My dd (14) applied to go on the school exchange trip to Germany. She quite likes the language and was really looking forward to the trip which should be in June. She found out at the beginning of Feb that she had a place and they got to choose their exchange partner from the information that was sent to the school. They got their partner's contact details and were urged to make contact. meanwhile dd's school passed the details to the partner school.
DD sent an email to her partner. no reply. I checked the email address in case of miss-typing, but it was ok. She sent another email using her school email address, no reply. A fortnight ago she sent a text after I checked that the number we had was def a mobile and gave her the necessary dialling code. No response. DD now getting worried that she wont be going to germany. meanwhile she had told her german teacher about this and they seem very non-committal about it and told her just to wait.
I phoned the teacher last week and he said, well they might be busy, or composing a response, & he said he would email the school contact and get them to urge the partner to respond. The teacher gave me the impression that this was nothing to be concerned about. It is now 7 weeks since dd sent her first email and still no response. Any more emails might be seen as harassment!
DD is so disappointed and now isn't really wanting to go. I don't want her to go somewhere and find that she isn't exactly welcome for whatever reason. I have paid what to me is a significant amount of money for what I thought would be an educational trip and don't want to loose it. I know the trip is still 2 1/2 months away but can't help but feel a bit uneasy about it.
Has anyone any advice to offer me?
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Exchange trip - am I worrying unnecessarily?
cuckooclock · 23/03/2011 22:37
Both DS and DD went on exchange trips, each for a two month period, over the past couple of years. They were both one of three exchange students at their host school, and the only ones from their own school.
DS went first, and I had been sending the odd email to the first host's mum, and was a little surprised never to have a reply. When I phoned her a couple of days before DS left home, she said 'oh I've just been getting his room ready, we've got all sorts of plans.....etc. etc.' I'd been using the wrong email address! 
DD's middle host family never got in touch, and I didn't speak to them until the morning she arrived at their home. I had concerns, but they were absolutely lovely to DD and she is still very much in touch with them - and she and I keep in touch intermittently.
So I do understand the worries, but it will be the most wonderful experience for your DD in learning about a different culture, and how to look after herself. Plus you have the added comfort of know that she (presumably) has staff around if there is a problem.
Hope she has a brilliant time. 
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