I am ready to take the plunge, and would love to hear from other teachers about their experiences. I'm planning a trip to London with the Passports company (I teach a lot more than Spanish) in the spring, and the response at my school has been overwhelmingly supportive - not just for this trip but for yearly trips to foreign countries. I'm especially hearing requests for Spain, from students and their parents - mainly, I guess because they all know I lived there so long, and they figure I'd be a good guide because of it. I also rave about it all the time. (Personally, I was thinking of going to other places, where I haven't been! Gotta take advantage of the free trip! )

Have any of you teachers out there taken student groups to Spain? (I would take middle schoolers and some of their parents & siblings). Has anyone used Passports? I'd be interested in making my own itinerary, and then submitting it to the company. Has anyone done that before? Any great ideas? Words of caution?

Thanks!

Hi Diana. At this moment I am also planning a trip to Europe with students. This is my first time also. My husband, also a teacher, is bringing his community college choir, and I'm bringing some dancers from the performing arts high school where I teach. We are touring the Camino to Santiago, performing in churches along the way. We are just now starting the signing up process. I'm using EF tours, you should check them out, they are fantastic. This is a customized performance tour (we gave them the itinerary), but you can definitely customize any tour with them. A teacher friend of mine has used them and says they are great. So far they have been great for me. Also, their incentives for tour leaders are fantastic--free airline tickets, lots of free places for chaperones (or family and friends). Email me if you want to know more.
Good luck--and wish me luck!!

i take students every summer ,large groups (60-85) and i always travel with ETRAV they have been fantastic -you can design your own itinerary but it will cost more than a catalog trip i've never taken junior high students ,only high schoolers --good luck -if i can be of any assistance ( ihave taken 16 student groups abroad)please feel free to email me

Hi Diana
I am taking a group of sophomores and juniors to Spain this March. We are going with ACIS Many people I know have used them in the past and have been very satisfied with their trips. If you have any questions , of course let me know...
I have gone on a few student trips( with different companies) in the past and all in all they have been great.. I know what you mean about going to a place you don't know...but , how can you pass up Spain?

I've taken middle and high schoolers and their parents to Europe (Spain twice) and traveled with EF. The service is good, the rates are super, and the guides have been spectacular!