Anyone know what People to People is?
 

My son was just invited by letter to attend a 20 day tour of Europe per recommendation from a teacher from his high school. It tells us a little bit in this letter and on the web site, but not much.

It was founded by Pres. Eisenhower and supported by succeeding presidents. We have to go to a bunch of meetings to find out details, which we plan to do.

Just wondering if any of you informed Fodorites knew what this is about or have had experience with the program in the past. Thanks for your time.

People to People is an interesting experience for young people and it is a legit organization, but it is a pricey way to do things. What we told our daughter when we received the invitation (years ago) was that for that kind of money, we could all go. And we did. :)

There are lots of threads on Fodors about P-to-P - but the search function isn't all that terrific. From my understanding, it is an awfully expensive program.

Hi Heavens,
My son's mother-in-law has been involved with People to People for years. She has escorted tour groups of students all over the world. All of the leaders have to be teachers, librarians,or have other experiences with leading students.. They have to have several recommendations. The students are expected to behave and dress properly. I'm sure it is expensive, but I feel that knowing this woman, it must be a well organized program.
If you would like me to contact her and ask specific questions, I will be happy to do so.
L

wow! My daughter got a couple of invitations from P to P. I couldn't get
any first hand info about the organization, other that what they give, and was somewhat skeptical. Needless to say, she didn't go, but instead waited until we could all go, which we did.

I remember everybody in my high school class getting "recommended" by their teacher.

I typed in "people to people" (quotes included) and got several posts

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34454273

Our middle-school daughter was invited on one of these, a 20-day trip to Italy and France. She was very excited, but we told her it was too expensive and we would take her ourselves. For the same cost, we took her and her sister---a total of four of us---to Paris and London for a week.

It bothers me that the website promotes it as a way for high school students to improve their chances of getting into college.

Both of my kids were "invited".

It seems a lot of kids are "invited".

My niece and nephew and my daughter's friend have all gone on a people to people trip. My daughter was invited but we declined. She went to Germany with her German teacher on a class trip instead; it was cheaper, she was older, she got to do a family stay...many variables we preferred. The kids I know who have gone had good experiences as far as the travelling went, but there is little about it that can justify the "ambassador" label they like to market it with. The 3 kids I know who went made no lasting contacts with locals.

I was invited to the P2P program in China 6years ago. I decided not to do it, as the more my parents found out, the more it sounded like other things (like YLC, NYLF, etc) which I refused to do on principal. We also skipped paying the money for things like who's who's (and a few similar ones in college).

In my eyes, it was just another resume padding "experience" where you pay a lot for the "honor" to put a recognized brand on your resume.

Your son can do much more volunteering locally (for leadership experience), and you can probably plan a family trip for the price of this "honor."

I think it's kind of funny that they make a big deal about being invited to participate. But if you go to their website all you have to do is fill in a name and address and you can be "invited" to one of their informative meetings (call that sales pitch). Apparently the main requirement is that you have a nice bank balance.

Oh, yes, you can also nominate someone to be invited. It other words "please tell us your friend's name so we can sell our program to him too."

I have had numerous "People to People" groups on my flights and they don't appear to be "dressing and acting properly". The chaperones on the flights appear to be drinking a few cocktails which (in my opinion) is not appropriate.My own kids were "recommended" by teachers for this program several years ago and as others have said above-if you can write a check, you are on the trip.Its considered kinda of a joke in the college admissions office circuit. Use the money and go on a terrific family trip instead!

I went on P2P about a million years ago (1969!!!) My mom was a teacher and some of her colleagues were "chaperoning" (and I use that word loosely, LOL. ) Honest to God, I don't even remember any adults being on that trip, ours was a lively bunch and we careened thru Europe like wild banshees. We were in then-Communist Bucharest for the moon landing, that was surreal. We went to the Greek islands, Malta, Portugal (first time I ever got drunk which, of course, coincided with the first night of the trip), Spain, France, Italy (where an amorous tour guide literally charmed the pants off my roommate.) We stayed with local families in the Austrian countryside and also outside London, each time for a week and I remember our hosts encouraging us to eat, drink, be merry, and hang out in pubs! It was a 7 week trip, I had a blast, but I didn't absorb much culture, alas. Yes, I now know I was a moron, LOL. (The next 2 summers I did Europe on Five Dollars a Day! And it was really $5!).

My own kids have been to Europe several times with backpacks and rail passes but never on an organized trip.

My son just got "invited" - he's 12!

Hi Heavens:

I traveled w/ PTP in 1991. I went to the former Soviet Union to study Chemistry. I also received an invitation to go on a trip with them.

It was an eye opening experience, but very expensive at that time.

I had a great time, met some great people - both Americans and Russians, and totally broaden my horizons. I also learned a bit of chemistry! :)

TR

I believe most of the objections to the P2P program stem from their representation of an "invitation" to make it sound a bit exclusive, when in fact just about anyone can buy this tour package and what is described as an "invitation" based on a "nomination" is really nothing more than a marketing technique. And to top it off, their prices are way high!

I replied to a similar post a couple of months back. My daughter was "nominated" in 2003.

FLYBOY, NORA S, namaka, I did as you, the following summer (2004), for the program's stated cost of a 12-day tour (plus about $1K), I took the entire family and had a great 19-day trip covering a lot more ground.

It does seem to be a higher-end trip but very pricey. It would be interesting to see if all those activities are as covered in the "sales pitch", er I mean meeting, came to fruition.

MvK

P2P is a business masquerading as an honor. It started as a non-profit and became for profit in 1967. They are listed on the stock market as AIME as a TOUR COMPANY/TRAVEL AGENT. Here is a link to the company information.
http://tinyurl.com/jcgrd

This comes up every year when school starts back and they start sending their expensive, over-priced "awards". It's despicable that they use kids in this way. It's always the kids that can't afford it that really believe this is an honor and try to fundraise for the trip.

Neo is right. Anyone can get this "honor". The only requirement is that P2P accesses your name and address.

I went in 1984 when I was a junior in high school. It is a legitimate organization. On my trip, we alternated a week of touring with the group, with a week staying with a local family. I had a positive experience, and am thankful to my parents for sending me. I kind of felt like it was a bit of a transition from childhood to adulthood. There's nothing like spending a week with someone who speaks no English to make you grow up! I would recommend at least finding more out about it.

Bob, I don't think anyone here is suggesting that a teen going to Europe is not a worthwhile learning experience. That's not the point. The point is, as has been shown above, that it is a "for profit" enterprise for a company to make money and not the reward or honor they somehow falsely advertise it to be.

If someone wants to spend a whole lot of money to send their kid to Europe that way, more power to them. In fact if you can afford it, there's nothing wrong with hiring a teacher off for the summer to take your kid for a private tour of Europe -- that would be a worthwhile experience as well.

But there are dozens of much more "creditable" ways that a teen can experience foreign culture -- including various home exchange programs through valid non profit organizations than this People to People group.

I love the idea of going to Europe in high school!! It is one of my very few regrets in life... that I never took advantage or foreign exchange programs or seriously studied a foreign language when I had the chance.

That said, it doesn't sound like this particular group is the best choice possibly?

People to People is a great concept and their tours are reliable, but I think that if your son is interested in going abroad and having a truly international experience, he should consider some exchange programs. Rotary is the cheapest, but in my experience, AFS is the best. A few friends of mine did EF and were really disappointed.

For what you pay People to People, you could take your son on a really awesome trip.

Well, we showed him the letter when he got home after his football game and all he could say was "Twenty days? I can't miss that much weightlifting!!!" We thought that was pretty funny. Typical boy with a one track mind response.

We're going to look into it. We live in an AG town and many of the kids have been on 4H tours, which, IMO, are wonderful. They get into arranged experiences behind closed doors that other "tourists" would not have access to, so I want to see if this program offers some opportunities like that.

Just out of curiosity, the tour is 20 days, Paris, France, Rome, Florence, Sicily, Malta...How much would be "reasonable" of a cost? I wanted to have an idea before we go to the first meeting. I was thinking $100 a day and then about 1 K to get back and forth...so about $3000 and then tack on a few fees, so maybe any price over $4 K would be excessive? What do you think of those calculations?

One plus already, in my mind, is the calaber of kids he might be traveling with. We are bunched with major nearby CA city, and it might be good for him to be exposed to some of those other kids from other areas? Or maybe not good...

We'll just have to go to the meeting and see what it looks like. Thanks all of your help and info. I will report back in November after we go to the meeting and hopefully have more of an idea of what all this is about.

OK - it seems you didn't read many (any) of the responses. It is not an "honor" - anyone w/ the money can go. It is a commercial operation and not a real "people to people" ambassadors program.

And even if it were, how much "people to people" time could there be w/ just 20 days for Paris, "France" (France is a big place - any more details than that? ), Rome, Florence, Sicily, and Malta?

It is NOT the same as it was when founded by Pres. Eisenhower.

Parents get sucked in by the idea that this will look "good" on a college brag sheet. If you read the responses, you'd see that ANYBODY can pay to go. If I were an admissions officer, I would not be impressed.

I guess my thought is that I wouldn't drop that kind of money for something your kid isn't even really interested in doing. If he was begging to go, ready to get a job to raise the money himself, etc. I might look into it further, or try to find a similar but better alternative trip.

But like he clearly told you, he'd rather be weighlifting!

The response your son gave may be an insight into his interest in the trip. He may well value weightlifting more than travel in Europe. Really talk with him to see if it is something he would truly value. You don't mention how much travel you and/or your family have done, but as an adult, you may feel this is an incredible opportunity. Realize however, that he has his entire life ahead of him to travel -- if he so chooses. Also, when he is older he may have more of an interest in traveling around Europe and would/could be able to do so with a friend for much less than People to People offer (and choose the sites that most interest him). My son and daughter were invited several times while they were in school (we went to the info meeting), and ended up taking them on a trip to France for about the same as P2P would have and we saw much more. My son has since traveled to Europe with a friend as a graduation present, and my daughter when to live with a family in France for 2 weeks after her graduation. Neither of which cost anything close to what P2P does. As an option, if after you go to the info meeting he says he is interested in going, you might have him earn/save some of his own money to make the trip. That way you will know whether he is truly interested in doing it.

Many kids are "invited" on a P to P trip as mentioned many times previously. The price tag is quite high and you could do just as well planning a trip on your own and taking the family. We have taken our kids, ages 16 and 20, on five 3-week summer trips to Europe planning everything ourselves via the internet and everyone of them has been wonderful. Any travel abroad can be put on a college resume and application. It does not have to be through an expensive organized group trip.

Janisj, it isn't that I didn't read the responses. It is that we are not basing this decision on the responses. As a parent, I need more info as to price, caliber of kids, opportunities the tour has to offer, etc. Forgive me if I feel the need to know this info first hand. As much as I do value the opinions here, I value the facts of this opportunity more. I am weighing in the info here and going to the meeting (they have six btw, before you go). I do not believe in just walking away from an opportunity before I have investigated it completely. We are funny that way.

So, for those who want to know the "facts", I plan to report back after the meeting. You will check back so you can see if you have the chance to say to me "you told us so", LOL.

Anyway, it is all so exciting. My son has not been to Europe. We have traveled a quite bit in the states, so this would be a new experience for him.

OD went last summer on an EF tour to Europe, and frankly, we were disappointed in some of the tour, but she got a lot out of it overall. Way too much time on a bus for me and too many ruins. But she got to see many incredible things and even the "bad" stuff provided a memorable experience.

Suze, you said "drop that kind of money"...what kind of money? We haven't been given a cost yet. Does anyone here know what kind of money?

Thanks again, all, for your help and opinions...

if I remember correctly, it was ~$5,000 (and that was 7-8 years ago)

Heavens, I hope your son can have an opportunity to experience Europe, whatever it is. The only issue I have is that you call this an "opportunity" that you don't want to walk away from. Are you not listening? This is no more an "opportunity" than any kind of advertisement you'd see in a magazine or receive in a bulk mailing. It is a business. They are looking for people willing to pay to go. What kind of "opportunity" are you talking about walking away from?

Perhaps, this will work out and you will like the entire thing. That's fine. I just hesitate that you are considering this because you think he has somehow been specially chosen for some honor. The only "honor" is that someone apparently thought you could afford it. Period.

I wasn't saying you shouldn't look into it - but after all the explanations that there really aren't any criteria you said &quot;<i>One plus already, in my mind, is the calaber of kids he might be traveling with.</i>

The only &quot;Caliber&quot; - is that they have enough money to pay for the trip.

Neapolitan, give it a rest. It is an honor to the extent that one of the kid's teachers thinks enough of him to maybe want to spend 6 weeks trekking around Europe with him. I don't think anyone ever had the idea that it was some sort of really important ambassador program.

A teacher can get enough students to go so he/she gets a free trip to Europe. And he recommends those who can afford to buy the trip.

What a very naive post.

I used to be a teacher too, and got dozens of those proposals. I would not give all my students names as people to send their advertising to.

&quot;I don't think anyone ever had the idea that it was some sort of really important ambassador program.&quot;

Huh? Is that why the official name is &quot;People to People Student Ambassador Program&quot;?


I realize your experience was great, Bob, and you are very sensitive about that. I don't mean to put down your wonderful experience. But let's face it -- that was 22 years ago. A lot can happen in that amount of time. I would suggest you look at their current website. It makes it clear that anyone can go -- it has nothing to do with being &quot;selected&quot; or &quot;recommended&quot; by anyone -- teacher or otherwise. Thinking this is some sort of honor is just plain naive.

janisj - The caliber of students in my area that go are the ones that don't have the money, are C students at best, and think this is an &quot;honor&quot;, not a student tour company. They get the local paper to write about them receiving this &quot;honor&quot; and begging for money.

Heavens - I think it's fine if you can afford to send your son and he wants to go. For price comparison, you can look at some of the other student tour companies. EF and Explorica will be the cheap budget tours (20 days about $2500) while ACIS and NETC (20 days about $4000-4500) will be the nicest (but still way cheaper that P2P) and Passports and CHA will be in the mid-range.

P2P should be cheaper since part of it is supposed to be homestay, but if I remember correctly it was somewhere in the $6000 range several years ago.

Your child will receive many honors and awards in the mail over the next few years. Summer programs at Stanford (and other schools), Who's Who, National Scholastic Honor this or that and all are &quot;bought&quot; awards/honors. Real awards or honors don't require payment.

Neapolitan, I'm crushed. You mean for 22 years I have thought I was something special because I was an Ambassador, and now I find out I was being used by a greedy teacher?

Lighten up! What, were you beaten up as a kid by a bunch of People to People kids?

My daughter just got one of these letters in the mail today. She got one several years ago also. A friend in N. Cal. sent their daughter to Australia with this group: they had to raise $5,000!! I figured we could do a trip for all of us for around that amount or just a little more.

The letter is going into the shredder.

MY

Our grandson was &quot;invited&quot; this year to go to Japan next summer for 14 days on this program, and our daughter just went to the information meeting 2 nights ago. She was of the thinking that, as it was partially a &quot;home stay&quot; with a host family, the price would be fairly reasonable. Does $6500 for 14 days sound reasonable to anyone out there?! They must be paying the host families big money to take in a student. Obviously, he's not going.
However, we had already planned to take him and his younger brother to Italy next spring break for their first &quot;abroad&quot; experience, so he's not too disappointed! Sounds like a great money-making experience for somebody, though.

No, Bob. But I do like to face facts rather than live in a dream world. I'm clearly not alone on this one, either.