<p>Final Decision – Son is NOT going.</p>
<p>With the declining dollar, our tight budget, etc. we just can’t comfortable justify it. </p>
<p>Extended family who were willing to chip in are more disappointed than I am, but unless they could swing the whole thing with spending money, their aid wouldn’t be enough. I have 2 younger kids and a husband whose company has been laying off 10-20% of the workforce each week for the last 3 weeks. I’m disappointed, but at least I can sleep at night.</p>
<p>Kids from our HS have used EF for trips to Europe for years. All good reports and some are repeat travelers. My D is going the summer of 2014 or 2015 - it’s where she chose for her graduation trip.</p>
<p>We have an exchange student this year - through the same EF company, just a different department. It is very organized, very throrough, good experience.</p>
<p>Longhaul, I just got back from my son’s family weekend at his college and while there we attended a study abroad session. At the question and answer session two of the students who had just gotten back from a study abroad for a semester were asked how much their out of pocket expenses were. The one that went to Montreal said it was the same as what she spent at (my son’s) college in Burlington, VT - about $1,500. The other student who had gone to Dublin said her expenses were about $3,000 and she traveled quite a bit. </p>
<p>While abroad trips in HS are probably very enjoyable and even life changing, I think they are most likely better in College when the length is much longer and the experience deeper. Most families that I know don’t have an extra few thousand for one family member to have an abroad vacation and I find it kind of strange that this thread makes it seem like the new normal.</p>
<p>Longhaul, congrats on making a tough decision.</p>
<p>I personally think the EF trips are overpriced. They’re popular with schools but only because they’ve been doing this forever; it’s not like they’re that much better than any other group travel company. Yes, the kids have fun: but they’d have fun camping too. It’s an expensive junket. On top of that, Europe is ridiculously expensive now, Italy on Holy week will be crazed with tourists. And for the amount it would have cost, you could probably take the whole family to Mexico for a few days of sightseeing and beaching it.</p>
<p>I am late in reading this post, but I think you made the right decision. Rome during Holy Week is impossible to navigate. Our Vatican tour guide said that she refused to conduct tours during the holy week since it’s shoulder to shoulder packed and she can’t assure that her clients will be able to enjoy themselves. It’s important for the faithfuls, but very stressful for tourists.</p>
<p>If you’d like some life perspective: I didn’t get to go on the senior trip when I was in high school (it actually never occurred to me that I could go, I think; we could not have afforded it, and I knew it), and I was bummed and I was envious, but I got over it. Your son has a long time ahead of him to travel, where and when and with whom he likes, and I doubt he’ll worry too much about a trip in 11th grade, with teachers directing his every choice. Allow him to be a little sad, but don’t beat yourself up about it, is what I say.</p>
<p>Longhaul - It sounds like you made the right decision. Sometimes the timing is right for a splurge, sometimes not. It’s never fun being the “bad guy” on these decisions, but it had to be done. </p>
<p>Advantages to declining (besides money) - Holy week crowds, as mentioned above. Also spring of junior year is often a critical time academically (especially if upcoming AP and/or IB exams).</p>
<p>Son is not planning on Study Abroad AFAIK but if I were in that position I would save that money and invest it toward Study Abroad later. Study Abroad looks much better on a job resume and is worth more than a few days as a tourist in Rome or Paris or whatever. IMHO</p>