Do you really expect me to send my child overseas alone?
Yes. And no.
"Yes," if you mean alone in the sense that they're not with you, the parent or guardian. "No" because your delegate will not be traveling alone. Delegates are combined from the four U.S. chapters based on several factors including age and country they would like to visit. Every "country group" is assigned a Travel Advisor, who applies, is interviewed, and vetted by O.F.A. The Travel Advisor is with your delegate from port-to-port and stays with the group throughout the three weeks, participating in all activities and seeing to the needs of the delegates.
Will my delegate be safe?
In the days before the existence of cell phones, 24-hour news cycles, and social media, families sent youth abroad through with faith that they would not only have a great experience, but also return safely. Your child's safety is guaranteed as much as it can be. O.F. takes every step to ensure safety. Operation Friendship International (O.F.I.) follows travel advisories for their respective countries and have agreed to vet families thoroughly.
How old does my child have to be?
Your child must turn 14 by September 1st of the hosting year to qualify. If you are hosting in summer of 2017, your child must be 14 years of age by September 1, 2017. Thus, it is possible that those with late summer birthdays will get to take advantage of this fantastic experience while still 13 years old!
We're planning a vacation. What are the hosting dates?
That is a great question. Hosting and travel nearly always occur anywhere from July 5 to August 15th. Because Europeans typically attend school through June and into July, we can always count on July. Dates are determined after the first of the calendar year as plans begin to solidify. Likewise, travel may extend into August to accommodate European school schedules.