would you allow your 17 year old and friend to travel alone in Vietnam for 2 weeks?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
But why does this matter? Do you have to be 18 to travel? |
Anonymous
|
Do they speak vietnsmese?
Are their contacts adults living there and part of the community? Family? Then yes |
Anonymous
+1000 OP you are asking the wrong crowd. These moms probably still cut their 17 year olds grapes. Absolutely let him go. He sounds mature and capable. There is zero reason to say no. |
Anonymous
It doesn’t matter. At all. |
Anonymous
| You don't need to speak Vietnamese to get around Vietnam, for chrissakes. There is an extensive tourism infrastructure and non-Vietnamese (or even non-Asian) backpackers are everywhere. It's a well-trod destination for young people. |
Anonymous
| AND Vietnam is way safer than the United States. What is everyone here so afraid of? |
Anonymous
Exactly. OP, you know your kid best. |
Anonymous
Jesus lord this is DCUM. Easier to ask what they’re NOT afraid of. |
Anonymous
| Yes - I think this would be a great experience. Since you’re considering it, I assume you’ve encouraged independence and have allowed your son to explore and make mistakes and learn. This would be an extension of that. |
Anonymous
|
No. And my spouse is Viet.
|
Anonymous
|
Absolutely not
He will be an adult soon enough, and if he goes as an adult .... and finances it himself, that's very different. |
Anonymous
|
In general I would say yes to this situation as OP has described it.
That said, my husband and I are extensive travelers and our experience in Vietnam was one of the more challenging. One example: We got into a semi-scary fight with a cab driver who tried to scam us. My husband shouted back and we got out of the cab he had locked - but not sure how two teens would have handled that. I was pretty unnerved. Other things made it hard too - it wasn’t just that. I wouldn’t have the same concerns with Bali, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan, etc… |
Anonymous
+1 this is probably not the right crowd to ask. As a parent you know your kid best and what life experience they have. Are they going to college in the fall? If so than definitely a yes for me. My sister and I travelled to Europe for a few weeks the summer she graduated high school and I graduated college. If going into senior year I would really defer to you as a parent. But generally pps are right that this crowd and frankly most parents these days are farrrr too tightly gripped around their kids independence |
Anonymous
I’ve also traveled a lot and this was not my experience at all in Vietnam. The opposite - some of the nicest people of the many countries I’ve been. |
Anonymous
| Why aren’t they in high school (senior year) or college (freshman year)? |