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.

Lots of parents aren't comfortable with those school trips, but either way that's not the same thing as traveling with a singlular family of non relatives.

No

If we knew the family very very very well, I'd consider it baring issues with COVID.

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.

Probably a different set of respondees on the thread you’re mentioning. You’re talking to the people who actually have heard of The Gambia. That’s a pretty small minority of Americans and likely a well traveled bunch that doesn’t scare as easily

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.

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.

Foreign travel for a school trip with just teachers is a no go for me. I know how things went on one of my trips in high school with Teachers as chaperones, I ended up keeping an eye on my math teacher who got so drunk he was vomiting one night. So yeah, no. The other the Teachers were far better but I still had classmates who went out and got drunk. They were 18 so the bars would serve them. The students got in trouble, they missed the Prom, but there was still a huge risk there. I remember coming back from those trips having really enjoyed them but also knowing that the chaperones were not particularly professional, at least for the one trip. I was a rule follower and my parents made it damn clear what type of trouble I would be in if I was found to be drinking or leaving the group or anything along those lines but the chaperones really had no ability to control the situation.

I would not allow my child to travel to Gambia without a parent. It is very different then traveling to Europe or another first world country. I am not 100% sold that travel to Europe or another first world country with a non-parent is something I would be fully comfortable with.

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.

Proximity. We let our 15 yo DD go with a friend to her home country, which is 3 hours away, but I would not let my child go to any country in Africa without me. It is just too far away from Europe and the U.S. and as a former FSO I have heard too many horror stories. I am Black but that is just too much risk at that age.

I would happily let my kid go there if I knew and trusted the parents.

That's the other side of the world!!!

I would probably would not let my kid go at 16. The Gambia is not a touristic destination either. I would be very worried if my kid "stands out" there.

If I’m being honest I just wouldn’t be comfortable with this. Im pretty sheltered though and so are my children.

Anonymous wrote:The Gambia is a known destination for sex tourism. My aunt (in her 70s) went there a few years ago for that exact reason.

Its not a place to send young people unaccompanied.

But this teen will not be unaccompanied, she is traveling with a family who are familiar with the country. Like any trip, I would want to know the family well and find them responsible.

No, absolutely not.

I would let her do it, but I would go too

A big ole NOPE. My minor kid isn't going to any country without me or trusted relatives/friends. Yes, this includes school trips.