Leaving Lockeport: Small town, big dreams
Angie M. | September 19, 2024
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This is Angie.
She hails from Lockeport, Nova Scotia and she is the mother of four daughters: Mackenzie, Gabriel, Torin, and Piper—each of whom has either embarked on an EF tour, or, is currently gearing up for one.
Although Angie herself has never had travel experiences, here she perfectly captures the profound impact travel has had on her kids’ values, identities, ambitions and personal growth. Through Independent teen travel, the girls have soared to new heights.
EF: How did you hear about that first EF tour, Mackenzie’s trip?
Angie: One of the teachers at her school, Amanda, posted about a trip to Scotland she was planning. Then Mackenzie came home and she’s like, “Guess what they’re doing?”
EF: Why did you feel it was so important to send Mackenzie on tour?
Angie: This is the only way my kids will get out of a town of 500. Travel was something I had always wanted to do, because I knew it would broaden my horizons, and Mackenzie has that same personality:
Angie: This is the only way my kids will get out of a town of 500. Travel was something I had always wanted to do, because I knew it would broaden my horizons, and Mackenzie has that same personality:
“I just want to get out. I want to see the world.”
So, for that first trip, I just threw myself into it.
“How can I get her there? How can I budget?”
We sold chocolate bars and whatever else we could to raise money. That’s how I’ve gotten my kids through this.
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EF: What did she take away from it?
Angie: Besides the fact that, suddenly, she’d gotten this wicked motor in her mouth, she became much more independent. Now, instead of sticking her toe in the pool, she dives right in:
“I’m moving to Halifax. I want to go to massage school. I want to try Dungeons & Dragons”.
Then, she just broke through the surface and grew. I was so surprised—she wanted to see, challenge, and question the world.
“Why is it like this? How can I change it?”
She saw how other people lived, how they interacted. She was always amazing, but the tour opened her horizons to everything.
She was ready to challenge herself and put herself in unfamiliar situations to see if she could handle it. Now, she can grow on her own.
EF: Could any other experience do that in such a short period of time?
Angie: No. I tried. You research: “How can I make her more independent? How can I make her want to challenge the world?” She was always a fighter, but this town… It’s like you live in a bubble here, then you go outside and you’re like, “Wow, there’s a world out here!”
My daughters all benefitted differently, though.
Mackenzie was ready to challenge herself and the world around her.
Torin learned how to manage her time, manage her money, and found herself in things like fashion.
And Gabe, just mentally, she just was like, “I can do this. I don’t need my mom. I can do it on my own.” She got so strong.
They each picked up their own unique benefits, but they all became more independent and self-sufficient. As for Piper, she’s going to Italy next year, so we’ll see what happens!
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EF: Did you feel worried while they were travelling abroad?
Angie: Sending Mackenzie on tour was nerve-wracking, but after her first day, she said “Oh mom, look at these pictures! We did this, we did this—” And from there, I would just follow the itinerary and hear from her whenever she had WiFi in Scotland.
Safety wasn’t an issue because at the end of the day, they had their EF wristbands, right? They all have phones: if you’re lost, or there’s an emergency, flip your band over, call that number.
Plus, they were always with somebody. A chaperone, or Amanda, or their tour guide—and they’ve had the best tour guides. I was not worried. Not at all.
EF: Have these experiences changed your daughters’ trajectories?
Angie: I think the act of getting out and seeing the world accelerated what they already wanted to do—they just knew they wanted to do it that much sooner.
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