OT. Guatemala

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Just seen this thread, interesting read seeing people's opinions.

Congratulations on her deciding to take the sensible route.

A few points I'll make anyway -

1) so many comments about "how will she afford it". You're all mad. She is a student. She has access to loads of money if she is confident enough to go and speak to a bank manager. They'll happily up your overdraft, give you a new credit card etc... I had no difficulty getting chunks of cash if I needed it whilst at uni. And when I left I got about £1500 from the bank and ****ed off to Europe :p A combo of saving some money from a part time job, tucking away some of her student loan and upping her credit with the bank would more than pay for a trip to Central America.

2) a degree is barely worth the paper it's written on these days unless it's in a very specific area. To young people a degree isn't as valued as it was by previous generations and in most situations doesn't help you get a job. If she ended up not getting a degree it wouldn't be the end of the world and probably won't make much difference to her life!

3) loads of you sound like a bunch of pussies! You need to man up. Yes Central America isn't the safest region In the world and in fact has some very real dangers to consider. But if they are sensible with an element of street smarts they could easily have the time of there lives and learn a massive amount about themselves. Whoever was going on about hearing stories from Argentina about people getting mugged and stabbed, don't you live in Liverpool?

4) having made point three it's worth stressing that I can think of literally hundreds of countries I'd choose to spend a year in before settling on Guatemala....I mean wtf... How did they come up with that one?

5) I've booked a ticket to go away traveling before whilst in a relationship and whilst I had always wanted to go travelling, I can't deny there was a little part of me that knew it was an easy route out of a relationship that I wasn't sure about. It made the decision for me, allowing me to avoid feeling like a dick (soooooo selfish!). Make sure your daughter is aware that is could well be part of his motivation.

6) travelling can be one of the best experiences in the world, but people should go travelling for the right reasons, the main one being because that's what they want to do. You can't be going half way round the world for someone else, it needs to be what you want. I've had several friends break up whilst travelling and one return home immediately, it wasn't what they wanted to be doing and no amount of loving your partner is going to change who you are. You either want to do it or you don't!

7) and finally, I know a landscape gardener called Charlie....
 
If you've read the thread, it explains 'Why Guatemala?'. Her looks and complexion would make her a definite target. It depends what you want to do with your degree.
 
If you've read the thread, it explains 'Why Guatemala?'. Her looks and complexion would make her a definite target. It depends what you want to do with your degree.

Yeah as I said if it's a specific degree, or your getting the degree for a specific reason then it can be of use, there are still some graduate job schemes. In general though having a degree now is worth far less than it ever has been and amongst young people degrees are definitely not valued as highly as previous generations would have.
 
Yeah as I said if it's a specific degree, or your getting the degree for a specific reason then it can be of use, there are still some graduate job schemes. In general though having a degree now is worth far less than it ever has been and amongst young people degrees are definitely not valued as highly as previous generations would have.

When I went to university, only 5% of the population went. It's now over 50%. Also, 3 As at A level was very rare indeed. I went to a grammar school and only 2 people in my year managed it.
 
When I went to university, only 5% of the population went. It's now over 50%. Also, 3 As at A level was very rare indeed. I went to a grammar school and only 2 people in my year managed it.

Yeah education has changed wildly, Qualifications are easier to achieve and everyone has them. Why as a country we think we need to try and send everyone to university is beyond me!