school trip
 

Just came back last night from a fantastic 16 day trip with 27 teenagers (15-16 yrs old).My students had the most wonderful time. <BR>Stayed in Rome,Sorrento,Perugia,and Paestum.Feel free to e mail me re day trips,hotels,admission costs etc.A full report to follow (after a full night's rest).Thanks to everyone who helped make this trip a success.

My 16 year old daughter who is jaded and thinks that travelling is a bore says that the only reason your group had fun was because the drinking age in Italy is low and that all your students must have gotten drunk behind your back. How much supervision did your group have?

Considering many of the students drink in their hometown,there was no compulsion to sneak around,plus parental permission was given to drink in Italy.Your daughter should try a European trip-she might just enjoy herself.

I remember doing a similar trip when I was sixteen with my high school Latin club. Yes, we went out every night and got drunk . But a bar in Italy is a much healthier environment for teenagers to drink in than from a keg in the woods which we were used to doing at home! But my memories of visiting ancient sites, enjoying authentic Italian cuisine and viewing art treasures are what are important to me now. Travelling to Europe at that age was a growth experience unlike anything else I had ever experienced up to that time in the sterile suburbs of America, and it started a fascination with travel that continues 15 years later unabated. Cheers to Linda for providing that experience to 27 more!

I can't believe how blasé everyone is being about teen drinking! As a high school Spanish teacher, I am SHOCKED that permission was granted for these KIDS to drink! What kind of messge is this sending??

May I suggest that getting you over being SHOCKED is part of what travel is all about? In many parts of the world, they are SHOCKED that people of ANY age consume ANY amount of alcohol, that women let their ENTIRE face "show", that "freedom of the press" - - including the internet - - is "tolerated". <BR> <BR>In other parts of the world, alcoholic beverages are an enjoyable part of eating and dining - - during travel, on special occasions, and even in everyday life - - and adolescents and young adults are welcomed into responsible, adult patterns of enjoying these and other adult-appropriate "partaking". <BR> <BR>I went on a school trip in 1999 with a fifth-grade teacher who was SHOCKED that French schoolkids have KNIVES for spreading butter on bread RIGHT IN THE SCHOOL LUNCHROOM! Totally inconceivable in America, said she, with a straight face. I was so embarrassed to think that this is true - - let alone that she would mention it to our French hosts. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Great post, Rex. I agree with having the students live by the laws of the countries they are visiting, rather that setting a different standard. It is difficult for many Americans to see the counterproductiveness of our "forbidden fruit" treatment of alcohol in this country. There is no particular morality in the drinking age of 21 years. In Europe, there is a much more healthy attitude and my observation is that young people are far less inclined to think of drinking as some kind of a stand-alone activity. The 21-year-old drinking age is a poor social policy and its zealous enforcement is a lousy priority. Trying to export it on a trip? I wouldn't think so! We ought to re-think this area carefully.

I hope for Linda's sake she is joking about the drinking. While I do agree that it is part of the culture, unfortunatly we live in a society where the teacher could easily find herself in a very bad legal situation if one of her students was injured or did something while under the influence. Her positon would be difficult since it appears she "approved" of the actions. <BR> <BR>Also, while this is interesting. I took a group of 16 year olds out to a club in Europe in March (NO THEY DID NOT DRINK and YES I would have known!) The owners of two clubs actually did not want to let them in since they were too young! So while a bar might be OK the club owners appear to want an older client!