<p>If this young lady is going away from home to college in September, I don't see any big difference in this. What is it that people are worried about that would be any different than an 18 year old attending college in an unfamiliar city? This is a one week trip, to one city. It's a city that is easily navigated and explored without speaking the language. Safeguards and plans can be implemented to provide assistance should 'a problem' arise. I suppose if a student of this age is not mature enough to go away from home to college then perhaps I'd understand the concern here.</p>
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...and you may all hate me, but am I the only one thinking of Natalee Holloway? </p>
<p>Does this mean you wouldn't allow your daughter to go away to college?</p>
<p>Sorry,and I say this with no disrespect intended, I think you are way simplifying this. You seem to have difficulty seeing this from anyone else's eyes. I can see both sides of this scenario, from letting a kid go with few worries and regretfully declining the offer. I repeat that it depends on the individual whether or not they can handle even a week in a foreign land sans adult "help." Many would do just fine regardless, many would do just fine if they didn't run into any real trouble, and a few would flounder miserably. I posed this question to my 18 y/o daughter and she said "obviously it depends on the maturity of the kids involved. Also their experience traveling out of the country." She knows a whole lot of wonderful kids of this age she believes would not handle this kind of thing as beautifully as some would think.</p>
<p>I speak French and have been to Paris many times. The last time I went, there was a misunderstanding at a dept. store. I was buying several items, a purse among them. Long story short, the clerk assumed the purse was mine, I didn't notice when I paid that the purse (very inexpensive) was not among the items, and was stopped when I tried to leave. I was accused of stealing, and NO ONE in the store would admit to speaking English. This was a major dept. store right in the center of the city! I was able to talk myself out of the situation , but it was difficult, even with my adequate (though far from fluent) grasp of the language. Had I not spoken French, I would have ended up in jail in a whole heap of trouble. I was told as much by the store personnel, who was quite a bully. As it was, I came very close. My daughter was literally shaking in fear, thinking her mother was going to be carted off to jail, leaving her to fend for herself in a large foreign city. I'm pretty sure this is not a situation many 18 y/o could handle, especially one who doesn't speak the language, and especially considering the confrontational demeanor of the store security personnel.</p>
<p>Point is, this is how it is a "big difference from going to college in an unfamiliar city". It is nowhere near the kind of thing an American girl would encounter by "going away to college" in the States. Rare, yes, I've been to France many times and never had a problem, but it finally did happen and I barely was able to handle it as an adult who does speak the language. It's absolutely not true that English will ALWAYS be spoken, though it usually is.</p>
<p>Going off to college to a city in one's own country (and likely with a huge support system offered by the college) and going off alone to a foreign country with only a 17 y/o companion are not the same thing. I think a parent who gives it due consideration as opposed to immediately equating it to going off to college at home is being quite prudent. She may end up giving it the green light, but it's certainly something worth thinking through carefully with all factors considered.</p>