Is it safe to send my 16-yr-old daughter on a school trip to Peru?

Question

Not only am I concerned about her personal safety as a young North American with blond hair and blue eyes, but I am also concerned with the quality of transportation, i.e, buses and air travel, within Peru.

Answer 1

The transportation by bus-> $#!t    The buses are so disgusting including some of the peruvians riding those buses OMG they smell absolutely digusting. Not all peruvians take showers and wash their clothes daily. I was there twice  for a total of 7 months. My husband is peruvian, my daughter 1/2 peruvian. Native of Trujillo. Friends from Camana & Cuzco

Check out some pictures.

http://zyrianna.hi5.com

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Answer 2

NOPE..NOT AT ALL....she is 16

Answer 3

Although other posters may disagree with me, I WOULD NOT send my 16 year old daughter to Peru with anyone. I do not care  if it is with her school or not.  My young, female relative (19) went to Peru on a school trip and it was a nightmare! She lived with a family and stayed with the group the entire time she was there. However, that did not do her any good.  She was drugged and raped by a TOUR GUIDE THE SCHOOL HIRED!  The school did a poor job of handling the situation and the U.S. embassy was not that helpful.  She had to come home early, receive months of counseling, and the only way she could get justice was to go back to Peru to prosecute the rapist.  

Anyone who knows anything about rape knows, the last thing a rape victim wants to do is see their rapist again. We fought tirelessly to get her justice in other ways, no lawyers would touch it because the school was a "state entity" meaning they have immunity from being sued and there was no other legal recourse that could be taken because it happened in Peru.  

I know my story is a worst case scenario, but I am telling you so you have another person's perspective.  If you do decide to send her, I would make sure you have copies of her schedule, airline reservations, passport, phone numbers, and get her a cell phone that will work in Peru! You probably just need to call your cell phone provider and tell them you want worldwide service. I would also go to the organizer of the trip and have a face-to-face conversation with him/her about the trip. Ask them the following questions: (1) How long have you been taking students to Peru? (2) Have you ever had any problems with students while away? (3) What is your plan in the event of an emergency? (4) Where will students stay? (5) Do you hire tour guides? and so on.  Answers to these questions should help you make your decision.  Best of luck to you! I hope this information helps you. I do not want to scare you, but feel you should know that unfortunate things do happen on school trips.

Answer 4

I went to Peru when I was 16 and it was one of the best experiences of my life!! I traveled to machu picchu while I was there in which I had to fly, take a bus, and a train! I definitely do not regret going.... people in Peru are very friendly people... the country is really beautiful... so many things to do and see... besides, if she is going with her school she will be fine... I went only with my best friend who is from peru and I was still safe... as long as she is not alone, she will be fine... don't let her miss out on this great opportunity!! she will learn a lot from it...

Answer 5

(read all please. ignore the big letters until you get there. it's important that you read everything i wrote.)

    well, that depends. if you trust your daughter enough then maybe go for it. but just to be safe try and see if you can be a parent chaperone for the trip. and if not keep in contact with your daughter. at that age especially with all the crazy people in the world you'd have to be very careful. me personally, i wouldn't send my 16 year old down there. and especially not it being a girl. girls are more likely to have something happen to them. if you can maybe see if a close relative maybe could fly down there and take care of her while she's down there. because it's a school trip there will be lots of kids and not enough chaperones so kids might be tempted to do something wild. kids do the craziest things. especially teenagers. so see what you can do and if all else fails then DON'T SEND HER! it could be dangerous. well, hope i helped.

thank you for your time! :) :) :)

Answer 6

As it is a school trip she should be okay. Make sure she is warned about sticking with the group. My younger brother has travelled extensively throughout S. America and never had a problem. Yes people travel with livestock on buses and schedules aren't necessarily kept but one must just role with the punches. What an experience for her to see a different country and culture.

Answer 7

I  would  nt  chance it, our  world  peace  situation is  shaky. ASK  for  a  group  parent  meeting  about  details  and  situations. Others  may have  concerns  also.    I am  amazed  at  schools that do this.  There  are  wonderful in the  US  things  to do.  *mamatx

Answer 8

yeah. should be fine.

Answer 9

Peru is a very cool country to be in, I went there a few years ago with my family when I was 10. Like ANY country, there are risks. But that's just like getting your purse stolen, so I would suggest her not having anything super valuable in view, but I would do that for any country, just to be safe. The busses are always full, so I would suggest just sticking with her group and using the local ones instead of the non-company ones. (Some people just get a van and call it a "bus" and can be

small with alot of people in it.)

She will have an AWESOME time!!! Just take normal precautions like you would here in the US.

P.S. She has GOT to try all the best foods they have there! Its delicious!

***And for your information Miss D Jade, peruvians aren't DISGUSTING and the poor people can't afford to always shower. I don't like to argue I'm just making a point. And people who take the american busses would also know that they don't smell like a basket of flowers either.

AGAIN just making a point.  Peace people.

Answer 10

Yeah, its fine down here.  Don't worry about it at all.

Answer 11

yeah is safe shes goin wit da skool

Answer 12

DOn't worry, she'll be in the tourist areas with all the other gringos.

Answer 13

I've never been but my cousin went on a trip there a couple summers ago and she had a great time.  I went on a trip to Europe for a month at 16 without my parents and I was fine.  It will be good for her and will help her be more independent.  Plus if it's a school trip I'm sure she will be looked after.

Answer 14

Blonde hair and blue eyes is not an issue.  Peruvian men are pretty respectful to tourists because their economy largely depends on tourism.

Your daughter will probably be fine since she's on a school trip and there should be adults around to make good decisions for her.  She still needs to be warned not to drink, how to watch for date rape drugs, why you don't sleep with strange men in foreign countries, and how to act as a tourist.  These are things a mom should nag about even if their child is 26 and not 16.

Quality of transportation in Peru can be an issue.  I went to Peu as a 24 year old female by myself.  There was a transportation strike while I was there and things got downright dangerous for a while.  However, strikes in Peru go as soon as they come and, had I had the financial ability to just sit still and not keep moving, I wouldn't have worried much at all.

Bottom line, your daughter will probably resent you if you don't let her go.  So teach her the right way to behave and you'll probably both end up okay.