World Youth Day - 2005 - Germany

[kwitz]

My 15 year old daughter (she'll be 16 then) is interested in attending World Youth Day next summer. Our first parent's meeting is this Thursday. I trust the priest and other adults leading the group totally but of course am nervous thinking about letting her go. What questions should I ask and what else should I consider before letting her go?

Kris

I went to Germany myself 20'ish years ago with a school, language trip and loved it and have always said I wanted the oportunity for my children also.

[YinYangMom]

My kids hope to go along, too.

I was in Italy and Cologne some 20 odd years as well - for business courses.

I haven't decided yet whether or not to go on the 2005 trip too. I'll wait to see how the informational meeting goes.

Since you've traveled abroad you should be able to trust in your experience to know what to listen for in the presentation and I'm certain questions will pop to mind as they talk about it.

Most questions and concerns I would have would involve logistics so for me it's a matter of finding who will be chaperoning, leading, what kind of experience they have traveling with a large group of teens, etc.
I'm glad they gave us a year's notice...I started saving after mass yesterday

[kwitz]

Yes - the year's notice is good for budgeting. She knows she is in charge of half the amount. The plan is to do a lot of fundraising with the hope that each family's cost is around $1400. Her Christmas wish list will include money for her trip I'm sure. I'd already planned to get her a camera which she will definitely want now even more. The trip is scheduled to last 10 days and includes a couple of other countries but I don't know details as of yet of course.

Kris

[YinYangMom]

Originally Posted by kwitz

Yes - the year's notice is good for budgeting. She knows she is in charge of half the amount. The plan is to do a lot of fundraising with the hope that each family's cost is around $1400. Her Christmas wish list will include money for her trip I'm sure. I'd already planned to get her a camera which she will definitely want now even more. The trip is scheduled to last 10 days and includes a couple of other countries but I don't know details as of yet of course.

Kris

Well I look forward to checking back in this thread after the orientation meetings. Ours is set for the 15th of August. When is yours?

[kwitz]

Orientation meeting this Thurs. the 5th. I hope it works out for my daughter. She was so excited when I said we would discuss it - she had assumed the best she could hope for from me was an "I'll think about it". Her best friend's mom gave the exact same "we can discuss it" as I did independent from me so the girls took it as a sign of good things!!

I'll definitely post more after our meeting.

Kris

[kwitz]

Our first meeting was the other night and my daughter is so excited. Our priest emphasized that this is a pilgrimage not a vacation. The difference being that a pilgrimage involves work (translation - a lot of walking!!).

They'll land in Paris and spend of couple of days there. This is the most "touristy" part of the trip. They'll attend Mass at Notre Dame but the other details will be filled in later. On the way to Cologne, they'll stop in Belgium. They'll also visit a concentration camp. I vividly remember my visit to Dachau when I was in high school and am glad my daughter will have the experience.

Then they're off to Cologne. The official WYD plan is to stay with families here but our group will be in a hotel about an hour away. Our priest doesn't like the idea of not having his charges in his eyesight and I'm definitely OK with this plan. WYD is 4 days and culminates with an all night camp out in a field - supposed to be pretty cool but count me out for that one!

The cost is $2300 with fundraising to pay half. It seems hard to pass up the chance for 10 days in Europe with WYD for our cost of $1150.

My husband is not nearly as excited as either of us. He is of course nervous about world conditions. He is a super worrier, understandably so in this situation. In the end, I think he'll realize it's a good opportunity and send her off worrying and praying a lot!!

Anyway, that's the update. Let me know YinYang how your meeting goes.

Kris

[raphaela]

I'd definitly let you daughter go!! I undestand that with world conditions and so on, but, it's in a year, things could change!!

I went to France when I was 15...best thing ever!!! I wish I had that opportunity again, which I might, i don't know. I know when I have kids, they are definitly going on trips t europe, it's the most amazing exerpience!! My fiance has never been out of ontario, execpt for one trip to alberta. He's always wanted to, but never has. I think we may go back to europe one day, but right now, i have my sights set on New Orleans!!!

I didn't go to WYD in Toronto, but there were kids from Brazil staying at the place I worked. IT was fine but they kept making fun of us cause one day it was really hot, i guess it didnt phase them but we were sweating like crazy. We got them back cause the next day was canadian hot, we were fine, they were in sweaters!! haha!!

[Mary's Lamb]

Kris,

We recently had a meeting with our group for WYD.

The priest did address the issue of terrorism. He said that after the 72 Olympics (with that incident of terrorism with the Israeli wrestling team), Germany has changed. They were so embarrased by that incident that they want to make sure that it never happens again.

Their police are way ahead of most of the European countries in regard to counter terrorism.

So it sounds like your husband can relax a little.

Mary

[kwitz]

Thanks for the info Mary's Lamb - I will definitely pass it on to my husband. As for not worrying - that's almost impossible for him - he does it quite well. Fortunately, he often translates his worries to prayer or else he'd be unbearable!!!

Kris

[La Chiara]

Will they be camping or staying in hotels on these trips? Is there a particular organization that makes the arrangements or does each parish put together their own trips? I would love to have something for the teens in my parish. So the more I know, the more I can tell our priest. Thanks.

[kwitz]

Our parish is doing its own thing with several other parishes but our archdiocese is also planning a trip.

We are staying in hotels but part of the "official" plans were/are to put the kids up in homes near Cologne- during the WYD portion. Our priest didn't care for that aspect of the plan which is why he and another priest friend of his went to a travel agent to make their own arrangements. There's also an overnight campout in a field which is supposed to be neat but.... .

There is an official WYD website. Our priest said it's easiest to access by doing a web search. Because it originates in Germany, the address was too long to type in. I haven't been to the site yet.

Hope this helps.

Kris

[YinYangMom]

Here you go:

http://www.wjt2005.de/index.php?id=6

[Andreas Hofer]

It's very true that Germany is well-prepared in the counterterrorism department. GSG-9 is one of the very best counterterrorism units in the world. Also, having spent 6.5 weeks in central Germany and recently returned from 10 months in its neighbor Austria, I can assure you that Germany is a very safe country (even in big cities like Cologne) and most anti-Americanism is totally on the intellectual level. Aside from an occasional, "What do you think of Bush?" they are very friendly people. I'm jealous of all those who will be attending WYD 2005 because they get to 1) spend 4 days with the Holy Father in 2) a German-speaking country. It's definitely an opportunity worth taking.

[picasso_13]

WYD2005

I'm headed to Germany in 2005! I went to WYD Toronto and it was great. We stayed in host families houses and took the train into Toronto every morning after daily mass.

It's great, each morning we had praise and worship, then catechetics by different Bishops (got really spoiled with all the Bishops there) and them Mass. Then we were off to all the WYD activities.

I'm taking the cheaper route. $221 for the registration (includes food, housing, transportation pass, insurance) and plane ticket ($800-$1000)! It's a pilgrimage...no hotel for me!! Of course I'm 26 and don't need a chaperone.

I'm off to Rome this winter so I'll have already visited there.

[Edwin1961]

I saw this thread buried and wonder what the reaction is since Pope Benedict XVI is now Holy Pontiff.
It seems remarkable that WYD is in Germany.