<p>We had all these same concerns and questions several years ago when my daughter received an invitation. After careful research we allowed her to participate in a 3 week tour of Europe and it was truly an amazing adventure for her. She had a great time on the trip and met some wonderful friends. She then came home, created a powerpoint presentation and presented it to 3-4 civic clubs, church group, etc. So not only was the trip a great experience, but the public speaking experience that followed has really helped my D develop into a confident young woman. While the trip was certainly not inexpensive, it was worth every penny for what my D gained from it. However, not every student would have this same experience.</p>