<p>My S will be going to Istanbul with a by-the-school-paid study trip in Something Cultural Urbanism (I’d know if he would give me more info.) I’m going with my D to Moorpark, California where after two years of finishing all academic prerequisites she finally gets to apply to her dream program of Exotic Animal Training Management - Tigers and so on. Unfortunately, the ultimate acceptance will be decided by lottery between all qualified applicants. I’ll worry about them anyway - but I would certainly dread any trips to Mexico right now, it is a real war zone with many innocent victims.</p>
<p>S just returned from Spring Break in Cancun. Michigan has a very early spring break. He stayed at an all-inclusive in Riviera Maya, never ventured off the property and had a great time. He is a senior and his friends will all be scattered after graduation due to jobs, moving home etc. S paid for the trip with money he earned at a very lucrative 4 month internship this summer (another benefit of Michigan is that you have a really long summer vacation to earn money). He has a job already and will be starting in June. I had no problem having him spend some time with friends who have been his family for the past four years.</p>
<p>Riviera Maya (south from Playa del Carmen) and Cozumel are still reasonable destinations in Mexico. Little sis and I were just talking about it at lunch and they are planning another visit soon.</p>
<p>abudhabi-mama - I envy your son. Istanbul (and Turkey in general) is one of my favorite places! I’ve been several times and always enjoy going back!</p>
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<p>She’s 25 and paying for her own trip. What should I do? Tying her up is really not an option… </p>
<p>Besides, I think Juarez is probably more dangerous than Laredo right now if we go by murder count–and she was there last weekend.</p>
<p>I am very, very not happy about the trip, but she is an adult and has the right to make her own decisions.</p>
<p>Mine is going to Alterna-break in San Francisco. Community service, living with alumni from her college, spending a week in a new city for her - all for $15. Can’t beat it. It would have cost much more to come home.</p>
<p>Our D is staying in her apartment across the street from campus in LA. Her friends on the East Coast are planning to visit and she PROMISED to work on finishing up her schoolwork that has been piling up. We have our fingers crossed! Last spring, she went to the East Coast to visit them and they need to visit her to thaw out this year! 
She was thinking of going to Europe but decided to stay put and be a hostess and finish her work (we can only hope).</p>
<p>My daughter will be spending her third spring break the same way as the past two, on campus. Her sport requires it, and it is the time they ramp up the workouts. No fun in the sun for her, but she will be sore and fit!</p>
<p>Gonna go relax in Libya. Heard it is very hospitable at the moment.</p>
<p>/joking</p>
<p>S is going to enjoy the sunshine visiting Grandma and Grandpa a bit closer to the equator.</p>
<p>S is coming home for the week. He doesn’t have enough money left from his summer earnings for a spring break trip. We are full pay at a private u. and he knows better than to ask us for money to fund a trip at this point.</p>
<p>Tonight’s text from the Big Easy.</p>
<p>“Tell Mom we are all at Pat O’Briens drinking hurricanes just for her!”</p>
<p>“Mom says to tell you that y’all suck.” </p>
<p>“Hahahahahahahaha. Love ya.”</p>
<p>Yeah. This is going well. lol</p>
<p>D will be spending a few days in Puerto Rico with several friends and then head home. All being funded by the same people funding her education … Ma and Pa. :)</p>
<p>son at Vandy is one of over 400 students doing Alternative Spring Break for the second of time in his college career. I have no problems with the idea of his taking a leisure trip…camping or beach or adventure but he will be going abroad next year and living in a major city in an internship this coming summer. Not like he won’t have plenty of chill time abroad next year.
He will be serving the homeless in an urban setting with a group and sleeping on the floor somewhere. He made a great circle of friends doing ASB last year…last year he worked for an agency that does major international medical relief work. This year he says he is already grooving with this new “team” of new friends. I have talked to him about the “deinstitutionalization” of the mentally ill in the 70s which created a great deal of homelessness and about those who are homeless for a score of other reasons but I have a feeling doing is a lot better than reading about it.
I don’t really like the word “vanderbubble” but let’s face it, the Ivory Towers of most college campuses are great retreats and places to grow but they are also shelter from the storm. A few days of public service a year are already racking up to be a great part of his education.</p>
<p>driving to hilton head, south carolina :D</p>
<p>Flying to Greece with parents. We have taken one (and occasionally two) interesting family trips each year (starting in England, Italy, Bali, Japan, Australia, Costa Rica, … ) and our kids love traveling with us so we plan to continue it. We were going to have a best friend join us, but she needed to stay at home, so it will again be just the family. I’m expecting boyfriends or girlfriends to start joining us. I’ll ask them to pay for airfare but will pick up all on the ground expenses.</p>
<p>Mudge
Happy Mardi Gras. My s is hosting friends this week- which happens to be his spring break. How convenient.</p>
<p>Freshman DS flying home free across country (love my Delta/AmEx card). Found a screaming deal on a 3 bdrm condo on a nice ski resort with 4000ft vertical nearby on Craigslist. So will go there for a few days but he probably won’t ski while we do. Kinda surprised he agreed to go at all as he is a real homebody. Told him he could invite friends from school but doubt any will come as it is only 2 week notice.</p>
<p>Sooo jealous!! Where are you skiing???</p>
<p>Big Sky Resort. I’ll make it worse: $200/night for a 3 bedroom ski in/out.</p>
<p>[Winter</a> Activities || Big Sky Resort, Montana](<a href=“http://www.bigskyresort.com/Activities/Winter/the-mountain.asp]Winter”>Winter Activities at Big Sky, Montana | Big Sky Resort, Montana)</p>
<p>If anyone wants it during first 2 weeks of April, PM me and I can put you in touch with the owner. Spring skiing is glorious there :D. Kids 10 and under ski free (!!!) with a paying adult.</p>