Teen to The Gambia with friend?

[Anonymous]

No I would not. They would not exercise the appropriate level of care or supervision. Not because they are bad parents or bad people but due to differing cultural expectations. Get to know the parents. Talk to the parents extensively about what it is like when they visit, what they do, who they see, how things are. You will figure out what I mean pretty quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This board never ceases to amaze me. In a thread above, a woman's asking if it's okay to let her 15-year-old ride the Metro downtown. People are encouraging, she'll do great! Will pee her pants a bit but it will be a life-changing experience! Living dangerously is so worth it!

On this thread, people are seriously debating sending a 15-year-old to Africa with a bunch of strangers in the middle of the pandemic.
I just can't.

OP said the trip is NEXT June.

[Anonymous]

of course. it sounds like an amazing experience.

[Anonymous]

I can’t believe how parochial the answers are here. The friend’s parents are almost certainly cosmopolitan types - World Bank, foreign service, etc. They likely have very protected lives in The Gambia, tons of relatives, connections, etc. They are not going to let their teenage girls become sex trafficking victims, lol. This is an amazing opportunity for OP to experience an African country as the guest of a likely well-connected family. An irreplaceable opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe how parochial the answers are here. The friend’s parents are almost certainly cosmopolitan types - World Bank, foreign service, etc. They likely have very protected lives in The Gambia, tons of relatives, connections, etc. They are not going to let their teenage girls become sex trafficking victims, lol. This is an amazing opportunity for OP to experience an African country as the guest of a likely well-connected family. An irreplaceable opportunity.

Or just poor immigrants from the gambia themselves going back to visit the village

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe how parochial the answers are here. The friend’s parents are almost certainly cosmopolitan types - World Bank, foreign service, etc. They likely have very protected lives in The Gambia, tons of relatives, connections, etc. They are not going to let their teenage girls become sex trafficking victims, lol. This is an amazing opportunity for OP to experience an African country as the guest of a likely well-connected family. An irreplaceable opportunity.

Or just poor immigrants from the gambia themselves going back to visit the village

[Anonymous]

From what I heard, rich people have it great in countries like that! I am pretty sure the friend’s parents are well off and your DD will bathe in luxury. I would try to talk to someone who knows Gambia and gauge what kind of experience it would be. Your teen might just have the best time of her life there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe how parochial the answers are here. The friend’s parents are almost certainly cosmopolitan types - World Bank, foreign service, etc. They likely have very protected lives in The Gambia, tons of relatives, connections, etc. They are not going to let their teenage girls become sex trafficking victims, lol. This is an amazing opportunity for OP to experience an African country as the guest of a likely well-connected family. An irreplaceable opportunity.

Or just poor immigrants from the gambia themselves going back to visit the village

yes because poor immigrants have thousands of dollars every year take their whole family + friends home … but even if they were, it’s still a family trip, embedded in relatives and local culture. I honestly would feel better about my kid going to the Gambia with a Gambian family, then I would about “beach week” or Spring Break in the carribean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe how parochial the answers are here. The friend’s parents are almost certainly cosmopolitan types - World Bank, foreign service, etc. They likely have very protected lives in The Gambia, tons of relatives, connections, etc. They are not going to let their teenage girls become sex trafficking victims, lol. This is an amazing opportunity for OP to experience an African country as the guest of a likely well-connected family. An irreplaceable opportunity.

there are a lot of poor African immigrants in this area. I'd be willing to bet that there are more poor or lower class Gambians in the DC metro area than there are World bank or embassy workers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No I would not. They would not exercise the appropriate level of care or supervision. Not because they are bad parents or bad people but due to differing cultural expectations. Get to know the parents. Talk to the parents extensively about what it is like when they visit, what they do, who they see, how things are. You will figure out what I mean pretty quickly.

Middle to upper class West Africans over supervise girls in my experience. I’m sure these are people who live an affluent lifestyle in The Gambia. They will have drivers and security for the house, if not bodyguards.

[Anonymous]

Why is it called The Gambia and not Gambia? Puzzled

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe how parochial the answers are here. The friend’s parents are almost certainly cosmopolitan types - World Bank, foreign service, etc. They likely have very protected lives in The Gambia, tons of relatives, connections, etc. They are not going to let their teenage girls become sex trafficking victims, lol. This is an amazing opportunity for OP to experience an African country as the guest of a likely well-connected family. An irreplaceable opportunity.

there are a lot of poor African immigrants in this area. I'd be willing to bet that there are more poor or lower class Gambians in the DC metro area than there are World bank or embassy workers

Poor African immigrants are not bring their kids’ friends home with them.

[Anonymous]

I think people are just freaked out because AFRICA! Africa is scary! when the travel advisory from DOS is level 1 (exercise normal precautions) for The Gambia at this time. It’s level 3 (reconsider travel) in Australia, Greece, France, etc.

If it’s Covid safe at the time of travel, then I really see no reason not to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe how parochial the answers are here. The friend’s parents are almost certainly cosmopolitan types - World Bank, foreign service, etc. They likely have very protected lives in The Gambia, tons of relatives, connections, etc. They are not going to let their teenage girls become sex trafficking victims, lol. This is an amazing opportunity for OP to experience an African country as the guest of a likely well-connected family. An irreplaceable opportunity.

there are a lot of poor African immigrants in this area. I'd be willing to bet that there are more poor or lower class Gambians in the DC metro area than there are World bank or embassy workers

African immigrants in the US are almost always people who would be middle or high income back home. They are only poor here because 1) they face more racism than Asian immigrants and/or 2) they do not have papers to work at all or in their field as a doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc. DH has befriended many of our Ethiopian neighbors who are fellow engineers and the majority of them are working as drivers although they have degrees in engineering fields needed here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I would not send a minor child overseas with nonrelatives.

Interesting perspective given that international middle school trips are fairly standard in my neck of the woods - China, Costa Rica and France are the standard destinations. No parents; just teachers.

Yeah, my parents didn’t go for it and neither will we.

That is really sad. I’ve sent my kids on these trips and chaperoned them as a teacher specifically because my parents didn’t let me go on a free trip to Spain at age 12.