Anonymous wrote:14:32 here (not OP but my son is also interested in this type of travel)

I've seen a few posters recommend EF tours, but when I poke around their site, it seems geared towards already established groups, looking for a tour? My son is just an individual looking to travel, not part of a group. Am I just looking at the wrong parts of the website? Does EF offer options for individual teens?

I know OP specified Europe for her son, but my son is open to all overseas destinations, including Africa, Asia, South America...

If you are looking for Asia, look at Broadreach and Where there would be dragons.

14:32 here (not OP but my son is also interested in this type of travel)

I've seen a few posters recommend EF tours, but when I poke around their site, it seems geared towards already established groups, looking for a tour? My son is just an individual looking to travel, not part of a group. Am I just looking at the wrong parts of the website? Does EF offer options for individual teens?

I know OP specified Europe for her son, but my son is open to all overseas destinations, including Africa, Asia, South America...

Dd did people to people twice at 13 and 15 (she's 23 now). The programs were great, and provided great activities. The experience can depend a bit on the chaperones, her first set were great- a good balance between friendly and authoritative. I remember her saying that the second set seemed much more in it for the "free trip" as it were. To me it seemed like a great way to get a safe, all inclusive trip, with a better focus on cultural education than a family vacation probably would have been able to offer.

Granted, this was looooooong ago, but I went to France with EF twice--one with my high school French club over spring break, and for a month in college when I was looking for a month-long language program but didn't need it want to pay for academic credit (they had a school in Nice and I stayed with a woman in her 60s and a girl from England). No issues.

I also went with People to People to the USSR in 1990 and no issues, of course at that time we had a government guide/translator and stayed in government run hotels. But no issues--we were shown quite a variety of places and cultural experiences, including socializing with soviet teens.

My DCs had good luck with both Visions and Globalworks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, I use to get invitations from People to People Ambassador program. They start recruiting early in the Fall, so you may want to go to their website now and request information.

People to People is not at all reputable. It is a waste of money.

I agree it's a waste of money if you are looking for something that is an honor or has merit-based eligibility, but if what you are looking for is just an overseas trip for your teen and you don't need it to end up on a resume it is sufficiently well-established that it might be worth considering in this capacity.

If you mean that they have two pending lawsuits against them for wrongful death, then ok I Guess they are well established. There are much better programs out there that are well run and don't have pending litigation against them.

Anonymous wrote:I started poking around on line, and all the kids in the photos were girls.

I think my DS would see this as a bonus.

I started poking around on line, and all the kids in the photos were girls.

Anonymous wrote:I am interested in reading responses to this too. OP how old is your son? I've wanted my son to do something similar. Unfortunately we had some unemployment issues this past spring so we couldn't get it together for this summer, but hoping for next summer. My son is 14 and will be a high school freshman this fall.

OP here. My son is exacty the same age. He will be 15 in early fall, however.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, I use to get invitations from People to People Ambassador program. They start recruiting early in the Fall, so you may want to go to their website now and request information.

People to People is not at all reputable. It is a waste of money.

I agree it's a waste of money if you are looking for something that is an honor or has merit-based eligibility, but if what you are looking for is just an overseas trip for your teen and you don't need it to end up on a resume it is sufficiently well-established that it might be worth considering in this capacity.

Anonymous wrote:Also, I use to get invitations from People to People Ambassador program. They start recruiting early in the Fall, so you may want to go to their website now and request information.

People to People is not at all reputable. It is a waste of money.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/eisenhower-student-program-invitations-questioned/

http://www.tylerhill.org/

http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/children-and-youth/people-to-people-international-in-kansas-city-mo-1432


Look at West Coast Connection and Travel for Teens. BBYO Passport is another good group. You do nto have to be jewish to go on their trips.

For more rustic, look at Bold Earth

Also, I use to get invitations from People to People Ambassador program. They start recruiting early in the Fall, so you may want to go to their website now and request information.

Look at EF Educational Tours.

I am interested in reading responses to this too. OP how old is your son? I've wanted my son to do something similar. Unfortunately we had some unemployment issues this past spring so we couldn't get it together for this summer, but hoping for next summer. My son is 14 and will be a high school freshman this fall.

DS would like to go overseas next summer but he doesn't want an exchange/family stay program.

Can anyone recommend a program for high school students? Maybe sponsored by local schools? I'm not sure where to start if we aren't going to do an exchange type thing like AFS or YFU.