Son going on foreign trip with school

[Dijac]

Hi,

 

My son W (12, prob AS) is excited as he has been chosen to go on a school trip.  This is as daunting as it could be for some since we are English, but live in France - and the trip is to London.  So I know at least he won't have any problems with the language - he is totally bilingual.

 

At first I was very excited - he has always refused to go away from us before - even for a night, and he usually hates travelling - he gets travel sick very easily.  However, I took it as a sign he was growing up.

 

Now the date approaches, I am beginning to worry a bit. I intend to go and see his English teacher next week for a chat - she was his tutor last year, so knows a bit about his problems. They will be staying 3 students to each family - so he will probably be sharing a room.  I will ask if they can make sure he has somewhere he can go alone to de-stress etc. It is my boss who started me panicking by saying that some host families just do it for the money, and are not very caring towards the students.

 

Can anyone think of any other questions I should ask his teacher, or have any advice for how to prepare him for his trip.  I have 2 months.  I did think if a worse case secenario occurs, and he hates it and has a major panic attack, my parents are just an hour or so away from London, and could go and get him.

 

Thanks, Diane

[Mandapanda]

Hi

 

Is this an exchange? I don't think the families get paid - usually their own children would go to France at another time. I have heard of schemes for older students where families get paid for having them to stay, that's a completely different thing. I haven't heard of this idea of 3 students staying with one family. Perhaps you need to clarify on what basis they are staying there and how the families are selected etc.

 

Have you tried the wristbands you can get for travel sickness. My son found them quite effective.

 

It is scary for us parents when our kids want to do things and we are not sure they are yet capable. My eldest has constantly surprised me. When he first went away, him and his 3 friends who shared a room won the prize for the tidiest room! (Of course that's only because none of them got anything out of their bags at all, lol!)

 

It's good that you've got a last resort in your parents, but he has to try things like this. Sometimes they are actually better away from us because we react at the slightest hint of a problem whereas others may carry on as if everything's fine and so he may follow their lead and carry on as well.

 

Perhaps because you are English and it is a trip to England that makes him keen to go? I hope you can get some answers to your questions from the teacher and that things will go well.

[Kathryn]

Agree with Mandapanda. Families don't normally get paid: when it's a school exchange. it's a reciprocal arrangement. My son went to Germany last year and stayed with a family: in April his German exchange partner will come to us.

 

I've taught French pupils who have come to the UK on short courses - these were arranged through a private agencies which recruit and pay people to host students. Maybe this is what your boss was talking about.

 

K x

[Dijac]

Hi,

 

I believe it is through an agency where host families are paid. There will be no return visit from English students.

 

I agree I have to let him go - he has been so dependant on me up till now that I was very pleased he wanted ot try it. I think he likes the fact that the others are fighting to be put with him, so he can help them with their English. He has gone from being 'Petit Einstein' - his sometimes nickname at school, to Mr Popular, and as long as they don't crowd him too much, he likes it.

 

MandaPanda, he does have travel bracelets - we have had some success with these. Most travel meds we've tried make him sick. So I will be packing him off with the bracelets, and a pile of sick bags.

 

I know some of his teachers are surprised he is AS as they have no problems with him, but I think sometimes he saves his stress up for when he gets home. Knowing he can de-stress at regular intervals means he hold it together for the few hours he is at school. I guess I am just worrying that being with others 24/7 might be too much for him - but maybe not.

 

Thanks for your replies,

 

Diane

[chris54]

I remember the first school trip my son went on, He came home after 3 days in the same clothes he went in and I mean the same cloths, It seems no one told him to put on any others.

 

Hi, I use to live in an area were a lot of foreign student stayed with host families. Yes they do it for the money paid but in general they do take an interest in the children.