Marko

This will be there trip not mine, its just that with the logistical side I am better at it. They will have a busy year finishing school and dear old Dad is happy to help out. We talk about it and they both look at these threads as well as the Thorntree.

I want to make sure they have the bare bones sorted out....the flourishes and highlights will be there's to complete ( and for me to fund !! LOL )

ira

Hey PQ,

>Ira has obviously never been the parent of 17 year-old daughters. Though he does make a good point.<

Wrong again.

I've had 2.
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Hi M,

>......its just that with the logistical side I am better at it.<

Of course, you are.

However, they have to learn how to do this themselves.

They have to become familiar with how to find schedules, where to look for opening times, what to do if a train is late or cancelled, etc, etc, etc.

That is why I suggest that they get on line and start asking questions.

>They will have a busy year finishing school ....<

I have yet to find a teenager who couldn't fit something that he/she <i>wanted&lt;i/&gt; to do into his/her exremely busy schedule.

Even if it meant less time on the phone.

</i>

PalenQ

Your gals may be interested in looking over Hostelworld.com - which lists 20,000 budget accommodations and hostels and rates them based on ratings of folks that have used them. With these type of sites kids can book their hostels just a few days before getting there - to retain flexibility

Many hostels will do booking for hostels in other places.

But again Let's Go Europe is by far the best source of hostel and budget accommodations i've seen.

dfr4848

I did this for 3 months one summer in college and in addition to other suggestions, also have them look into universities and convents/monestaries.

Many colleges, both American and EU, have branches or affliates in different cities and they're willing, even eager to rent out dorm rooms in the summer. They're very cheap, but clean. For ex, we stayed at Standford Univ's facility in Vienna. Also, convents often have rooms to rent - which are cheap, very clean and safe.

Marko

It will be a learning experience for all of us.

PalenQ

&gt;Ira has obviously never been the parent of 17 year-old daughters. Though he does make a good point.&lt;

Wrong again.

I've had 2.&gt;

Ira: Assuming they were mature enough to want to go for a couple of months trip to Europe on their own...

would you not at least give them some tips? Some general things without planning the trip per se?

LJ

Having spent time as a don (a sort of housemother) to North American teens of the female persuasion in residence at high school in Italy, I just want to say that the ability of 17 1/2 year-old young women to manage this is as varied as anything else they choose to undertake.

We had one 15-year old that planned a birthday weekend from out littl town on the Adriatic to London, including requisite emergency chaperone, air-fare, hotel bookings and restaurant reservations. She was really motivated.

Similarly, we had a young woman of nearly 20 who was aked to play basketball with a local Italian team half way across our very small town and refused to attend as she had to get there on her own on the local bus.

Kids that age learn REALLY fast if they want to so I would put the three weeks with friends first so they can acclimatize.

You might want to see how they do with planning and then going on a weekend trip to some local place to let them try their wings at hosteling. The rough and tumble of hostel life is not every teen's dream...the average age of youth hostelers in Europe in summer is considerably older than 17.

Don't forget to have the chat about your expectations of their behaviour with regard to drugs, drinking and sex. The best prepared of our young people were always those whose parents had been very specific and not afraid to tackle the tough topics.