People to People International Student Travel Programs

Our daughter went on the Spanish Immersion Program this past summer and I can't even begin to express how wonderful the program is and all the people that run it. Sue and Carly were so great about answering all my questions leading up to the trip, including setting my mind at ease about sending my child so far away! Seeing our daughter experience all that she did throughout the month was incredible.

People to People Student Travel is an amazing program for middle and high school students who want to "travel with purpose". On a typical program students explore the history and culture of a country, interact with local families, participate in service projects, engage in adventure activities and so much more. The days are full and all travel expenses and meals are covered, there are no hidden costs.

As both a teacher-leader and as the parent of 3 former PTP student travelers, I have personally experienced this wonderful program from both viewpoints. The itineraries are action-packed, melding the best of city, town and countryside, from meetings with city officials to Ambassadors and Members of Parliament, from rappelling down European Castles to snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef to strolling the Great Wall of China.

Going on a People to People trip was the best experience of my life. I was able to visit so many beautiful places. I tried so many new foods and I loved it! It was a surreal experience and I could not believe where I was. Everyday was filled with so much fun and adventure. The best part was the people I was able to meet. I made friends that I still talk to. I met people who made my experience a million times better. We all became like a family in such a short time. From the very start everyone was so kind! The chaperones are also amazing. They were always on top of things, constantly watching out for the kids, and always helping us whenever we needed anything. They did so much for us. Overall, I would not trade this experience for anything in the world. I will cherish those spectacular memories for the rest of my life :).

Both my children have taken the trip. My then 12-year old daughter went in 2015 and I liked the way it was ran. They chose my daughter and I did not even know anything like this existed. My son, most recently, did it last summer. I wanted him to do Tale of Two Cities, just like his sister did, and halfway through the program, I find out that he would have to fly by himself from California all the way to New York, and he's only 11 at that time. So, I said, “Okay, let’s go ahead and change.” We changed to the Irish Culture. Halfway through that, I find out again that he would have to fly by himself. There was a little bit of decline in communication with program coordinators and me as the parent. So, I had to change a third time.

People to People Student Travel is a wonderful hands-on, minds-on experience. Students get to experience other cultures and interact with students while traveling. People to People is a SAFE, FUN adventure. The pre-travel webinars cover everything from specific itineraries, to dining etiquette, to doing laundry while abroad. Leaders are background checked, CPR certified, First Aid certified and trained. Students return from a People to People program with their horizon broadened, their outlook changed and friends for life!

Back when my daughter was in fifth grade, People to People International Student Travel Programs had sent letters. We had gotten a letter in the mail and it said that they were People to People and that they do international travel and that it’s part of an educational program. It gave us a little description and then they offered a presentation where you went into an auditorium in Southern Maryland. We went and they had a big presentation and talked more about the trips that we were interested in. Then we signed up from there.

My daughter chose the Australia Odyssey program. Her older sister and her cousin both went on People to People Australia, so she thought she had to. It’s better to do it when you’re young. The program is good, but, seven years ago, I was more impressed with my older daughter. The other one had a little different housing and there were three days more

People to People has been a part of my life for 14 years. As a world language educator, there is no better educational experience for students than being immersed in language and culture. People to People offers this and so much more. I was a leader in the inaugural Spanish Immersion program during the summer of 2019. Students were completely immersed in the Spanish language and culture for 30-days. They came back more confident, self-reliant, responsible young people with a greater appreciation of the Spanish way of life. They also improved their Spanish tremendously through interaction with locals, experiencing a week-long homestay, and getting 30-hours of Spanish language instruction at an international school. This program changes lives and opens doors to experiences students cannot get inside of a traditional classroom. The friendship and bond the students create during a People to People itinerary really does last a lifetime!

I absolutely loved the trip I had the honor to be on in July of 2019 to Costa Rica. We helped, donated and were educated on so many amazing and definitely time and energy worthy causes that can save and change lives. Getting the opportunity to not only help, but meet the people we were helping will stay with me for the rest of my life. Community service is something I truly love to do, so the fact that I can combine community service with traveling around the world with an amazing organization surrounded by wonderful people is nearly surreal.

My daughter was on the Celtic Cultures. She went to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and London. The destination was interesting to her, a little different, and a little bit off the beaten path, which to me was an interesting itinerary too. My other children have gone on People to People, so I was very familiar with this company. I've seen other programs, and the quality is high. The cost is high but it’s worth money, and it includes a lot. It was an extraordinary opportunity for her. She built wonderful friendships and she got to see behind-the-scenes in each country. It was great experience.

Both my daughters, they’re twins, chose the European Odyssey Program from People to People. For their age, I felt that Europe was something that they can relate to. So, we sat and we went through every itinerary there was. And I was pleasantly surprised with the choice they made. They said they wanted to see Paris and wanted to visit the Louvre, and work with the artists, and do the Murano glass class. And so, that narrows it down and I thought it was a great choice. They spent a few days in New York, then Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome. They had a homestay visit in Italy, and ended up a few places in Greece, Athens, and then returned home.

My son got a letter from People to People the year before, and I have friends whose children went on the trips. My daughter then went on the Celtic trip in the summer. She had the most fun with the very active activities that required the most activity like the white-water rafting and rappelling. She is definitely more of an activities person rather than a sit-and-listen-to-somebody-lecture. She also enjoyed learning some industry and making friends. That destination was one of the two near in our region and she felt more comfortable because everybody spoke English. She saw a lot, which was a plus for her. She has expressed interest in going again on another trip like to Eastern Europe in the Balkans.

I have just returned from a 20-day trip across Europe...my 13th trip as a teacher leader with the People to People International Student Travel program. Since my first trip back in 2004 to Western Canada with People to People, I have traveled again and again as a teacher leader with this program. Having also traveled with a competitor, I can tell you that PTP is a cut above the rest. The behind-the-scenes access at every turn opens the eyes of our students to a world beyond their own hometown. I have learned alongside students as we've made cheese in Switzerland, brick oven pizza in Italy, hand-turned wooden clogs in The Netherlands and cooked paella in Spain. We have camped in teepees in Canada, gone white water rafting in the Swiss Alps, rappelled off a tower in Italy, held koalas in Australia and survived a ropes course in Austria.

I traveled with People to People as a student, and now I am a leader with this amazing company. I traveled with them when I was 13 years old, and it changed my life. I grew up in a very small town, and I had never been to summer camp, or flown, and my parents sent me all the way to the South Pacific! While we had always done summer vacations as a family, international travel changed me and made me grow in ways I never imagined. I came back much more outgoing, confident, and independent. I started high school that fall at a large regional high school, and it was nowhere near as daunting as it would have been had I not done the program.

I have traveled with People to People International both as a former student ambassador and now, as a leader. I have led trips for 5 years, spanning 20+ countries. Each trip is well-planned, engaging, immersive, and fun! Students participate in pre-travel preparation activities geared to get them ready for travel. Once we are on program, students participate in a variety of activities! From taking surfing lessons in Australia, to meeting a former member of Parliament in England, these trips are amazing!

Travel with purpose - the motto says everything! The People to People Student Travel Program is educational, behind the scenes experiences and FUN! I cannot say enough about it. From the leader training, to the student training, to the itinerary, to the program support while abroad, and the experiences we were able to have while abroad! We met international students - spent time with them, met a former MP in London for a discussion, sampled international cuisine, had an art lesson and a cooking lesson in Paris, learned to sail and windsurf, and so much more! This is a unique, and quality program. It is not enough in the modern world to sit behind a computer and watch a video - true learning and understanding comes from experiencing the world. The People to People program does exactly that. To sum it up, I took a group of strangers abroad and brought home a family. That is worth more than anything.

I have been traveling with People to People Student Travel for over 25 years. The experiences students are life changing! They are actually able to experience other cultures and have an understanding of how other people live. It is our goal to promote Peace Through Understanding. I have seen incredible growth of my students after traveling on one of our amazing programs! Travel is truly the only thing you can buy that makes you richer!