School trips abroad--they're becoming an important rite of passage for students, but not all parents are sure they want their teens boarding a coach and gallivanting all over the continent without them. To those parents--lighten up! A trip abroad with one's peers is simply an amazing experience for many reasons, including:
Anyone who can survive 24 hours of life in a coach can be patient through any type of adversity! You're crammed into the seat like a sardine. There's always someone laughing too loudly, singing a song for way too long and listening to something awful on their iPod so loudly that you can hear every note. The tortures of the coach ride are sure to build character in any teen!
A school trip abroad lets students see sights they've only read about in books. They'll get lessons in history, political science and of course--cultural studies. Just being abroad and seeing the differences between the UK and their destination will prove invaluable. There are so many things waiting for students to discover while abroad--like the fact that McDonald's sells beer on the continent. Not that they'll drink any, right? They're underage. But...maybe they'll snap a picture of the sign to post on Instagram. That's all.
During the course of a study abroad holiday, students will face challenges and need to work together to solve them. For example, they'll need to unite to determine how best to shave the eyebrows of their first classmate to fall asleep! Who has the shaving cream? Who has the razor? Who can shave the quietest and quickest? By developing a plan, they'll all end up stronger people--and one of them well have thinner eyebrows.
It won't be long before they're off on their own going to uni, so it's time they learn how to be away from Mum and Dad for a few days. Plus, they'll learn a bit about self restraint when they fight the urge to call and tell you that they're scared and want to be picked up in Madrid or Copenhagen or Paris. And they will be scared, even if they don't want to admit it!
Teens often look down on their schools but a school trip is sure to bring them all together. There's nothing like ganging up against another school waiting at the ferry port to build camaraderie. After all, once you've sworn at, mooned and made crude gestures at complete strangers with your peers, you're united with them forever!
If Mum and Dad are saying no to your school holiday, consider sending along this link to them...or, well, maybe not! Maybe just tell them that while yes, there will be hijinks and instances of naughtiness aplenty, you'll stay safe, be responsible and get to broaden your horizons while you see the world. That should do the trick!
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