<p>We have taken our kids (all either graduated from or in college) on a couple European trips and 2 of the 3 have done short-term study abroad. You don’t say if either girl has ever been before. While I am all for travel abroad, personally, I think 18 is too young for a “non-chaperoned” trip, but as you have already agreed, you need to make sure they are safe and well-prepared- with “homework” before they leave- reading, itinerary planning etc. as well as being prepared for all sorts of emergencies. Not to scare you or anything, but I would recommend you watch, with them, the film “Taken”, staring Liam Neeson. It will stress to them, perhaps in a way that a parent can’t, the importance of not being overly friendly and trusting, as well as how important common sense (and everything you have been telling her for 18 years) is.
[Taken</a> (2008/I)](<a href=“http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/]Taken”>Taken (2008) - IMDb)</p>
<p>I went to study in the UK on my own when I was 18 and my parents lived in Australia. I’ve never been a victim of cime here. I have “lost” (no idea if it was lost or stolen) my wallet on the Paris metro. An inconvenience but not the end of the world.</p>
<p>Petty crime in Europe = pickpocketting. In the US it’s the same with the added bonus that you might get shot 
When it comes to violence the US wins hands down.</p>
<p>It is probably more dangerous in New York City or another large American city than in London or Paris. I can’t imagine the need to spread hysteria, or to make people think that terrible things can’t happen here—only on “foreign” soil. That is insane and totally untrue. There is plenty of sex-trafficking, right here in the good ol’ US of A. </p>
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<p>And the US is much more violent, with people wandering the streets carrying handguns.</p>
<p>If people don’t want to send 18 year olds off alone to Europe, that’s one thing. But let’s not become hysterical and act like ogling sex creeps are out to kidnap every sweet little American girl traveling abroad in Western Europe. If we were talking about Central America or Thailand, that might be something different, but that movie “Taken” was pretty sensationalized and full of ugly stereotypes.</p>
<p>There are a lot of international students in the US, and they are perfectly safe here also, they don’t get shot.</p>
<p>We travel once or twice a year outside of US as a family. Because of what we have seen and experienced, I wouldn’t let a new high school graduate travel overseas by herself.</p>
<p>Unless they happened to have been the victim of the latest round of college shootings…those perpetrators didn’t single out American or international students per se, so the internationals weren’t any safer than anyone else. </p>
<p>There is far more gun violence in the US to contend with, and parents of internationals do have to consider this fact before sending their kids to university here.</p>
<p>I am a scaredy-cat so I would not let my 18 year old go overseas with a friend at that age…they have the rest of their lives to see Europe or the rest of the world. Having seen the movie “Taken”. I can see a scenario happening in real life ocurring exactly as depicted in that movie. Young people are very trusting, especially of other young people and especially if they are in unfamiliar territory…and they are an easy mark. That is just my opinion though.</p>
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<p>From the OP: </p>
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<p>OP, I was waiting to see if soozievt would chime in here, but she hasn’t, so I would highly suggest you contact her via email (don’t PM her because her box is always full). Both of her daughters have done extensive travel abroad, by themselves, no traveling companion with them. In fact, if you do a search of her posts and travel, you might find some info.</p>
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<p>As far as I can tell the gut-totting psychos who frequently visit US campuses are equal opprotuinity killers and happily shoot anyone, US and international student alike.</p>
<p>In terms of violent crime, the chances of being a victim are tiny in Europe compared to gun-happy USA. You are used to it so it seems normal to you, but it#s horrfying to non-Americans.</p>
<p>Here are some stats. You are 4x more likely to be murdered in the US than in the UK or France (I would suspect the totaly amount of crimer in general is similar. But like I said, in Europe you lose your wallet, in the US you lose your life).</p>
<p>[Murders</a> (per capita) statistics - countries compared - NationMaster](<a href=“http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita]Murders”>Countries Compared by Crime > Murders > Per capita. International Statistics at NationMaster.com)</p>
<p>I think the point here is that the girls will be in a FOREIGN country, not that the particular country is safer or less safe than an American city. If the girls end up in the extremely unfortunate situation of being the victim an accident, crime or other emergency, there may be an entirely different and more complicated resolution to the problem and at the age of 18, these girls may not be prepared to handle it.</p>
<p>if they are going to do the museum / tourist thing they will probably be fine. If they are going to do the party thing, they are asking for trouble, IMO.</p>
<p>I agree with those who advised that the girls wait a year or two. </p>
<p>Last time I visited UK was some long years ago, so can’t comment on that. Paris, however, is another story. I travelled with my teen daughter (who’s now 18) extensively throughout Europe, Middle East, and Asia- Paris struck me as the least safe city. The number of older guys staring at, and showing relentless interest in young women is simply amazing. This is in general and in broad daylight. Imagine how it could be like in clubs and night joints. I’m sure all of this can and does happen at home, but like what the others alluded to, it’s different when young people are in a foreign territory, not clear about the rules of the game, and can’t detect signs of danger. </p>
<p>My daughter adores Paris, I pray that we don’t have the ‘going to Paris alone’ conversation any time soon. </p>
<p>Just my opinion.</p>
<p>As someone who came to the US at 17, I am amazed at the protectiveness shown here. In my freshman year, I went to NYC and got my wallet picked while trying to pay for my bus fare. I went back to Paris after freshman year. The worst that happened to me was someone fondling me in the metro. Disgusting? Yes. Dangerous? No. Much less of a problem than having my wallet stolen in NYC.
My French nieces are always amazed at how protective American parents are of their children. One of them had hitchhiked with another girl friend at 17 all over Corsica (I was more concerned about bombs than about their being kidnapped) just before coming to us and took very unkindly my demand that she come home by taxi if she was going to be out in the evening instead of walking as she was used to do in Paris.
If you can’t trust you daughter not to get into some dangerous parties in Paris or London, you can’t trust them to attend college in the US. Heard of binge drinking? Or party school?</p>
<p>These girls are not into clubbing, so I think their intention is to take in museums, tours and (of course!!) shopping. Last night my husband and I were analyzing our reaction to the whole proposal. The girls want to do this instead of “Beach Week”. The tradition of many high school seniors in the DC area is to head to Ocean City, MD right after graduation. Unfortunately lots of these kids engage in partying and underage drinking and must face the consequent arrests, accidents, and just plain stupidity. It is hard to resist that behavior even if you are not a drinker when you are surrounded by it.</p>
<p>My husband and I felt these girls would be safer and happier touring London or Paris! But we are still thinking about the trip. We might propose that the girls stick to one city, preferably London where they speak the language.</p>
<p>Compared to beech weak (I am from your area:)-yuck) this is a great plan. I agree with the idea to spend some time in London first and perhaps they would like to see other areas of the UK as well? They could do a short trip to Paris at the end of the trip once they have gotten used to being an independent traveler and can navigate the hostels and such. My daughter is 17 and I would let her do something like this this summer if she had the money. At 18 I traveled in Europe on my own (without a friend) - it was a great learning experience and I am grateful my parents never objected.</p>
<p>I consider myself a protective parent and my kids had a pretty short leash until they left for college, let alone grew up in a rural area. Nonetheless, I am pretty surprised by the reactions on this thread. As a parent, I have learned to let go and even if I am nervous, I have not held the kids back from doing these sorts of things once they were out of high school. It was me who had to adjust. While I might be nervous about letting my new HS graduate go to Europe with a friend, I am pretty sure I would say OK, particularly if I knew them to be very responsible types, and they had a cell phone that worked there and had planned out details of the trip ahead of time and I knew where they were staying and they checked in as they moved from one location to another and so on. I really think that once kids get beyond HS, a parent needs to start letting go and letting them do more and more independently. It is an adjustment as a parent, I must admit, to let kids do things they were not allowed to do before. I will admit that I’d probably be more comfortable with the girls going to Europe on their own after one year of college under their belts, but not sure that would be a sticking point for me. </p>
<p>As teriwtt mentioned upthread, I have two girls, now 21 and 23, and one in particular has traveled multiple times extensively by HERSELF (not with a friend) in foreign countries, as well as has lived there by herself, and the other has done it just a little bit. However, it began during college, though still at a similar age to the OP’s D. I think one can start out in gradual steps such as some foreign travel in groups, and eventually with a friend and then by oneself. One thing we have insisted on (my kids don’t mind) is cell phones overseas (if alone and not in a group), and knowing where they are staying every step of the way, knowing all transit plans, and calling upon arrival at each new destination and so on. </p>
<p>Here’s what my kids have done (so far!). D2 has done much less than D1 in this regard. D2 did go off to college, however, at age 16 1/2 in Manhattan, and that was a big step for me, given her growing up on a dirt road in the mountains. So, she has been on her own in a big city from a young age. She had been to Italy and Greece on a HS trip at age 15. In college, at age 18, she traveled with a group to Brazil and so she wasn’t alone but did go off with other students on their own here and there. At age 19 (admittedly with 2 1/2 years of college already), she flew to London by herself and navigated getting to her college roommate’s house who is from London. Those two girls traveled to Amsterdam on their own. That’s all that D has done. However, that D, who is now 21, has been given an offer to perform in Germany this summer (she is out of college) with a former faculty member, and is talking of possible travel before or after that. Older sister may be working in Europe this summer (is in middle of applications) and maybe they’d meet up. Nothing yet is planned. </p>
<p>D1 has done a lot on her own. She had already been to Europe twice in the HS years, once to France on a HS trip and once all over Europe one summer on a tennis tour trip. These were groups. Had also done a cross country trip in a group as a teen. Then, summer after frosh year in college, age 18, she and two friends drove a car to Alaska, 6000 miles. This included the Al Can Highway where cell phones do not work (but she called each night from each pre-planned destination upon arrival). I was nervous but she was 18. I had just had my other child go through very serious injuries in a car crash and a long recovery. I am pretty proud of myself for letting go. </p>
<p>Next step for this D was age 19, she took a job in France for the summer. She flew there alone and stayed in Paris two days all alone (all arrangements set up in advance) before going to the work site in another part of the country where she knew nobody. She traveled on days off, sometimes with others, sometimes alone. Then, she did study abroad in Florence in junior year, age 20. On her breaks, she traveled to other places in Europe alone, including overnight. We knew where she was going and where she was staying on every excursion around Europe and she called upon arrival each leg of it. Then, the summer she was 20, she got a job in Paris in her field. She moved there alone and lived alone all summer. She traveled a great deal to other countries alone. She has even camped alone in Europe. She has gone skiing alone in Europe. She is also fluent in French. Knows basic Italian. </p>
<p>Then, a much bigger step was a year ago at age 22, she “graduated” to going to Third World countries, but admitted that for that, she was not going to go alone. She traveled to Cambodia alone but met up with a French young woman she knew from a job she did in France when she was 19. They traveled just the two of them in Cambodia and Laos. We got her a satellite phone and we knew every location, however remote, they were in (some they even hiked into). Then, last summer, while 22, D took a job in the French Alps in her field, again living alone and knowing nobody. She went alone from France to Morocco but met up with a college friend who is living there in the Peace Corps. She traveled extensively alone and stayed alone in various countries while in Europe on her weekends. Sometimes she met someone at her destination that she knows and sometimes not. She will likely get a job in France or Switzerland this summer and live on her own again. </p>
<p>These were all gradual steps. But older D has traveled ALONE a lot in foreign countries. After age 18, we don’t feel we really can “rule” what they do so much anymore and they should be allowed to grow up. This kid is extremely responsible. She is willing to allay our fears by frequently being in touch and also letting us know her location and travel plans every step of the way. There is only one thing she has “asked” to do that we have said we don’t want her to do and while we can’t control her, she has respected our wishes (so far!). She wants to go to Beirut, Lebanon to visit a friend she met in the firm she worked at in Paris one summer, who lives in Beirut. We have drawn the line as that is a place the State Dept. has warnings for US Citizens to not travel to (for good reason) and we feel that is something one should adhere to and we don’t feel she’d be safe in Beirut. She has let that go and has not pushed it. So, other than that, we have let her travel a great deal. She is an adult and no longer in high school. </p>
<p>I think traveling with a friend is a good next step for the OP’s D, who has been to Europe in groups or with family before. Perhaps one year of college under their belts would be better, but I don’t know if it would be a deal breaker for me, but just a bigger adjustment for me. I agree with the OP that her D is likely safer on this trip than a wild senior party at some beach resort.</p>
<p>Thirty five years ago I couldn’t sit down on a park bench in Paris without someone trying to pick me up. I went through the Victoria and Albert museum with a very pleasant older man who had other designs, (but was very nice to me when I said no thanks.) I was alone in a carriage with a flasher in Switzerland. Despite these experiences, I still would let my daughter travel in Europe. I never felt in any danger during any of them, but I did learn how to avoid all of them in the future!</p>
<p>What I would do, is as others have suggested, have plans for what you would do if bad things happen and to prevent them as much as possible. Do you have a separate wallet for muggers/pickpockets? Do you know how to report a theft? What do you do if you lose your passport/credit cards? What do you do about unwanted attentions? </p>
<p>It sounds like you have a level-headed child, and I think they’ll have a great time.</p>
<p>By the way, even though I have let my kids do these things, it doesn’t mean that I don’t get nervous. I simply have had to adjust. I can’t let my nervousness hold them back. Also, each situation is different and a parent has to weigh how responsible their kids are. If you have a kid who will call at agreed upon times (arrivals, departures, etc.) and who is trustworthy and responsible, it helps a great deal.</p>
<p>If I were the OP, I’d have the girls map out their entire trip as to all the travel plans and places they are staying in advance.</p>
<p>I remember when D1 was a senior in high school, when she was invited to a friend’s house in Colorado for a senior party, I had to pause and find out how they were going to be chaperoned. The friend’s parents flew with 10+ kids across country and was on hand the whole week with few hired local help. </p>
<p>Two of D1’s girlfriends wanted to go to South Beach over spring break senior year. The parents didn’t want to say no, but one of them decided to go on a business trip in Miami while the girls were down there. At the end of week, the girls told the mom that they were glad they weren’t down there alone.</p>
<p>Last year we went with D1 to Sydney when she was studying abroad because we had a lot of friends we wanted to see anyway. She was 19 at that time. We were out shopping one day, a middle aged man started to talk to D1 (seem like a nice guy). I was nearby, listening to the conversation. There was my mature, savvy daughter telling this guy where she was from, what she was doing in Sydney, and where she was living. Needless to say, I had a talk with her afterwards. Once I pointed out the obvious, she just kept on saying, “I just didn’t think of it.”</p>
<p>Even as someone who’s traveled a lot, I had a misfortune of getting into a yellow cab at the Paris airport that decided to take me for a ride. It took me to a place (looked like Harlem in NYC) I have never seen before and told me that I had to get into a different taxi cab because there was something wrong with his cab. I was smart enough to start yelling AND grabbed my luggage out of the cab. I made enough noise to attract many people, and the cab drove away.</p>
<p>I am protective, but I think I am fairly sensible with my own kids. I feel with D1, each year shows a big difference in her ability to handle difficult situations. More recently, she’s had to come in and out of NYC for interviews and staying at different hotels with no difficulties. Do I get a bit nervous when she is to meet some people from potential employer for dinner and drinks? Yes, but I know she is sensible in not partying up with people she doesn’t know too well. Two years ago, I am not as certain if she would be as confident in excusing herself early gracefully.</p>
<p>Most of the time when traveling, things usually go pretty smoothly. The question to ask is if you feel comfortable your kid would be matured enough to handle those unexpected situations. There is a difference of going over to a foreign country and staying with someone vs traveling independently.</p>
<p>As a side note, going down to a beach for a week with underaged kids to party it up for a week just wouldn’t even be a consideration in our house.</p>
<p>This reminds me of when our kids were babies. I was one of those that sterilized my kids’ bottles and other parents would barely rinse them with cold water, and all of our kids all grew up healthy with no issues.</p>