fleur de lis, my son also did the Australia/New Zealand trip before 9th grade over a decade ago. I wonder if ya'll were there together?
THAT would be a small world!!
He also did the pre med honors symposium thing too in the summer between junior and senior year. I don't know how much he got out of it (he is now an econ/engl major) but he had a good time and met some neat kids.
My other kids haven't had the luxury of being a 1st child
ha ha!
My poor third son got sent to "math camp" - the Duke summer program - not quite Australia!! He did have fun though.