This is Awkward..... With tight on spending, I've been invited to Mainland Europe!?!?

[Isaacg]

Hi Guys!

Let me tell you that this is not apart of Peter's plans for Europe. I've been invited to come to Europe on a Fixed-Itenerary schedule. I'm touring all countries of Western Europe. I've been to The UK and Ireland, and this oppurtunity may be the last in a lifetime. I admired the UK so much, I'm thinking of moving and taking University there. Back on track, there is more information about this trip on (www.studentambasadors.com). Here's my full dilemma:

I got this invitation the day before I arrived back from London, and I was typically in Cardiff, taking the M4 to London. My mom was shocked about how quick the letters were being sent. I'm apart of their special Alumus program, which allows me to visit every continent in the World, including Antarctica.The trip is going to be big $$$. My mom wants to purchase a nice Condo-Scraper unit in the city of Tampa. Its expensive too. I really want her to have the condo, and she wants me to have the trip. I told her, "I'm going to ask some good friends of mine". I thought "Oh, goodness", There are no English-speaking people in this part of town as usual, and you'll need to wave the Mexican Flag on 4th of July, eat Chalupas or Tacos, and speak Spanish. I mean its so hard to live around here, that they're forcing every student in my school to learn spanish, which I refused, as English is number one here in this country. Back to what I was saying, I thought "Maybe, I could ask the nice people on the Trainz Disscusion Board". After being sick for a week or two, almost gave up. I'm asking you guys, what should I do? I want this decision to make me and my mom happy. I think I should stay back from going, so my mother can save up on that new condo she wants(and loves).

Isaac

 

[tbob]

I got their letter in a few times telling me about going to Australia, figured it's a scam. I'm better off doing FFA Officer Exchange :hehe: . Anywho, you're better off staying, afterall, I for one would rather have a home than go on some vacation. You'll always have another chance to travel abroad as long as you work hard and do well in school, but a nice home is something that doesn't come very often.

 

[Stationbeem]

I had a similar situation when I was your age. It was a case of travelling around Egypt or a new home. It took me weeks of careful thought. In the end I went for a new home and have never looked back. Before I was made redundant last year I got the chance to go to Egypt with the company I worked for and boy did I enjoy ever second of the three months I was there. So Isaacg the choice is your's. But I would agree with tbob. You will always have a home to come back to.

 

[Lacker]

I would be really careful about this travel scheme.Often they are not what they seem.

If you did do it,and used up all the available money,your Mum may never get her Condo,as you call it. You would then feel guilty and it would take the shine off your adventure. On the other hand if your Mum was to spend the money on a nice home, this would probably make you both happy.You will always have the opportunity to travel when you are older.You might even be able to take your Mum with you,if you wanted to.

Anyway whatever you decide,I wish you all the luck with it.

Regards Bruce

 

[johnwhelan]

You could just buy Planet Earth and travel the world in front of your DVD player.

Having travelled a fair bit when I was younger I think the time that was most useful was a student exchange when I lived with another student and their family. That way you actually get to see the country and learn the customs, what I've seen recently is a group of students tearing around Canada by train, isolated from Canada going from one international chain hotel to the next as a group eating at MacDonalds. I don't think they really got to talk to anyone or see how Canada works.

Homes every time, and if your mother says travel is important just say so is a home, besides you may want to go and stay with her sometime.

Cheerio John

 

[seeseeme]

I think the general advise given here is the best for you, look after your mum and travel later. This is always a very hard choice to make though.

If you think about it I think you will find this may happen; your mum works hard to pay for your trip (this would be hard but mothers always try their best), you travel knowing that she still does not have a home and feel sad about it and then you may not enjoy your trip; then you return home and find your mum is still working hard to buy a home. After everything that is involved you end up with a situation like this; you did not enjoy you trip because mum did not have a home, when you return your mum still does not have a home, in the end you and your mum are not happy.

If your mum works hard and has a home then she will be happy, while this happens you finish you school work and help your mum to save for a home, you are both happy with this; THEN you and your mum work hard to have your trip; you have finished school, your mum has a home and then you enjoy traveling KNOWING that your mum is happy.

Family first

Craig

 

[Wessex_Electric_Nutter]

Hi Guys!

Let me tell you that this is not apart of Peter's plans for Europe. I've been invited to come to Europe on a Fixed-Itenerary schedule. I'm touring all countries of Western Europe. I've been to The UK and Ireland, and this oppurtunity may be the last in a lifetime. I admired the UK so much, I'm thinking of moving and taking University there. Back on track, there is more information about this trip on (www.studentambasadors.com).

Issacg, is it too good to be true is the first question you ask yourself? If yes, don't bother, simple.

Besides, what uni are you planning to study at?

 

[johnwhelan]

Hi Guys!

Back on track, there is more information about this trip on (www.studentambasadors.com). Here's my full dilemma:

I got this invitation the day before I arrived back from London, and I was typically in Cardiff, taking the M4 to London.

Look at the web site again very carefully, it doesn't look like a non profit organization doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. It looks designed to bring the money from innocent punters in to me but there again I'm very cynical.

Cheerio John

 

[ColPrice2002]

Dear Isaac,

I've just re-read the link you post...

Being a cynical old B£$%^&^, I notice that the website has the word "ambassador" mis-spelt (I think it's the same in American as English!).

A quick survey of Google suggests that all these schemes are run by a college - or university. Try a phone call to your college to see if they know about this scheme. A phone call may save you.

I'd also echo a number of others' comments - you take today's decision with what you know today. Hindsight is perfect, but there's no profit in looking backwards and saying "what if...". We all make good decisions and bad ones, at the end of the day the real question is "are you happy with the choices you made?"
(potted philosophy mode/off).

All the best,

Colin

 

[Isaacg]

I would be really careful about this travel scheme.Often they are not what they seem.

If you did do it,and used up all the available money,your Mum may never get her Condo,as you call it. You would then feel guilty and it would take the shine off your adventure. On the other hand if your Mum was to spend the money on a nice home, this would probably make you both happy.You will always have the opportunity to travel when you are older.You might even be able to take your Mum with you,if you wanted to.

Anyway whatever you decide,I wish you all the luck with it.

Regards Bruce

B'leve me lol. I just came back from a trip with them. Its government founded. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Hehe. I think I decided to stay home. But, I'm moving to the UK for University.

Isaac

 

[Isaacg]

Dear Isaac,

I've just re-read the link you post...

Being a cynical old B£$%^&^, I notice that the website has the word "ambassador" mis-spelt (I think it's the same in American as English!).

A quick survey of Google suggests that all these schemes are run by a college - or university. Try a phone call to your college to see if they know about this scheme. A phone call may save you.

I'd also echo a number of others' comments - you take today's decision with what you know today. Hindsight is perfect, but there's no profit in looking backwards and saying "what if...". We all make good decisions and bad ones, at the end of the day the real question is "are you happy with the choices you made?"
(potted philosophy mode/off).

All the best,

Colin

Colin,

Hehe. Its ok, it was a typo, its studentambassadors.ORG. I'm not going this time 'round just because something tells me not to.

Isaac

 

[Isaacg]

Isaacg, is it too good to be true is the first question you ask yourself? If yes, don't bother, simple.

Besides, what uni are you planning to study at?

Lol, looking at your post made me decide.....

Not sure, but I DO have some ideas and sort of choices to choose from. I'm going into the arcitecture field(mainly for trains and that sort:hehe, so I've gone to some Uni sites like, Cambridge(probably out of my league:hehe, Glasgow Uni, Cardiff Uni, and another one.

Isaac

 

[PVincent342]

with the terrible US economy , i would suggest getting a home rather than traveling the world , for all u know u can do that in the future. theres more to life than traveling but u should really go for the home. besides that does sound bad about having to learn mexican and thats good u refused. btw, u are looking at civil engineering and moving out of the US is a good idea. but my point is, family comes first and world travel is more expensive and being homeless is worse than missing out on world travel. i got an invitation too a couple of years ago and i declined because money was tight.

 

[johnwhelan]

B'leve me lol. I just came back from a trip with them. Its government founded. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Hehe. I think I decided to stay home. But, I'm moving to the UK for University.

Isaac

The UK is expensive for Universities especially living expenses. If you don't feel like US try Canada, Carlton uni has a good school of architecture and I understand Aussy is reasonably priced as well.

Cheerio John

 

[Isaacg]

with the terrible US economy , i would suggest getting a home rather than traveling the world , for all u know u can do that in the future. theres more to life than traveling but u should really go for the home. besides that does sound bad about having to learn mexican and thats good u refused. btw, u are looking at civil engineering and moving out of the US is a good idea. but my point is, family comes first and world travel is more expensive and being homeless is worse than missing out on world travel. i got an invitation too a couple of years ago and i declined because money was tight.

Yeah... lol lok above your post hehe.... I made my decision. Thanks for your insight. Yes, the US economy is ridiculously corrupt and the government IMHO is collapsing. Especially if they put a 14 year old who just came back from the UK under terrorist watch.... no I never mentioned anything, they just dragged me aside. I'll wait till I go to Uni.

Isaac

 

[Isaacg]

The UK is expensive for Universities especially living expenses. If you don't feel like US try Canada, Carlton uni has a good school of architecture and I understand Aussy is reasonably priced as well.

Cheerio John

Hehe... I've been to Canada, and my mother's been to AU. I dont like both of em, not that they do have they're pro's. They also have their con's.

Isaac

 

[7121239]

Plenty of good advice given.....isn't this a clear example of an 'off topic' and why we should have an 'off topic' section to cater for these subjects which do affect our fellow members. Forgive me, but I struggle to see where 'Trainz' comes in to things here. A dilemma right enough, but not a 'Trainz' dilemma.
I'm not being smart but trying to be constructive as we used to have the 'off topic' which was quite entertaining in many ways.

All the best,

Ian
7121239

 

[Tokkyu40]

...they're forcing every student in my school to learn spanish, which I refused...

Isaac

Tell them you want to learn to speak Mandarin.
Any time anyone asks me a question including "habla Espanol?" I politely say "Iie, zenzen shaberarenai."
With current health problems, it doesn't sound like you'll be traveling for a while anyway, and condos are on sale this year, if your mom can get good financing. I'd go for the condominium first, trip later.

Claude