J1 or Explorer belt

calzini

Hi, so I'm not sure if this is the right place but anyway. My friends from college are doing a j1 this summer and they want me to come along. I can get the time off work and my parents have agreed to lend me the money and I can pay them back gradually, so none of that's a problem. Thing is, my boyfriend is heavily involved in scouts and wants to do the Explorer belt, which is taking place for 2 weeks in France this July. You cover 20km a day, hiking and camping in people's back gardens, carrying out challenges, interacting with the locals, etc. It's hard work but a great reward at the end. My boyfriend did Challenge, which is the Irish, 1 week version, for younger people, and reaaaally wants to do the explorer belt but can't find anyone to do it with him. I know he wants me to come with him but would never ask me to give up the opportunity of a j1 with my friends. I'm so conflicted, because this is the last year he can do the explorer belt (age restrictions) and I'll never forgive myself if I'm the reason he can't go. He can apply on his own and get given a partner, or I can go with him. What should I do? I've never done anything like it before and I'd be afraid I woudn't be able to do the walking/carrying a heavy rucksack for 5 hours a day and we wouldn't get the belt at the end. But if he goes with a stranger it may be a horrible experience for him and they might not get the belt either. And I'm afraid if I go on the j1 I'll end up missing him so much I won't enjoy it as much as I should, even though I've always wanted to go to America. Advice, anyone? He has to apply for the explorer belt by tomorrow.

Edit: I'm also afraid I'll regret not going to America and blame my boyfriend for it, even though it's not his fault...

media101

u have a very tough problem.

the easy thing to do would be do both... go to america say end of may, get a job etc then take two weeks off work pop into france or wherever meet the boyfriend to the walkin etc and then fly back to america.

the other way to look at it is, you should go to america becuase its what u want to do and this might be hard to understand but you should do what you want to do and after readin your post i got the feeling you want to go to america and not hike. your relationship will be stronger for it if ye can stand the long distance away from each other. then ye both know ye are for keeps

hope this helps

lukiej

tough decision alright.. what was said above is a good suggestion. all I can say to you is I spent the last two summers doing J1's, they were the best summers of my life, I have the best memories, I met amazing people both Irish and American both of whom I'm still in contact with and I fell in love with the place, I was in California both times and plan on going back for a year after college. I can't speak enough about the whole J1 experience, I think you really have to just experience it for yourself, it is so much fun. Im sure the Belt Explorer would be too, i know its your last chance to do it and your chances to do a J1 are limited while your in college, its a tough choice, it it were me, America all the way, I don't think you will be disappointed no matter what part you go to. Best of luck!

bazkennedy

I'm the proud holder of an explorer belt (poland in 2007). I can honestly say that there is no single experience that truely compares to the explorer belt. Maybe I'm biased but given the choice i would pick the belt every time