Never had issues with my older ones traveling. And, we have all traveled a bit as a family, although not recently.
Now my “baby” will be studying abroad next year, probably somewhere in Europe, and my fears about such things as terrorism are escalating. None of the presidential candidates make me feel any better about international relations in the coming years.
My rational side tells me that, well, my fears are irrational. Anybody else feeling a little more afraid than usual about sending your S or D abroad this year? Please talk me off the ledge.
Please don’t let your fear get the best of you. My DS went to London for a semester study abroad right after the tube bombings. I’m a huge worrier, but I figired that the university would cancel study abroad if there was an issue.
I woild not allow my kid to do a study abroad where the state department has issued a travel advisory, but I’m guessing most colleges are not sending students to those places.
Well… the problem is that the university won’t know until AFTER an incident that there is an issue, of course. So I would not trust in that. I do agree that keeping an eye on the state department warnings is a good idea. I still remember during Arab Spring when D2’s college had kids in Egypt – they had to cut the semester short and come home. I feel like there was some go around about credit for the semester, but they worked it out somehow.
@intparent my son’s university was well aware that bombings had taken place in the Tube in London. The students left less than three weeks later for their semester there. The university was very aware of this…and I believe it was deemed an terrorist act.
Well, if you want another reason to worry…
Your student may travel to a seemingly safe country to study, have a perfectly wonderful time and then come home. But your student met someone and remained in contact (you can thank the internet which makes this so easy). Some time passes and your student falls in love with this person who is now moved back and is residing in his/her home country. Your student decides to go visit, so you as a parent, are now worried all over again. The relationship progresses and your student makes several trips overseas to visit this person… You can see where this is going.
Yep, that’s what I’m dealing with right now. I had to let my worry go or I’d be in a padded room right now.
Postscript - they are engaged now and working on a K-1 visa for him to come here. She is visiting with him right now in his country. Marriage is likely later this year. Life is never dull when you have kids…
My son will be studying at the American University of Beirut starting this fall. I shouldn’t have looked up the State Department’s Travel Advisories for Lebanon!
@bookreader, I think about that with my son. You’re right, life is never dull around our house, either.
OP, my “baby” studied in Spain for five months as a HS sophomore. It was a wonderful experience for her. It went great, except that I screwed up with the phone service and she spent a couple of thousand dollars on it!! Live and learn.
The most dangerous part of your child’s trip will be the car ride to the airport.
D will be in France, again. Fortunately this time, in a small city outside of Paris, where I’m sure she is safer than DC, her future home in the USA. I’m sure French parents sending their kids here are scared to death of their offspring coming to the USA, with our numerous shootings.
@bookreader, my daughter is in France for her junior year. She loves it so much that she’s staying for a paid internship, and when she has to come home (thank God for visa expirations), she will apply for a Fulbright to teach over there after she graduates. Oh, and she has a French boyfriend…
Mainelonghorn, S is currently in China visiting his wife’s family for the first time. He has lived in China, but met her in the USA.
Massmom, yes, the French thing rather takes over. D has been there for semester abroad, Tapif, and now this internship, as well as woofing for a summer. But her BF is in the USA.
I really did not look at it from the perspective of how unsafe our lives here in the US have become. By comparison, probably most European cities are much safer, indeed!
Oddly, thinking about it this way has really, really helped. I think this shift in perspective is exactly what I needed; thanks to all.
Although you can’t live your life in fear it’s not hard to keep political tabs on countries you want to visit.
European cities may seem safer at times than those in US because you don’t get those news reports.
So yes. There are some travel scenarios where I’ll bide my time and wait for some calm.
I learned a lesson long ago. I was in NY city with H (eons ago and some sections were rougher than now). He was in meetings and I was by myself for the day.
Two options: I could stay in the hotel room and wait for him to accompany me or venture out on my own.
I still see myself looking down on the crowded NY streets from my hotel room and thinking
“Well, they can’t ALL get mugged at once! I’ll take my chances…”
And I lived to tell the tale of course. And had a great time to boot.
Caveat: But I did land in a very unsavory section at one point that scared me big time. I got out FAST–do your research before you go trotting off. Pays to have street smarts. And be aware of your surroundings.Know your environment. Know where to avoid. Learn what to do in case you have trouble.
(Street smarts/research may not save you from terrorism but it sure saves you from a host of other unpleasant experiences.)
My son studied in Jordan the year after the Arab Spring and went twice to Egypt on vacation during that time. There was one week where things got tense enough that they were almost prepared to relocate to their fallback location (Morrocco I believe), but they ended up staying. It was a fascinating time to be there. The kids learned to stay away from the places where protests occurred regularly.
We live in NY and everytime I go into the city, I’m amazed that we haven’t had another serious terrorist incident. There’s no way you can protect yourself everywhere.
My D chose to study abroad in Cannes, France with an internship working at the Film Festival. I was not worried Hard to worry when your D somehow lands in the French Riviera for 5 months. Sticking to her budget was my worry.
DD spent years abroad, and travelled to places where I had good cause to worry. I worry now more about her with local traffic fatalities and accidents!
D had a terrific paid (by fellowship) internship in her field set up for this summer. She’s a college frosh and this was applied, accepted and done before the holidays which I thought was awesome.
Well, it was in El Salvador, and the national sponsoring organization pulled it because of the high murder rate there (gang violence, mainly). I was OK with the trip since the org has sent students there for years, but if they say it’s too dangerous, who am I to argue?
Oddly, the org still sends students to IMO more dangerous countries. It was a disappointment to D
Well I am feeling much better about all this. Can there be any debate that many cities here in the USA are equally if not much more dangerous than cities in Europe?
I’m thinking that what keeps most of us safe® at home is knowing the areas, knowing our culture, and being able to instinctively understand nonverbal cues and signs of possibly dangerous situations.
Do you all feel that the colleges prepared your kids for the local culture and dangers? My older ones went through an orientation of sorts; wondering if this is the norm at all colleges.
I believe there were some mandatory meetings at the Study Abroad office for the students before departure. I think they were mostly about getting paperwork in order but also valuable stuff about health insurance, medical emergencies, etc. But since students are going different places I doubt they could get too specific.
I think the sponsoring/arrival organization has city specific arrival briefings. But I’m pretty sure the kids are jet lagged, overwhelmed and gso giddy that they may not grasp everything.
What They’re Saying: U.S. Department of State travel alert
“Euro Cup (soccer) stadiums, fan zones, and unaffiliated entertainment venues broadcasting the tournaments in France and across Europe represent potential targets for terrorists, as do other large-scale sporting events and public gathering places throughout Europe.”
– U.S. Department of State travel alert advising Americans traveling in Europe this summer during Euro 2016 (soccer) hosted by France to “exercise vigilance” about the potential for terrorist strikes. (U.S. Department of State)
Hard to worry when your D somehow lands in the French Riviera for 5 months. Sticking to her budget was my worry.