Teen to The Gambia with friend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hell yes, OP. I'm never going to The Gambia...I'm never going to Western Africa at all (and I have friends there who have a pool!), so the only way for my kids to see it any time in the near future is to have an opportunity like the one presented to your daughter. My vote is an emphatic yes, which probably should be worth two votes when you think about it.

What a strange post... a pool? 🤔

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

There is an incredibly serious issue with these travel advisories, in case you didn't know. State Department makes dangerous countries appear safer than they are, and safe countries appear more dangerous than they are. Take with a HUGE grain of salt, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

There is an incredibly serious issue with these travel advisories, in case you didn't know. State Department makes dangerous countries appear safer than they are, and safe countries appear more dangerous than they are. Take with a HUGE grain of salt, please.

...Not accurate according to Covid? Or some other factor?

And according to whom/which sources they're not accurate? Not trying to argue, just curious.

- DOS employee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

There is an incredibly serious issue with these travel advisories, in case you didn't know. State Department makes dangerous countries appear safer than they are, and safe countries appear more dangerous than they are. Take with a HUGE grain of salt, please.

thanks for this. i always wondered about my home country, the advisory makes it sound unsafe but in reality it's very safe. i was always puzzled by the description (focusing on the soccer fans which i never encountered).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you people know any poor immigrants?
I guess poor is a relative term but we have many immigrants from Africa, Asia and India who travel home every year or so. They are certainly not wealthy. Family is simply important to them

West African immigrant here.

I would bet that most West African immigrants here come from upper middle class/wealthy/well connected backgrounds back home (perhaps with the exception of refugees-I am not sure who pays their visa fees/plane tickets?). Immigrating to the US is no joke. You have to have money/ lots of connections back home to afford it.

Example: A relative of mine has to spend $1500 just for visa/medical fees/green card fees for 1 adult and 2 children to obtain an immigrant visa. That amount of money is over 2 months salary for University professor back home. We are not even talking about flights (atleast 3000-4500 for 3 of them) and some money to spend here until the relative can get a job. The average person back home cannot afford these expenses.

These people are poor here, but they have upper middle class/wealthy/well connected families back home. They might be "dollar" poor but they are usually not going home to live in poor areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

There is an incredibly serious issue with these travel advisories, in case you didn't know. State Department makes dangerous countries appear safer than they are, and safe countries appear more dangerous than they are. Take with a HUGE grain of salt, please.

...Not accurate according to Covid? Or some other factor?

And according to whom/which sources they're not accurate? Not trying to argue, just curious.

- DOS employee

I didn't write the post, but for example:
United Kingdom (per capita income $43,000) is a Level 4 Do Not Travel Advisory due to high levels of COVID cases.
The Gambia (per capita income $2300) is a Level 1 country because of the level of recorded COVID cases.
I have lived in multiple countries and let my kids do things many parents do not allow, but in this case, I'd be a bit wary (and not for the reasons other posters mentioned like sex trafficking and "offending other people."). The reason I would be wary is that god forbid anything happens to your daughter, with COVID, medevac isn't available in many countries due to COVID border restrictions.

[Anonymous]

Op I've been to several countries in Africa, including traveling all over Kenya where I went as a young teen without my parents. Also South Africa, Cape Town and Durban.

I would not under any circumstances send my child to Gambia nor would I venture there as an adult, with or without the fortunes of kings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: The reason I would be wary is that god forbid anything happens to your daughter, with COVID, medevac isn't available in many countries due to COVID border restrictions.

How do you know medevac isn't available there? Also OP's DD is vaccinated (I assume) so the chances of a Covid-related issue are low.

[Anonymous]

Depends on how much you trust the parents/how much their parenting philosophy is like yours. I've taken my teens to West Africa (but not Gambia per se) and found it safe and fine (biggest problem is stomach issues from the water). I would keep a close rein on them, though-- US kids stick out and are targets anywhere they look like tourists. I wouldn't let them wander free around the city. But as long as parents assured me they would be chaperoning closely, I wouldn't say it was any different from a friend's parent taking them to Italy or Germany.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely go. The Gambia - with people who know the country - is a great opportunity. Good for her. My son has travelled to other countries with his friends and had a great time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely go. The Gambia - with people who know the country - is a great opportunity. Good for her. My son has travelled to other countries with his friends and had a great time.

Canada?
France?

not comparable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you people know any poor immigrants?
I guess poor is a relative term but we have many immigrants from Africa, Asia and India who travel home every year or so. They are certainly not wealthy. Family is simply important to them

West African immigrant here.

I would bet that most West African immigrants here come from upper middle class/wealthy/well connected backgrounds back home (perhaps with the exception of refugees-I am not sure who pays their visa fees/plane tickets?). Immigrating to the US is no joke. You have to have money/ lots of connections back home to afford it.

Example: A relative of mine has to spend $1500 just for visa/medical fees/green card fees for 1 adult and 2 children to obtain an immigrant visa. That amount of money is over 2 months salary for University professor back home. We are not even talking about flights (atleast 3000-4500 for 3 of them) and some money to spend here until the relative can get a job. The average person back home cannot afford these expenses.

These people are poor here, but they have upper middle class/wealthy/well connected families back home. They might be "dollar" poor but they are usually not going home to live in poor areas.

This.

My friend from Nigeria is only middle class here, but so wealthy back home. Much much nicer than anywhere I’ve lived in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on how much you trust the parents/how much their parenting philosophy is like yours. I've taken my teens to West Africa (but not Gambia per se) and found it safe and fine (biggest problem is stomach issues from the water). I would keep a close rein on them, though-- US kids stick out and are targets anywhere they look like tourists. I wouldn't let them wander free around the city. But as long as parents assured me they would be chaperoning closely, I wouldn't say it was any different from a friend's parent taking them to Italy or Germany.

Doubtful that middle to upper class Gambians are allowing their own teens to wander free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

No, I’ve gone where I want to as an adult and it’s been lovely.

Also, the school trip was never free—it required coming up with a few thousand bucks.

The bottom line is that there are no circumstances under which I would send a minor child over the US border without a parent. Different strokes for different folks.

[Anonymous]

Take some of ours with you.