Sometimes I wish we hadn’t agreed to let our son study in Lebanon. The State Department’s website states that:
"The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon because of the threats of terrorism, armed clashes, kidnapping, and outbreaks of violence, especially near Lebanon’s borders with Syria and Israel. U.S. citizens living and working in Lebanon should be aware of the risks of remaining in the country and should carefully consider those risks.
In the event that the security climate in Lebanon worsens, U.S. citizens will be responsible for arranging their own travel out of Lebanon. The Embassy does not offer protection services to U.S. citizens who feel unsafe."
I know, though, that if we had refused to help pay for him to go to the American University of Beirut, he would have gone to Lebanon, anyway, and volunteered in the camps without working towards a degree. My dad’s ex-students from Lebanon are looking out for him and assure us he’ll be OK. Situations are not always black and white - I’m sure some of our friends think we’re nuts!