Alsalamualaikum,
I am a 15 year old Muslim girl. I live in Canada. My school offers various programs, for those who are involved in their studies.
The first program I am interested to go to is Encounters Canada, to explore the field of medicine. The program is one week long. The intention is to explore the province, discover new places and meet new people. We will be exploring in a small group of students with an adult teacher(guardian). Girls and boys are separated in the hotel rooms. My brother went, and told me there is a party at the end, which is optional. It would be a one plane flight, and I will be travelling with a monitor, possibly the female teacher in my school. Additionally, I will probably travel with my friends as well.
The second program is Shad. It is one month long during summer. It is a very prestigious program, where students discuss about problems, such as engineering, pollution, etc. going on in the country and find solutions to those problems. The students learn lots of new things, and understand better what is happening in the country. There is “classes”. Girls and boys are separated in the hotel rooms as well. My brother has went; and it was an incredible experience. I won’t be travelling alone, I will be travelling with multiple guardians, a group of students and my friends as well.
By the time I will do these programs, I will nearly be 16.
I really wish to get the chance to take advantage of these amazing opportunities. It just makes me sad that my brother got the chance to experience those incredible adventures while I can’t. Plus there is every year, at least one Hijabi girl in Shad.(not necessarily an argument, but I wouldn’t be the first one to go).
My question is it considered haram for me to go to these programs? I would not be travelling alone.
Thank you very much for your time
