Students Embark on Australian Trip of Lifetime
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Jun 14, 2011
Story Updated:
Jun 16, 2011
A group of Laredo teens are headed to the land down under for the next three weeks. While there they will be immersed in the culture and experiences of Australia. Our Ryan Bailey was at the airport to see them off and brings us more on their travels.
Six lucky Laredo high schoolers have embarked on a three-week journey to Australia, hoping to experience everything the country has to offer including the water sports.
"The thing I’m most excited about is scuba diving and getting to hug a koala."
"Exploring the culture actually. Exploring the culture and I really want to scuba dive.”
One of the ways the students will experience culture is by living with host families and giving them souvenirs from Texas.
"We're going to be able to stay with a family over there to experience the culture more for two days."
"They get to take them around the town, show them around, show them their culture, and get to know them. And at first everyone’s anxious and nervous about it, but when they come back that's their favorite part of the whole trip."
While the kids will have fun, learning about other cultures is what this trip is about.
"The whole point of people to people is to travel abroad and to explore different regions and to learn about different cultures from around the world. That way the students can gain a different perspective, a global perspective."
The students that made the cut had to go through a rigorous screening process, going through numerous interviews and training sessions.
"I had to get recognitions from some of my past teachers and then after that I got a call that I made it and from there I started preparing."
"Honestly, I didn't think I’d make it in because they made it look like it was super hard."
Paulette and the others did make it in and now they are off on the trip of a lifetime, worrying only about what souvenirs they'll bring back.
"All my friends have asked me for a kangaroo and my mom wants something safari."
Some will be easier to get home then others. Ryan Bailey, Laredo's pro 8 news.
This is one of four groups from Laredo that will be traveling overseas as a part of the people to people organization. One other will also make the trip to Australia, while the two others will be going to Europe.
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Mrs. Okay said on Friday, Jun 17 at 9:45 AM
Everything these days will cost a lot of money. If parents have the means to send their child on a trip such as this, then they should do so. If a student has a travel opportunity such as this, or trips within the US, I don't see why we can't be happy for him/her if he/she wants to go. If someone like "Big O" would rather use that money to take his whole family somewhere, then that's fine, too. It doesn't make one decision better than the other. Congratulations, students, on being selected. I hope that you make memories that will last a lifetime because these opportunities do not come very often.
69186016Big O said on Wednesday, Jun 15 at 5:28 PM
It's a money making venture that isn't an honor to be invited to. It also won't boost students' college apps as some families expect after they've ponied up big bucks for the program. We've been receiving these "honors" in the mail for a couple of years. Just do the research. Many people who've participated in it have posted that their kids enjoyed their experiences, and found the travel educational. My personal thoughts are that since one can take a family of 4 abroad for the same cost of People to People's programs, I'd rather spend my money to take my family instead of sending just one family member. The sponsorship opportunities involve, as I remember from the literature, the student's hitting up local businesses and friends to help pay for their sponsorship. Given the country's economic conditions, a low income person would probably be better off using their time raising and earning money for their own college education.
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