Travel

A. Some Basic Questions and Responses

In the spring of 1995 Barbara Andrews --no travel neophyte herself-- got this topic rolling by putting forth a few trenchant questions to the growing membership of the FLTeach list. Student Travel was the subject. Marilyn Barrueta and Louise Giordano quickly responded based on the insights from their own experiences.

95/04 From-> Barbara Andrews Barbie6356@aol

Subject: Student Travel Abroad

I've taken students abroad on a couple of occasions, and would like to

hear from some of the rest of you about your experiences and ideas on

the subject, particularly the following issues:

(1) Do you feel that spending $2000 (program fare + spending money) for

a 10-14 day trip to Europe is reasonable? With college costs going up so

quickly, it is hard to justify the expense to the parent of a

16-year-old. When we have attempted to organize trips to Quebec, we have

run into a couple of roadblocks: the need to get a whole busful (x40) of

students to get the cheapest rate, and the lack of enthusiasm of

(2) What do you think about homestay programs as opposed to

sightseeing-only programs? I was told by someone once that many homestay

programs are problematical because (a) the host families regard the

(3) What types of activities do you use to prepare the students for the

Personally, I participated in such a trip when I was a senior in high

school, but it was not just a sightseeing trip. It was a 42-day trip of

various cities in Spain, including a couple in Paris and Rome, where we

studied for two weeks in Madrid and two weeks in Granada. I had a great

My younger sister Donna went on a choir tour of Europe about 8 years

ago, and she insists that it did her no good at all and that she

wouldn't recommend it for any teenager. Apparently, the chaperones left

What I'm going to say isn't going to be very popular with some, but

finally the opportunity to say it! Having taken students abroad in this

way for almost 30 years, and every year finding myself horrified by the

costs, I've given it a lot of thought. Obviously I continue to do it --

>(2) What do you think about homestay programs as opposed to

>sightseeing-only programs.

I obviously think that a homestay program would be preferable -- but in

my experience, many students will not go for that level of experience to

begin with; the shorter tour, for many of them, in a fairly protected

situation, is often the first step toward seeking a homestay later, with

more confidence. I know for a fact that a very high percentage of

students that I have taken abroad have returned for homestays, junior

year abroad, or on their own. As for the problematical host families,

it's true that I have heard more and more about them, particularly in

recent years. In Spain, for example, a number of students have ended up

>(3) What types of activities do you use to prepare the students for the

>trip? Budgeting their spending money, historical backgrounds, behavior

>guidelines, conversational-type activities, preparing for different types

A few years ago I found out very clearly just exactly how much at risk

we are in this situation. I don't have the time -- nor do you -- to go

into the details, but I ran into another teacher who had "lost" a

student; it was two days later, her students had gone on without her,

and she was desperate -- with little help being offered from the

company. Another teacher in my school had a student disappear in

England, be gone for several days, had to call on Scotland Yard for help

-- student had become involved with druggies, showed up with a mohawk of

2) I make absolutely certain that all students understand that our time

is going to be VERY busy -- I don't leave appreciable blocks of time for

"free" time (which is unfortunate in many ways, but hey. ); related to

3) Perhaps the most important, and the hardest -- I AM ALWAYS WITH THEM

unless they are safely in bed. They want to go to a disco -- I go, too,

etc. I do not hand them over to other people who don't know them and who

This also means that I do not go on these trips planning to head off to

do my own shopping or pursue my own interests; when my trip costs have

been paid for by the student fees, then I am there to take care of them.

Marilyn's comments were so like mine that I could have written them

myself! I am not such a seasoned traveler, having done only one European

trip with high school girls only, and two coed trip to Quebec with 8th

Know the students, know the parents, know the tour operators and guides.

Have joint, mandatory meetings with students and their parents; read

everyone involved the riot act, and don't hesitate to send anyone home

at their parents' expense if they do not comply with whatever rules you

deem necessary for their safety and well-being as well as your sanity.

Plan well in advance all details of the trip; leave NOTHING to chance or

the last minute. I always believe that Murphy will be along, so stay

cool and enlist the help of other chaperones, the courier, and the

My high school trip of many years ago involved several pre-travel

I encourage students to take advantage of travel/language study programs

that allow them to travel abroad with a group (not necessarily sponsored

by our school). These students tend to be more mature and willing to

experience/share/ and learn from the abroad experience rather than just

"take a trip abroad". Their experience is usually more meaningful than a

standard tour.

These students improve their ability to understand the language and

their interest and willingness to communicate in the language. They

enjoy getting to know other "Americans" on the same program, if

applicable. They tend to judge people for who they are. They break

stereotypical images. They gain a certain confidence for having been

3. Some small villages have good (not elegant) hotels which are

inexpensive and off the beaten tourist path. You can let the kids roam

more freely with less concern for safety than in the bigger cities.

People in plazas, the streets, parks and cafes are more congenial and

1. An unsupportive school administration

Some of the teachers who work with us choose not to run the trip as a

school sponsored activity to avoid the hassles with administration.

2. The concern about funds and costs for students

The complaint that a trip will cost too much money is frustrating. Yes,

traveling costs money, but even in areas where there is not a lot of

disposable income I see students spending their dollars on sodas,

plastic objects, etc. If traveling was a priority (as it is in my life)

than saving money, working, and fundraising provide the means of having

enough money for a trip. Fundraising can be very successful but does

require a lot of planning and energy. It's great if there are parents

who will help out. Of course, folks have to think it's important enough

to work for. Some of the groups I have enjoyed the most are the ones

which had to work for their trip and are invested in making the trip a

success.

3. Problems with prior groups

Nothing puts a teacher off more than reports of, or the experience of a

group that didn't work out well. It is so important to know your

students, have an orientation with them so that they understand the

guidelines for behavior and the consequences for not following them. One

of the reasons we do not combine groups of students from different

schools in our programs is because the numbers detract from the

cross-cultural experience and the focus of the students easily shifts

from the masterpieces of the Prado to the social scene of the group.

Even if you know your own students there may be others along from other

4. The teacher doesn't have much travel experience herself/himself

If you haven't traveled much than you aren't aware of the benefits and

>I was wondering if the suggestions mentioned so far would apply to

>chaperoning university and college students on a summer travel / study

>program?

The obvious advantage in leading a group of college students is that

your charges ostensibly are adults. As such, they should be given lots

of freedom, but held to a high degree of responsibility. I took a group

of students on a 2-week cultural tour of Spain last June and found

myself mulling over several ways to talk about trip "rules." In the end,

I decided on a hands-off approach. We had one group requirement: that

In March 1997 together with two other colleagues from a Mid-Michigan

college I will be leading a group of 62 students, faculty and college