Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some of my fondest memories traveling with parents at an early age on family vacations. But they’re so different than going on a teen travel program holiday abroad or service trip as a young adult.
When I was entering middle school, my parents thought it was time to send me and my brother on our first holiday solo trip. This wasn’t a school trip during the school year, but a voyage as unaccompanied minors without friends or parents.
To travel alone at 16 it was a big step to go without my friends or parents, but here are the three reasons it was SO much better than a family vacation.
1. I learned to rely on myself.
On my first trip, I remember leaving my hometown of St. Louis feeling on top of the world. I landed at JFK and immediately felt tiny and overwhelmed. I needed to find my group and a new best friend and make it to the next flight. No questions asked. When I usually would have followed my parents or asked them what to do, that wasn’t an option. I had to assert myself, make mistakes, and keep going. Throughout college and navigating a career, this has remained the most valuable lesson that I couldn’t have achieved with my family.
2. I left my high school “bubble” behind.
The second I stepped on that plane to travel abroad I could be whoever I wanted to be. No one knew that I was captain of the field hockey team or cared what my ACT score was, it was up to me. When I was able to be my own person, I took more chances, learned the power of reflection, had meaningful conversations, and really started to develop my own views and opinions.
I vividly remember one day after our day trips, sitting at a bonfire with one girl in India talking about sustainable service and the importance of not just volunteering, but positively impacting a community. It was the first time I’d heard someone talk about service in a context outside the hours I was required for school and ignited a curiosity that likely wouldn’t have been developed otherwise. With the safety net of my parents, I don’t think I would have been pushed to think so far outside of what was familiar and “safe.”
Get to know the local community and make new friends from across the globe.
3. I took ownership of the planning.
When I traveled with my family I let my mom do all the research, make the plan, and help me pack. I had no money, no ownership or investment in where we were going. On my first teen travel program, I started a letter-writing campaign to fundraise, got a part-time job at a craft studio, and fundraised for the majority of my service trip. I was beyond invested in the experience which made every second of planning, prepping and actually traveling worth it.
Year after year my parents placed these teen volunteer trips above our family vacations, and now looking back, I’m forever grateful for this holiday without my parents. I didn’t fully realize at the time how much the opportunity to spend time apart in other countries would impact my personal growth and future career path.
Looking for the best holiday for yourself or your teen? Click below to review all Rustic pathways spring break and summer travel programs for high school students.