Is Seventeen too young to travel to Europe?
It has been four months since I have arrived back in Sydney Australia after living over seas (Basel, Switzerland) for the past three years.
Unfortunately, I had to leave behind a beautiful city, which holds many memories, and some amazing people, one in which is my boyfriend, whom I am doing long distance with. In May - June of 2015, he will be graduating. I would absolutely love to travel back to Basel and see him graduate, as well as spend time with friends. After living in Basel for three years, being use to traveling continuously, and feeling comfortable with the language barrier, I feel more than ready to travel independently, not only because I want to see my boyfriend, but because I just love to travel. However, my parents seem to think seventeen is too young. Despite the fact I am turing eighteen that year. To some extent I agree with them, but for the most part I feel they are just being a typical parent, over protective and most definitely over dramatising any situation that could happen whilst I am away. So, referring back to my question, is seventeen too young to travel alone?
I started traveling at 16 but not alone. I was with my older brother, 10 years my senior. I did then travel alone at 18. This was during the mid 60s and the travel was ruff. Hitchiking, tramping around, but the times and the aspectations were not as today.
You sound mature and should be fine. I have young children of my own and must say your parents are not over protective, just protective as all parents should be. See if you could travel with friends at first and try to arrange to meet up with your folks during the trip. Good luck to you, learn common sense and use it..
It depends entirely on the individual - there are countless 18 year olds who can barely cross the street by themselves - but a mature 17 or 18 year old with street smarts and common sense will have no problems whatsoever travelling solo.
Just use common sense to pick appropriate destinations... do your research... Skype Mom and Dad every day... have fun...
Cheers,
Terry
I agree with Terry, it's really all about the individual. The real question here is not whether you are old enough, but whether you are mature enough.
I went off on my own at the age of 17 (to Australia from Europe), but I already had organised a family to stay with when I arrived. I never felt I wasn't mature enough for the travel and thankfully my parents also didn't mind much. Of course, when I got engaged at 18, they might have had different thoughts.. haha. So far that's turned out just great though (17 years later!), so I still think I was mature enough to make those decisions.
You need to do what you can to convince your parents you're mature enough for this. Convincing yourself won't achieve much. Get a job (if you don't already have one), save up your money, be responsible when out with your friends, basically do anything you can to show that you're an adult who can look after themselves now.
17 wouldn't be a problem to travel in Europe. I am from the Netherlands and made many trips abroad when I was about 15 - 18 years old.
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