IndianaKate

My son is going to study in Jordan next semester, and I'm beginning to think that we're crazy to let him do this. I know that—intellectually and academically—it will be a valuable experience. But I am deeply worried about his safety, and would love to hear from other parents whose kids studied abroad in dangerous places.

corranged

My sister is studying anthropology with a side of pre-med, and she spent three months working/interning independently in Kenya. She will be returning again this summer. Kenya was considered dangerous by the CIA, and my sister had to work hard getting letters from people in the area attesting to the relative safety of her particular area in order to get funding (since her school has a policy not to fund trips to countries deemed dangerous by the CIA). One of the doctors at the clinic she was going to be working at was a client of my parents, so I think that knowing someone there made my parents feel a lot more comfortable about the experience. My family had also traveled a lot, and my sister had studied abroad through school with a homestay previously. She stayed in a hotel for the first part of the trip when she was getting training and then stayed in a youth hostel the rest of the time. There were a lot of thefts, and her locked hotel room was broken into by someone outside of the hotel at one point (they also broke into the room of one of the only other white people in the hotel). My sister didn't speak the langauge, and though most people could speak English, they chose to speak Swahili or a local language. My sister is a very pretty, blond, white girl (not to mention oblivious and generally lacking in common sense) who would certainly stand out. My parents were never too worried about her safety (or at least didn't express it to me), and she wasn't either, though she was quite shook up when her room was broken into. She made a lot of friends, learned some conversational Swahili, had a Kenyan boyfriend, traveled a lot, and overall had a great experience. She had very limited contact with us at home. The biggest concern was probably the risk of malaria or another disease.

Do you know anyone in the area at all? Being able to talk to an adult about the area would be helpful. You can contact the Embassy if you have any questions, and it may be useful to ask them some questions. Does your son know a lot about what he'll be doing, where, and with whom? The more details you have, the better off you'll feel. See if he can get internet access, so that he'll be able to communicate with you easily. If he's with a school program, he will likely have other students as well as professors or program directors with him who would have done the program before. Organized study abroad is almost always safer than studying alone; it's in the school's interest to keep students safe. Try to look up the particular area your son will be going to.

mini

It's not like he is going to Virginia.

(Who told you it was a dangerous place?)

Number of Crimes per 100,000 Citizens
U.S.A. Sweden Jordan
Total Offenses 5374.4 12,620.3 897.5
Murder 8.9 9.5 6.9
Rape 39.2 20.6 0.9
Theft (all kinds) 4896.1 7410.5 160.4
Violent Theft 237.7 60.5 1.1
Auto Theft 591.2 616.1 15.7
Drug Offenses No Data 358.48 6.7

GAclassof2008

kenya is not jordan..... going to any islamic country right now, an being a white american... isn't smart.

mini

I might have said that about Virginia, but Jordan? When's the last time you heard of the death or a rape of a U.S. student studying in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Dubai?

If the CIA used the same standard for classifying the U.S. as a "dangerous place" as it used for Kenya, not many people would travel (and, to be honest, I have friends living abroad who are afraid to come here.)

GAclassof2008

no one goes there that's why.... duh!!!!

mini

Just shows how ignorant you are.

idad

S is working in a hospital in northern China this summer, combining his East Asian Languages & Civilizations concentration with his pre-med study. While there is little to fear from terrorists, bandits, etc., I am quite concerned about infectious disease. He will have a full compliment of immunizations, but I am still somewhat troubled. He knows to (attempt to) stay away from "bodily fluids" and used needles, and feels that there is not much risk considering he knows people who are working there, and have been for years. Still as a parent...

mini

Well, the infectious disease risk is there. However, last time I looked at CDC/WHO numbers, the Hep C, HIV, and HepB rates in China were all well lower than in the United States (and certainly lower than one would see in hospitals here), so he may in fact be significantly safer there (especially in northern China) than he would be with an internship in a major American hospital.

Do make sure he is immunized against HepA. (that's probably the greatest risk, especially in summer).

cleveland

My son is traveling to Jordan this summer to study Arabic and do research. I, like you, was nervous at first, but I did my homework and decided that he was going to be in a safe situation. His Jordanian school has lots of students from the USA and Europe and provides a thorough orientation for them. They meet planes at the airport. They arrange outings through reputable companies. He's had Hepatitis A and Typhoid shots from the travel clinic. He has emergency evacuation insurance and a medical plan just in case.

Obviously, I wouldn't allow him to go "just anywhere", but I think that Jordan is safe. (Certainly safer than the city we live in!) He's had friends study there in the past 2 years, too; one of them liked it so much, that he's returning.

Ultimately, I decided that I have to "Walk the Talk". It isn't enough just to tell my son that I want him to lead a broad life; I have to let him live it.

cartera45

I wouldn't have a problem with Jordan.

mini

"Obviously, I wouldn't allow him to go "just anywhere", but I think that Jordan is safe. (Certainly safer than the city we live in!) He's had friends study there in the past 2 years, too; one of them liked it so much, that he's returning."

Congrats! Mine's headed for Cairo at the same time.

JHS

For what it's worth, I know two kids, recent college grads, who have spent extensive time in Jordan over the past few years -- both Jewish, by the way. One is there now. It would be too much to say that their parents never worried about them, but so far nothing remotely bad has happened to either.

chocoholic

Jordan is on friendly terms with the U.S. and Israel, so I would not worry as much as some other countries. We all remember the terrorist activities in Spain and London recently, countries where we do not hesitate to travel.

TooRichForAid

The King of Jordan is half-English and Jordan is on friendly terms with the U.S. Even the father of the current King was also friendly with the US. Not sure about the rest of the country.