Why Travel With Us?
To Step OUTSIDE Of Your Textbook!
Testimonials from Parents:
INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS WITH THE COMFORTS OF HOME! International travel opens up a whole new world of culture outside of the typical American way. Different foods, different languages, different routines of "normal" can be explored first hand. Of course, EF Tours has been working with American teenagers for over 40 years, so they understand that teens need some familiar comforts too. That is why all hotels have on-suite bathrooms (something that is not always common in Europe) and the places we will eat will have some familiar options available as well. This tour really is designed to push teens out of their comfort zone just enough to give them an international perspective, but not so much that it scares them! Plus, student travelers enjoy a bit of "structured independence" as they learn to handle spending, explore cities, and to make good choices yet in the care of group and tour leaders. It really is a completely different experience from vacationing with your family.
EDUCATIONAL AND FAST PACED! These tours are designed to be educational in nature and move at a fast pace. There is no waiting in long lines to enter different sites when you travel with a group tour- this means you can see more sites in a day when you go on a tour with us versus a family trip (where you might spend 2 hours waiting in line to get in at each stop). Students have teachers and tour guides with them who are helping them to appreciate and understand the history of the places they visit. Ms. Duncan and Mrs. Murray have over a decade of experience travelling with students at Spruce Creek High, so they understand how to squeeze in educational opportunities at every turn and can be trusted to take care of your child.
IB AND AP CONNECTIONS! Trips are chosen to directly benefit all SCHS students, especially students in IB and Advanced Placement classes, by addressing and enhancing course content needed to complete the AP and IB program and to be a competitive college applicant. If studying in an Advanced Placement or IB program, travelers get a chance to put some of that knowledge to use whether it's historical knowledge, language, or just being a risk taker and seeing new things! While a traveler's specific second language may not be a used in the countries visited, many previous travelers noticed a similarity to many words and put that root knowledge to work. As an International student in IB, international travel is highly recommended. Students can even participate in IB CAS Experiences on these trips if they travel the summer between their sophomore and junior year and/or the summer between their junior and senior year!
COLLEGE CREDIT/ APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS! With a small additional fee students can earn college credit through EF Tours! International travel is also a great addition to a college resume. Not to mention, international travel is something to discuss at an entrance interview! This can really set a person apart from the competition.
IT'S AFFORDABLE! The monthly payment plan and length of payment period makes this trip affordable if you sign up early. Your payments could be under $300 per month if you sign up when the trip is first announced 2 years out! Trips include airfare, lodging, bus travel, metro travel, entrance to the sites, breakfast and dinner. Travelers cover their own lunches and tips. (See the travel website for list of included items.) As of March 2022, airline fees for round trip travel to Japan in June ran $1400-$1900. By the time you add in the cost of hotels, entrance to all of the sites, the cost of the included breakfast and dinner, the cost of transportation between cities, the cost of transportation inside cities, and the cost of a full time tour guide and local guides, the cost of this trip begins to look more reasonable, especially when you add in the safety and education that comes with taking an EF tour!
THE ADVANTAGE OF GROUP TRAVEL OVER FAMILY TRAVEL! Yes, the individual cost per family member would likely be cheaper if you took a family trip to Europe, but these trips are meant to engage your student in fast paced learning. They are designed to provide your child with an extension to their classroom. Picture the last time you took your teenager to a museum......they may or may not have been fully engaged in the learning experience. Know that the way they will engage with the history and culture is different if they are around their peers and teachers than if they are around their family. It will also allow them to meet and bond with teens from all over the world as we travel with other tour groups. They will likely make life-long friends! Of course, a family trip to Europe would be amazing too, so if you can afford it, do both! If you can afford one, send your child. Maybe they can pay to take you back with them when they graduate from college and are using their international experience in a high paying job! Read more about the advantages of traveling with EF Tours HERE.
PARENTS CAN COME TOO!
Not ready to send your child out of the country without you? Parents are welcome to join the tour with their student if they choose to- in fact we would LOVE to have you and anyone else in your immediate family! It is a lot easier and less stressful than planning a family trip- you just make your payments, get a passport, and show up at the airport- EF Tours takes care of the rest. Just remember, this tour is centered around teens and educational opportunities, so be prepared to move at a fast pace and to put your student hat on as we take in as much as we can on our tour! Remember that that we will be staying in safe, clean, comfortable hotels with bathrooms attached to the rooms, but they are not 5 star resort hotels. The tours, accommodations, and included food are designed to keep things affordable, fun and educational for teens to travel. You will have an amazing experience with us as long as you know that our goal is education and seeing the world! And as long as you are prepared to ride in a bus full of teens who are excited to see the world too!
THE BIGGEST REASON WHY YOU SHOULD SEND YOUR STUDENT ON A TOUR WITH US IS BECAUSE IT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY!
It could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for you too! The growth and level of maturity your student will return with will impress you. You will have given your child one of the biggest gifts you can give- a chance to look at the world beyond their textbooks and realize that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. They will thank you for it! Not convinced? Read some of the parent testimonials HERE.
EDUCATIONAL AND FAST PACED! These tours are designed to be educational in nature and move at a fast pace. There is no waiting in long lines to enter different sites when you travel with a group tour- this means you can see more sites in a day when you go on a tour with us versus a family trip (where you might spend 2 hours waiting in line to get in at each stop). Students have teachers and tour guides with them who are helping them to appreciate and understand the history of the places they visit. Ms. Duncan and Mrs. Murray have over a decade of experience travelling with students at Spruce Creek High, so they understand how to squeeze in educational opportunities at every turn and can be trusted to take care of your child.
IB AND AP CONNECTIONS! Trips are chosen to directly benefit all SCHS students, especially students in IB and Advanced Placement classes, by addressing and enhancing course content needed to complete the AP and IB program and to be a competitive college applicant. If studying in an Advanced Placement or IB program, travelers get a chance to put some of that knowledge to use whether it's historical knowledge, language, or just being a risk taker and seeing new things! While a traveler's specific second language may not be a used in the countries visited, many previous travelers noticed a similarity to many words and put that root knowledge to work. As an International student in IB, international travel is highly recommended. Students can even participate in IB CAS Experiences on these trips if they travel the summer between their sophomore and junior year and/or the summer between their junior and senior year!
COLLEGE CREDIT/ APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS! With a small additional fee students can earn college credit through EF Tours! International travel is also a great addition to a college resume. Not to mention, international travel is something to discuss at an entrance interview! This can really set a person apart from the competition.
IT'S AFFORDABLE! The monthly payment plan and length of payment period makes this trip affordable if you sign up early. Your payments could be under $300 per month if you sign up when the trip is first announced 2 years out! Trips include airfare, lodging, bus travel, metro travel, entrance to the sites, breakfast and dinner. Travelers cover their own lunches and tips. (See the travel website for list of included items.) As of March 2022, airline fees for round trip travel to Japan in June ran $1400-$1900. By the time you add in the cost of hotels, entrance to all of the sites, the cost of the included breakfast and dinner, the cost of transportation between cities, the cost of transportation inside cities, and the cost of a full time tour guide and local guides, the cost of this trip begins to look more reasonable, especially when you add in the safety and education that comes with taking an EF tour!
THE ADVANTAGE OF GROUP TRAVEL OVER FAMILY TRAVEL! Yes, the individual cost per family member would likely be cheaper if you took a family trip to Europe, but these trips are meant to engage your student in fast paced learning. They are designed to provide your child with an extension to their classroom. Picture the last time you took your teenager to a museum......they may or may not have been fully engaged in the learning experience. Know that the way they will engage with the history and culture is different if they are around their peers and teachers than if they are around their family. It will also allow them to meet and bond with teens from all over the world as we travel with other tour groups. They will likely make life-long friends! Of course, a family trip to Europe would be amazing too, so if you can afford it, do both! If you can afford one, send your child. Maybe they can pay to take you back with them when they graduate from college and are using their international experience in a high paying job! Read more about the advantages of traveling with EF Tours HERE.
PARENTS CAN COME TOO!
Not ready to send your child out of the country without you? Parents are welcome to join the tour with their student if they choose to- in fact we would LOVE to have you and anyone else in your immediate family! It is a lot easier and less stressful than planning a family trip- you just make your payments, get a passport, and show up at the airport- EF Tours takes care of the rest. Just remember, this tour is centered around teens and educational opportunities, so be prepared to move at a fast pace and to put your student hat on as we take in as much as we can on our tour! Remember that that we will be staying in safe, clean, comfortable hotels with bathrooms attached to the rooms, but they are not 5 star resort hotels. The tours, accommodations, and included food are designed to keep things affordable, fun and educational for teens to travel. You will have an amazing experience with us as long as you know that our goal is education and seeing the world! And as long as you are prepared to ride in a bus full of teens who are excited to see the world too!
THE BIGGEST REASON WHY YOU SHOULD SEND YOUR STUDENT ON A TOUR WITH US IS BECAUSE IT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY!
It could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for you too! The growth and level of maturity your student will return with will impress you. You will have given your child one of the biggest gifts you can give- a chance to look at the world beyond their textbooks and realize that they are a part of something bigger than themselves. They will thank you for it! Not convinced? Read some of the parent testimonials HERE.