HELP AMERICA (updates)

  • Thread starter Thread starter BagDiva
  • Start date Start date
B

BagDiva

Guest
America Sara needs YOU!

l really dont know what you have done to deserve this, both good and bad, but my daughter Susannah 15yrs, is flying to you on wednesday with 40 other school students and teachers....ostensibly this is a school trip, educational. Well that would have been the intention, they are flying into Boston, then driving 3hrs to stay with a school instate for a few days, then off to the Hyannis Port hotel for the rest, with trips to whales? Martha's vineyard planned, shopping and more shopping, oh and the Holocaust museum....

She seems to be packing everything including the kitchen sink...and as l am not up to supervise, l am getting very angsy. she has a new huge case, which l have urged her to leave 2/3rds empty to fill with the fruits of her trip. she isnt aware of just what will be there to tempt her, shopping wise.
The fact that l have lived in the states on two separate occasions, attended school and visited it often since the 60's is of no interest or help. Ok allowing for the fact that she is 15 yrs old/currently a bit of a pain/doesnt think l know anything about anything, and am sitting in bed unhelpfully at a key time in her young life, sends all the wrong messages, and l need some pointers...

As the family who are her home stay, have not yet replied to her five emails she has sent in the last 10 days, she is getting more uptight than is usual, coupled by the fact that she has never flown before she is probaby more nervous than excited.....

she WONT take a coat..she is convinced it will be warm...well america just is isnt it.??....l've told her this time of year it could be mild one day then snowing the next....so l said buy a coat when there if you need one, l would have thought the family would have spoken to us by now...a shame and then they could help out here, with reassurance ...

she wants to bring straighteners.. l've said..they wont be as judgemental on your fashion choices as your fellow school mates are , as they will be more charmed by your accent and the novelty of the situation...so then she needs adapters yeah?? and then there's a hairdryer ..well every family has those....and her homestay has two boys, 15 and 18 yrs.....well p.le.a.s.e.

oh and can she buy batteries for her uk camera there? we call them AA size...l cant remember about batteries..she wants to take all the rechargeable ones AND the effing charger...
she is taking her shopper purse with her, which is covered is badges/pins and safety pins, l've told her unless she packs that in her luggage in the hold, it will be taken from her and destroyed, 'they wouldnt dare' HUH DUH!....she is a bright, vibrant, mid cycle teen....are you ready??

this is beginning to make me harrassed...its bad enough being in bed, they arent being quiet, its sunny outside, easter sunday...and wondering what colour the washing will turn out...what will david dream up for their meals today...this is novel but excruciating to listen to...as l type Susannah is huffing and puffing in her room next door...
can anyone calm me/her down?

sorry for posting mostly self centred posts since my return, but l'm at a bit of a loose end, not being a conducive place to sleep let alone be ill....l prefer to be with you lot!, my friends!
 
Its been unusually cold this week.... Needed a coat...Bring an adapter.... Every one does have a blow dryer... If not buy a cheap on and leave it.... Dont over pack....

Dont pack any liquids be aware of the baggage weight limit.... Since 9/11 there are so many regulations at the airport...

Tell her it will be fun.... Martha's vinyard is gret!

-Chris
 
IT IS COLD!!! It will be even colder on the water.

She MUST pack some fleecy things, and also a coat that will block the wind.

Here is our govt weather site. Click on the maps for closer looks.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

And yes, everyone does have hairdryers, but they can be bought here for around $5, that would be cheaper than an adapter. We have AA batteries, but I'm not sure they are the same. I'd just pack extras, and not fool with the charger.
 
Yes, it is very cold here but I think it will be warming up the first of the week. Very bad time to come since you just don't know quite what to wear this time of the year.

(BTW, our furnace broke yesterday morning and we are freezing, even with running every type of electrical heater we can find.)

Hair dryers, curling irons, etc, can be purchased very cheaply here at the dollar store. Just tell her to buy them here and leave them, if necessary.

Do you have some of those plastic bags that you can squeeze all the air out of? That is what Brandon used when he flew to the UK last year.
 
She is going to be the one lugging her suitcase everywhere...so she should definitely keep that in mind. Pack light clothing that can be layered! Everyone has already given great advise. How exciting for her (although nerve wracking for you)!!
 
I have no advice. I have no kids.

Intentionally. :headbang:

Now you know why!!! :hysterical:

Um.... I suggest earplugs and some valium - for you of course. :P

Janine
 
I live in New England and will be moving back to Massachusetts/Boston area this week for the summer. It is unseasonably cold right now. She needs a coat and. In fact, I think midweek are talking about more snow!! If she is inland for a few days then she most likely will be in a colder zone so maybe gloves and a hat would be wise. She won't regret it.
There will be lots of fun stories when she gets back....
-Lorinda
 
well its quite usual here, and as l travelled on my own at 13 too...

but l was alone, alone... she is with 44 school friends...of course l wish l was going with her on her maiden flight...but my son is off to ireland too with his dad by plane and l cant cut myself in two..plus l wasnt invited...and as fate would have it that l couldnt go as l'm in bed with flu...the bug...just in case there is a man named...

thanks for all your help....
 
I'm so sorry your not feeling well! I hope you get to feeling better soon. I think you are right to not have your daughter carry on the bag with all the safety pins and things. Have here check it in her luggage. Also, make sure she doesn't have any liquid type things in her carry on - no hairspray, lotion, perfume etc.... They will take it and throw it out.
Good luck!
Carrie
 
Hey Sara,
Oh you are bringing back memories! I travelled to Wisconsin on my own when I had just turned 17 and I took more than my weight in luggage!!! Two massive holdalls, a camera bag with 1 small digital camera, a video camera (along with everything that goes with it) an SLR, batteries, smart media cards, an adapter and 35mm films, a metal vanity case with enough make-up etc for Bobbi Brown in it (oh how airport security loved that, the X-Ray machines can't see through it so it was always opened, that said the guys did get a laugh with the amount of make-up in it) and a big travel bag full of documents etc. The last three I look on board with me - you couldn't do that nowadays. When I got off I had to catch a bus (alone) from Chicago O'Hare to Milwaukee airport and then wait for my host family to pick me up to take me to New Berlin.

That was June of 2001 and I am glad I got a chance to travel before it all got so complicated ... but enough of my rambling on. I am sure your daughter will have a great time, plus she will have all her school friends with her too. Oh yes and I know I had a point of sorts to make ... it was a while ago now so don't quote me 100% on this, but I had no trouble getting batteries for my (various!) cameras when I was there and they were very cheap too.

Anyway I hope your daughter has a great time (I wish my school had trips like that, best we got was the Tayto factory in Tandragee - 20 mins down the road - when I was there, when I went to the States it was on the Lion's Exchange) and that you don't worry too much, I know my parents called me every day when I was away both that year and the next year when I was in Switzerland.


Emma.
 
Sara -

Your daughter will have a wonderful trip. Anything she needs that she hasn't brought with her (including AA batteries and maybe a very warm fleece jacket) will be easy to get, and cheaper than at home :) She'll be fine. You'll be fine.

I first traveled to Europe with friends when I was 15 too, and almost every summer through the rest of the late 70's. We didn't have cell phones, there was no internet - we just tried to call home once a week - or immediately if we were in a country where a terrorist attack had just occured (Italy, Ireland) because our families rarely knew exactly where we were, only in which country. Sara, think back --- like my parents, yours gave you a kiss, told you to be careful, to have fun and said "Cheers!" Well, mine said "'Bye!" but you know what I mean :D

I bet if you can find a way to be a little less anxious about her impending departure your daughter will relax, too. Yeah, I know, easy for me to say-- and funny too (like I'm so good at just 'making myself less anxious'!):hysterical:

See if you can get her to ditch the huge suitcase though... even if it has wheels. It's such a drag (no pun intended) not to be able to EASILY carry your bags when boarding ships , etc. and stuff she buys here for her Mum & family she should just pack in boxes and mail home as she goes along :horny:

Those are all my Travel Tips for Teens and their Worried P's for tonight :D

Carolyn
 
thanks for so much help here..l'm trying to pass on all your tips....l DO think the bag is TOO big...and that she is taking TOO much and that she can buy what she needs for pennies there...but she and her daddy know best...!!!

Lying here is very frustrating as they arent really coming in to me...cos they dont want to catch any germs b4 they go...so l'm stumped at all corners... l just popped downstairs in a wobbly fashion dying for a cup of tea and shouted at to go away...so here l'm to stay...kinda looking forward for them all to leave on their various trips now...as l seem to be athorn in their side. Who'd be a mum eh?
 
oh ((Sara)) hope you are feeling better by now

i have no children either, so i'm not much help w/suggestions, everyone else has SUCH terrific advice here anyway!!

but just wanted to say i'm sure she'll be fine and have a WONderful adventure, and you will be fine, too. thank heaven's for cell phones and american consumerism/low prices...

sometimes an empty house can be soothing in its own quiet way, too. enjoy your alone-time while you have it, and know your home will be full of noise again soon when everyone returns!!

i WOULD be annoyed at her family-to-be that they're not replying to emails, tho :mad:
 
Hi Sara,
She will be fine and she will have a ball. No matter what she packs! My middle son won a scholarship to spend his entire junior year of high school in Germany. We were clueless about what he should bring but everything worked out just great. I was a total wreck having him so far away. He had such a wonderful experience though and it opened so many doors.

Ask her to call you a couple times just so you can hear her voice, she can reverse the charges. It will be expensive but worth it.

=============
Melody
 
Would she listen better to someone other than Mom? If so, why don't you have her email directly to one of us? I will volunteer, I went to France at age 16 and can offer lots of packing advice. (I took WAY too much!)

I agree with all of the above -- don't overburden with stuff, if she is staying with a host family the thing to do is pack less rather than more, she can always do some laundry. And it's much more fun to buy some T-shirts and other clothes while traveling both to wear and to have as souvenirs when she gets back home. If she's worried about not being fashionable enough, she can see what the kids here are wearing and then SHOP! (Actually she won't worry about this after about the first hour of the trip, but don't try to tell her that.... ) --Cheri
 
great thoughts cheri and melody thanks..

l have gotten her to read most of these, but not mine..moaning mum!!

and she just has defuzzed her legs , go figure its cold and april..and she wont take a coat..l told her to take hers and dump it if she wants and buy another.. cor.. l'd NOt be 15 again..for all the tea in china, but then l woudnt be 48 again either ...

l'm trying to get her to go to bed.....she cant eat or sleep..and has to be up at 4am..and its nearly 11pm now...
she may email you when she come sup l'll give her some addresses....she arrives in 'Berlin'? and er 'gherling?' bets go check that doesnt sound right... new hamps at about 4am thursday which is about 8pm your time..

thanks and night all...
 
hello everyne,
susannah has been txting me since she arrived...she has met her homestay family and tells me they rock!! she just txtd to say she is shopping, already!!! her mothers daughter....!!

my mantra currently being...'you mean shopping for more useless Crap isnt the meaning of life??'

she bought pair of jeans ofr $19.99 and is so suprised, maybe she will listen to me now?? wrong? god l wish l was there...spying on her...its so fantastic....
 
wow how fun! I love Martha's Vineyard we stay there every year (but in the summer)
I hope she took a coat because I wear jackets and sweaters on the island in August...but I am a California wimp :BAGUSE:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top