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People to People

Karen of Louisburg, KS July 28, 2009

I sent my daughter on the European Discovery trip with this program and was assured that the kids are taken care of properly and if any health issues came up or if they have problems with the students they would call the parent at home. My daughter has asthma, a severe milk allergy, immune deficiency and is anemic. I informed the organization of my daughter's health issues prior to her leaving. When they were eating the menus consisted of dairy product foods, my daughter informed them that she could not eat the foods on the P2P menu and was told that that is what she had to choose from. I emailed two of the charperones on the trip advising them that she absolutely cannot eat dairy products and that if my daughter could not eat what was on the P2P menu that she could use the debit card I gave her for emergencies, of which I felt that this was one.

She was never allowed to buy her own food. Instead of contacting me to see what we could do about this, they retaliated against my daughter by harassing her, insulting her dignity, character and causing her asthma to flare up. My daughter lost 7 pounds, of which she cannot afford to lose as she is very tiny, she also came home with raspy voice as well as shallow breathing and for a week after the trip had to use her breathing machine for heavy duty treatments to get her lungs back on track. I have tried to talk with the lead chaperone and the home office is shielding her. She refuses to answer my questions, as advised by the home office as to why she ignored my daughters health limitations as well as she physically grabbed my daughter, and verbally abused her by screaming at her for no reason at all, made false accusations regarding my daughter as well. I do not understand why she retailiated against my daughter after she received my email with concerns regarding her food intake and asthma.

Heather of Schenectady, NY July 28, 2009

After my 10 year old daughter recieved her "invitation" to the People to People Student Ambassedor Program, she was over the moon. Being a single mother, I on the other hand had strong reservations sending my only child away over seas. But the letter was addressed to her and the gate had been open upon her reading all of the wonderful oppertunities that awaited her. After attending the "informational meeting" and being assured over ten times that my child was in good hands and would be safe we set the task of raising the funds just over 5,000 for 14 days of education in France and England on the tale of two cities.

By the start of June we reached our goal and had made all of the money. With cutting back on everything from christmas, birthdays and even monthly bills we did it! My daughter was off on her adventure July 8th. I had purchesd a AAA visa travel money card and had 250.00 for spending money. Needless to say my now 11 year old who was promised to be taught 'budgeting" had blown through her funds in two days! She still had 12 days left. So I ran to the AAA and reloaded her card with 200.00. Two days later gone. At this point I now was kicking myself for listedning to my delegation leader and not sending my child with a cell phone for me to contact her. So I signed up my cell phone for international calling and phoned her over seas to see what was going on with her money.

Come to find out she had spent all of her 450.00 in 4 days on "snacks" and a few suveniors, 450 on what!!!! I explained toher that she was going to run out of money and that I only had 200.00 left to give her tolast the next ten days. We talked about budgeting and her spending 20.00 a day. I said goodbye. On monday I put the last 250.00 into her account. Needless to say gone two days later. I recieved an e-mail from our delgation leader stating the children are learnig about budgeting and not to worry about money because all food and lodging are covered. She also stated unfortunatly some items had been lost and/ or damaged - mainly cameras! Again we are talking about 10 -12 year olds. Where is the supervision.

Friday was my breaking point. While in the shower for work I had a missed call on my cell phone and home phone, both had no message. When I looked at the number I realized it was from over seas. I frantically tried to call it back but was unable to get through. I phoned my mother at her job to see if she had heard anything... My daughter's foot had been run over by a car. She was on the way to the hospital. The delgation leader had given a phone number to her for me to call and speak with them. I tired the number -did not work! Again wishing I had given her a cell phone! I called the delgation leaders wife and was told that she had tried the number and it had not worked for her. She said her husband had called and that my daughter was fine. She said they are at the hospital and her husband was tring to get them to take an x-ray! TRYING to get "them" to take an x-ray! She also said if her husband did not hear from me in about an hour he would try to call me again. THat was the longest 2 hours of my life.

Finaly they called. I was informed that another child had bumped her into the narrow street of londan and a SMALL LIGHT car ran over her foot. Nothing was broken and she was given two pain pills and told to take something over the counter for pain. I was also told that she might now get tendinditis. I spoke with my child, who sounded scared and in pain. I wanted to clime through the phone and get to her. I was told she was coing to take a taxi to the train station and then a train back to the hotel to relax.

After the intial shock wore off I started sending e-mails to People to People to see what I could do. I was sent one e-mail stated not sympothy for my child, just that I would have to pay for the taxi ride and submit a claim to the insureance of P2P. That was my reasurance the rest of the trip would be fine and my daughter was still in good hands. Later that night our daily e-mail came from the delgation leader stating the days adventure, in this mass e-mail it was mentioned that an unfortunate accident occured and a child had their foot run over but was fine. When my daughter pulled up to the drop off point on Tuesday she came off the bus, looked at me and burst into histerics. She sobbed and shook and held me tighter than I have ever felt her grip before.

Come to find out first hand, she was struck - whole body by a car, feet, legs, and arms. She had bruses on her foot, toe, ankel, arm and stomach. She told me that not only did this happen but she traveled in an ambulance to the ER - something I was not told on the day of incident. She went on to then explain that the other children in her group were all upset with her because they missed out on activities while waiting for her. She felt devestated that she caused anyone to miss anything. She then told me that her roomates were all crying because they thought she was dead! How a child can think someone is dead from a "foot being run over" is beyond me. Agian I must stress we are talking about 10 -12 year old children!

Next I was informed that my child had lost her digital cmerea, souvoniers, and personal items along the way. I asked were the adult were and how this happend she had no answer. After spending 2 days as instructed I contacted the airport in NYC and London, and the airports in both locations as well to be told, no camera was turned in. I then recieved "reciepts" from the delegation leader for me to pay and then submit for reimbursment - lunch at the hospital for my daughter and the delegation leader, taxi fare, and two train tickets. I am to pay for the delegation leader that was to be watching my child?

Now I have recieved two e-mails from the P2P insurancew company for claims on the medical and the camera. Still no phone call, no e-mail, no anything on a follow up to the well being of my child. My feeling is they got me for all the money I had and now forgot the Promisies that they made of education, safety and a life time experience for my child. We had a follow up with her pedeatrician, who said she was a very lucky little girl. However, she now will not walk on a side walk, or in a parking lot with moving cars unless she has a strong gripof my hand and I and between her and the moving veichle. I spent about a total of 6,000 for my daughter to come back learnig fear and that she never wants to do a people to people "adventure" again .

Sheryl of Mound, MN July 26, 2009

I am the mother of Tyler Hill who died on a People to People Student Ambassador Trip after he asked for medical help and was denied! We entered a wrongful death lawsuit. Judge Porter granted the plaintiff’s (our) motion to add a claim for punitive damages in our opinion because of clear and convincing evidence. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! You can contact your attorney general and the Better Business Bureau to get your money back. Follow the links on www.tylerhill.org Contact your state and federal congress and senate and report the wrong! Also contact the Federal Trade Commission and file a complaint! Finally, if you are from another country...contact the U S Embassy ... or Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students... www.cfses.org Don't let it happen again. You are the voice. Speak up! Speak out! My son's legacy will not die. He did not die withour purpose. Don't let it happen again! I beg you. Sheryl Hill, Ty's Proud Mom!

CAROLINA of Clarkston, GA June 22, 2009

I wrote in February 2008 concerning the practice P2P has of sending nomination letters to parents in attempts to sell them over priced travel packages by leading them to believe their child has been granted an honor. My relative bought into the hype. Of course her child had a wonderful trip and as she should have had ....@ such a price. Just this week my sister's daughter opened her own "nomination" to travel to Australia and showing us just exactly why she is in the honors program....she tossed the letter into the garbage.

Alison of Edleen, Kempton Park, South Africa May 29, 2009

Our school was contacted by this organisation out of the blue in 2008. The letter that we recieved indicated that scholarships were on offer for exceptional students to attend leadership conferences. My daughter was chosen to apply, and we went ahead with all the paperwork, thinking we were applying for a scholarship. When the first lot of documents arrived, no mention was made of a scholarship, only of a first payment of 300 that we had to send with our application. This is a large amount of money for a South African family, so I queried P2P about the scholarship. They replied that once they'd recieved the first payment, we would get our application for scholarship and we could submit it to them.

I made the payment, and eventually recieved the application, only to find that I had to make yet another payment of 300 as the scholarship winners would only be announced in March 2009. I checked out their website, and they advertised 3 scholarships available for the forum my daughter had chosen, so we applied and paid the 300.

Needless to say, she did not recieve a scholarship. P2P only awarded a total of 3 (they advertised 12 on their website) and only 1 was to an international student. I immediately enquired about withdrawal, and was advised that should I withdraw before 30 March 2009, I would receive my full 600 back, less 90 admin fee. I withdrew her the next day, 20 March 2009 and requested that the 510 be paid back into my credit card as their withdrawal rules stated that if all payments had been made from a single card, then that card would be credited. I received a confirmation of withdrawal on 26 March 2009 and was advised to expect my money to be credited within 21 business days.

After waiting 38 business days, I enquired again. I was advised that a check has been posted in the amount of 420, 180 less than I'd paid. I queried them immediately, and I quote: "Firstly, I was advised that my credit card would be credited with the amount as I used it to make the payments and that is what I want done. As you can see below, that is what I requested. The postal system in the country is highly unsafe, and there is almost no chance that I will ever receive the check.

Secondly, the amount is incorrect. I paid an amount of USD600. I withdrew well before the 120 day deadline and was supposed to have only lost USD90 registration fee. Why then is the check only made out for USD420? This means that I've been penalised USD180 (2 x registration fees) and this is incorrect. Please revert urgently." The response I recieved today was that they were issuing another check for 420 and would post it shortly! On 20 March when I withdrew, the was trading at 9.25 to the South African Rand so 510 was equal to R4717,50. Today the is trading at 7.80 which means my 510 is now only worth R3978 and I have lost R739 due to P2P incompetence, not to mention the short-payment of 90 on the check which I have not as yet received.

colleen of riverhead, NY May 26, 2009

It is hard to believe that this organization is supposedly endorsed by a descendent of Dwight Eisenhower. I am horrified by the treatment our family has received. We signed up for my daughter to go on the European trip about six months ago. We paid over 2000 and assumed final payment could be made closer to the trip. We attended all of the delegation meetings including a service project. Approximately two weeks ago, the delegation leader called to tell me my daughter was taken off the roster.

When I called to find out what was going on, a Spokane representative told me that my daughter was withdrawn from the program due to non-payment. When I told her I didn't receive notice that payment had to be made and that I could payoff the balance now, she was completely non-committal and told me that I would hear something within three days.

They called me several days later and told me they were still working on reinstating my daughter because the delegation was now full. I asked that they figure it out as soon as possible so i can make arrangements. They have since been extremely nasty and make up bogus reasons for not being able to reinstate her.

Last conversation today was that the hotels were full. When I asked which hotels the delegation was staying at, the customer service rep could not answer me. To top it all off, they are saying that I will not receive my 2,000 back even though they are over booked because "she was withdrawn for non-payment." I repeated that I want to pay but you won't let me. She just kept repeating the same sentence over and over again.

I cannot believe the distress this is causing my family yet the People to People organization show no remorse for their treatment. It almost seems like a setup. They take as much money as they can from you, overbook and then tell people they can't have their money back. Something must be done to stop this organization and their business practices.

Anthony of Flemington, NJ May 20, 2009

Placed 400.00 deposit on trip, intending to pay the full payment balance by check within 45 days of departure. THe program requires full payment by 30 days prior to departure. An additional check was sent in the amount of 2000.00. On the date that this 2000.00 check was received at the P2P office, I receive a notice that my daughter was withdrawn from the program. I asked about resolving the issue; was told that as long as I paid in full, no problem. I questioned the issue and was advised that full reinstatement would be made if full payment was received by May 20. Needless to say, P2P cashed a check in excess of 3500 for final payment. Conversation took place about May 12, 2009. Multiple other conversations ensued to assure full reinstatement. Comments from "no problem,, we rec'd your payment, its in the works etc were received. Today - I was advised that my daughter cannot be reinstated because " the delegations were overbooked." When asked what would have been done if full payments were received on time - there was no response. I just advised P2P that I will be filing suit in NJ court seeking damages.

Deborah of Fayetteville, AR May 18, 2009

My children, twins, were invited to some world leadership forum for 5th-8th grades in Washington, D.C.. One problem, my son and daughter are 8 1/2 and are going into 3rd grade. Who are these people and how do I get my children off their very misinformed list? They even spelled my son's last name wrong. I have the letters & invites if you want them. Thanks. None. I confiscated them before my children saw them and could get excited. How misleading!

Susan of Moorestown, NJ May 13, 2009

I am interested in updating you re: my complaint. Today, I tried calling People-to-People again and repeated my complaint to a different agent, who was very tactful and responsive. She promised to investigate and returned my call promptly. I was told which department would be handling my situation, and also that I could expect satisfaction: either reinstatement on the trip, or refund of my money (since I technically did not withdraw). This agent treated the situation as a misunderstanding and miscommunication, which went very far with me -- I consider this later response to be reasonable. I am hopeful that this agent is correct, and that future interactions with this company will be satisfactory. I appreciate your site and your mission; however, it looks like there may be no reason to publish my story at this time. Please stand by and I will certainly notify you if the situation is not resolved soon. Thank you!

Susan of Moorestown, NJ May 12, 2009

Placed 400.00 deposit on trip, intending to charge the full payment balance on my credit card closer to departure date (8 months later). Days before I went to place the full payment, I was told that my daughter was no longer on the trip and that I was entitled to no refund (although I was originally told verbally by the company that I would be able to obtain a full refund minus a fee of less than 100.00). I asked about resolving the issue; was told that as long as I paid in full, no problem. I asked by what date, because that was always my plan, and I was told 30 days before departure (which would put the due date in late June. Conversation took place about May 6, 2009).

I asked for confirmation (since I am now being told that any money they received from me is non-refundable) and was promised a confirmation phone call wthing 72 hours, max. No return call. Have come to assume that they overbooked the trip, since they have kicked several customers out, all with no refund, no phone call, no warning, no email, no letter. I am aware of no such clause in any agreement signed by me which would allow them to do that, and I believe that this is fraudulent, immoral, unethical, and predatory.

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