors symposium thing too in the summer between junior and senior year. I don't know how much he got out of it (he is now an econ/engl major) but he had a good time and met some neat kids.

My other kids haven't had the luxury of being a 1st child ha ha!

My poor third son got sent to "math camp" - the Duke summer program - not quite Australia!! He did have fun though.

[CuriousWildcat]

I went on the European Odyssey Tour and it was AMAZING! I learned a LOT of history while I was there and it was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity! I hope everything works out for you and your daughter. Did you speak with the leaders about a possible alternative interview time? I can't remember if they had those or not.

My most memorable times include: repelling down a castle wall in Italy, staying with a family in france, ridding the Metro in Greece to some go carts we saw on our way to Athens, the Parthenon, Venice, getting stuck in the bathroom of a convent in Pompeii, climbing mount Vesuvius.

I really hope your daughter gets to go!
Make sure you tell her if she goes to keep a VERY detailed journal! We had to keep one as an assignment, and so I kind of slacked off on it. Now that I am not right in the moment I regret it because I don't have as clear memories of certain things.