Thinking about skiing.....

Thanks Ally, but thats what I call drastically over priced. I dont expect to pay more than £500 fully catered inc flights.

Tony,
I'm sorry that wasn't cheap enough for you. It was, however, cheaper than the £1000- per person you were looking at, although it was DIY and B&B.

Ally

Yeah, appreciate the thought.
I am now booked up for 2 trips next season, and in the current climate I think that will be my lot.
Roll on Jan 2010.

Tony,
We're only going on the one ski trip next year, the same as this year. Apart from anything else, the French language school trip my daughter's just been on to Nice cost £1000 for 2 weeks. And what with her school, and my cleaning job we haven't really got time for another trip.

Ally

Blimey. Thats expensive. My son goes to America next month on a football scholarship, and its costing $9000 a year for 4 years. But its what you do for your kids, isnt it.

Tony_H wrote:Blimey. Thats expensive. My son goes to America next month on a football scholarship, and its costing $9000 a year for 4 years. But its what you do for your kids, isnt it.

That's true. :cry:

Tony,
If he's on a scholarship, why's it so expensive? Is this a university scholarship? America is a very long way away. Are you going to go and visit him? University in this country now costs £9000 per year, what with £3000 tuition fees and £6000- accommodation etc.

The reason I sent my daughter to the French language school in Nice was because she's just finished her GCSE's and she wanted a holiday in France, but I couldn't go because I'm too busy with all the cleaning etc. and she's too young to go on her own. A friend suggested a French language school as a sort of half way house between going on her own, and going with family.

Included in the price was accommodation with a French family, French lessons all morning on weekdays, and guided excursions including diving, and windsurfing. But I had to pay the airfares on top, which were about £120 return with Easyjet.

It worked out pretty well, so I see it as an investment towards her gaining successful independence from me, rather than money 'wasted' on a holiday.

Ally

AllyG wrote:Tony,
If he's on a scholarship, why's it so expensive? Is this a university scholarship? America is a very long way away. Are you going to go and visit him? University in this country now costs £9000 per year, what with £3000 tuition fees and £6000- accommodation etc.

A couple of years ago he would have got a higher scholarship based on his GPA (academic attainment) and his football ability. However, with the recession on and with an increasing number of international students literally not having turned up to take up the places at Uni in the US in recent years, the colleges and uni's are not offering such higher scholarships for year 1.

Yes, its a Uni scholarship. Uni in America is horribly expensive, especially for the better establishments. His Uni works out to $28,000 a year, which includes accommodation, tuition, food, books and everything. Due to his GPA and his football ability, he is getting $19,000 funded for him by the Uni, and we have to find the rest. However, if he improves on his grades in year 1, and maintains a regular place in the football team (soccer) his scholarship will increase for subsequent years.

Unfortunately, there is no financial assistance from the US government for international students going in, and there is none from the UK government for students going abroad to study.

We will no doubt go and visit him at some point but it won't be this year.We have not been to the States before so going to visit him will be a big adventure, but not half as big as it will be for him.