Student Travel

My father's employment requires him to work with Spanish-speakers; so when I was in high school he encouraged me to take Spanish as one of my elective courses. As I contemplated my course selection, I knew if I took Spanish I would have to work most days of my summer vacation to speak to the Chilean or Peruvian sheepherders, so I chose French instead. French then became my favorite class and a passion.

I changed my major several times in college but always came back to French. I really wanted to teach high school French but didn't know how to do that when my French-speaking skills had never been truly tested in a French-speaking country. So, during the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college, I went to France in a study-abroad program-absolutely one of the best of decisions of my life.

Is traveling abroad a future goal of a child? Here are some things to consider:

1. How old is the child? I don't recommend foreign travel for students younger than 15, unless accompanied by an adult. Once, I allowed a 14 year-old student to travel with my student group and I spent the entire trip babysitting him instead of teaching and learning with the others.

2. What kind of experience does he want/you want for him? This will determine how the student travels. Is it a sight-seeing adventure, a language experience or a cultural affair? Many reputable companies will provide variations of those experiences. Teachers from local public schools often sponsor trips through companies or act as travel agents themselves. Before booking any trip, do your research. Is it a reputable company? Do you know anyone who has traveled with them? If not, do they have references you could check?

3. How will your student finance the trip? Travel is a great opportunity and should be pursued but NOT if it means debt, unless it is absolutely critical to the future employment of a college student following graduation. This is a terrific opportunity to teach students to save money toward some amazing delayed gratification! Students who earned at least some of the money spent to travel appreciated the experience much more than those whose parents paid for the trip.

4. What does your student know about the places he will visit? Traveling is hands-on learning. It is most effective to study the history, art, architecture, people and culture before arriving in the country. Each year I accompanied students, we would spend several months in preparation. Then as we arrived and visited Stonehenge, Versailles or St. Peter's Bascilica, the students could tell me about their significance and importance.

5. What plans have been made for an emergency? Ensure that a plan has been established and know what protocols have been put in place to contact each other if the need arises.

Once the decision has been made and trip scheduled, here are some other things to consider:

• Have your student pack his bags for his trip and then take him on a hike through your neighborhood. A mile should do it. Then have him decide what he can live without. Traveling outside the U.S. includes narrow stairwells, tiny elevators and small hotel rooms. Carrying your own luggage can be challenging.
• Copy your passport information and pack it in a separate bag. It is much easier to replace a stolen passport if you have a copy of it.
• Purchase a moneybelt or passport holder. Keep your passport and the majority of your money in it and wear it at all times, even at night. Put enough money in a wallet or purse for one day at a time.
• Students should always have a buddy. I lost a student once in the St. Louis airport when we went to the terminal on the left and he went to the right. It took an hour to find him.
• Teach awareness. Some students are very aware of what happens around them and others are clueless. Spend some time with your student going places and observing. A heightened sense of awareness is a necessary safety skill when traveling in unfamiliar countries or regions.
• Know your child and their spending habits and send enough money. One student had what I considered a large sum of money for our trip and I worried another didn't have enough for 4-5 days. In the end, I had to wire home for more money for the student who already had lots of money and the other student arrived home with the most money still in his pocket.

My trip to France was a defining moment for me. I felt free to pursue my dream because I had proven to myself that I could speak French and therefore teach it. It increased my self-confidence and my knowledge of the world around me. Unfortunately for my father, it didn't help my Spanish much.