Explorica

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Fieldtrips Chatboard

Explorica

by John

May 13, 2009

It sounds to me that most people who complain on this web site have nothing else better to do in their lives. First of all, this is international travel you mo$%??. Things happen. As for being paired up with other groups, either suck it up or pay the extra money to go as a private tour. I have traveled with several different tour groups and this stands to be the best tour company, as in bang for your buck. Yes things may not be perfect, but if any of you complainers have ever done any traveling, you should know better.If not, your are just plain stupid to traveling thinking that things are always perfect. So, in the end, quit complaining, enjoy life and if you can't accept a few problems while traveling, stay home and live in your bubble and pretend you know what it is like to travel around the world!

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Cari John:

Thank you for your comments. I applaud your honesty.

I wish I could take a survey concerning how much preparation these complaining teachers did for their tours. How many meetings do they have with their students and their parents? How much do these teachers actually know about international travel? Do these teachers & ...See MoreJohn:

Thank you for your comments. I applaud your honesty.

I wish I could take a survey concerning how much preparation these complaining teachers did for their tours. How many meetings do they have with their students and their parents? How much do these teachers actually know about international travel? Do these teachers & students actually know a foreign language?...or has the extent of their international experience just been to Disneyworld? I have been on some tours where coaches were the chaperones. On other tours, some of the teachers recruited random students throughout the school for a "senior class trip". Those teachers and students had no business going on educational tours like these. These students were not prepared one bit for what they were about to see in Europe. They were better off going on a cruise ship vacation somewhere in the ocean. Europe is NOT Disneyworld. Europe is old and crowded, and American students need some proper orientation in order to appreciate international cultures.

My trips are called educational tours NOT SUMMER VACATIONS. The key to a successful trip is preparation. I spend literally years getting my students ready for these trips. Language acquisition, videos, meetings, and research play an important part in preparation. My students must prove to me that they can speak the language and appreciate the European culture for what it is, not for what they want it to be. After all, isn't that why we travel in the first place....to see another culture for what it truly is?!

I alert my students, in advance, that there will be frustrations, delays, rain, uncooperative foreign people, and hotels that are different from ours. And, Europeans don't necessarily speak English. That is why it is called "international travel"...so get over it.

On 5/13/09, John wrote: > It sounds to me that most people who complain on this web > site have nothing else better to do in their lives. First > of all, this is international travel you mo$%??. Things > happen. As for being paired up with other groups, either > suck it up or pay the extra money to go as a private tour. > I have traveled with several different tour groups and this > stands to be the best tour company, as in bang for your > buck. > Yes things may not be perfect, but if any of you > complainers have ever done any traveling, you should know > better.If not, your are just plain stupid to traveling > thinking that things are always perfect. So, in the end, > quit complaining, enjoy life and if you can't accept a few > problems while traveling, stay home and live in your bubble > and pretend you know what it is like to travel around the > world!

May 14, 2009

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Solomon Yes John, you are very right. I agree with your overall view on travel 110%. But, to equate such a wise, wordly view to a specific tour company puzzles me. Had you not mentioned any company, I would have been on your side to the end. What is good for one person isn't necessarily good for the other. Yes, complainers stay home...please!

On 5...See More

May 21, 2009

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