There are those world events that you will never forget. I remember exactly where I was on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers were struck. As a kindergartener, I did not completely understand what was happening until it was hesitantly explained to our class and again later by my parents. When the term terrorism was mentioned, it was new to me, and a word I could not yet fully understand. As the events that had unfolded were being explained to me, and the term kept coming up, I was told the dictionary definition of terrorism.
"Terrorism noun; the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims." I didn’t get it. Why would people use violence for political aim? Because it was what they believed was right? Why would people want to harm my country? Why would they use violence at all? These were, and are difficult questions, and the answers are ones that could not necessarily be answered completely or accurately to a young child. In fact, these could not be answered by many people in general. While we had all felt the effects of this terrorist attack, it all really hit home when we were informed that one of the victims of these attacks had been our pregnant teacher’s husband who had been traveling on one of the planes.
As the country tried to move on from these attacks and the years wore on, so did the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was a part of our childhood to support not only our troops but also our country as a whole. Fast forward to 2015, and we have seen countless acts of terrorism occurring all over the world. As a college student, I began to develop more of an understanding about these kinds of attacks, why they happen, who they happen to, and the turmoil and wars that much of the world faces. I also began to understand the effect that all of this has on different countries and their economies.
Along with the new terrorist attacks, 2015 also brought the decision of a lifetime -- to study abroad. It had been an adventure that I had wanted to embark on for as long as I can remember. To experience the world, different places, and different cultures were something I had only dreamed about for my entire life. Deciding to fulfill my dreams, I committed to studying abroad in Florence, Italy for the spring of 2016.
I was looking forward to this new opportunity months in advance. I planned out everything I would do and everything I would see. Nothing was going to stop me from having the time of my life. Then, on Nov. 13, 2015, the Paris, France attacks occurred. Three suicide bombers and gunmen almost simultaneously attacked a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars leaving 130 dead and many more injured. People began to question whether or not I was still going to go abroad, if it was safe enough if I was scared. My response to most people was I am not going to give up the opportunity of a lifetime and let these extremists make me live in fear. Unfortunately, in the world we live in, something could happen anywhere, whether it be on my college campus in a little town in Connecticut, or in a foreign country thousands of miles away.
So yes, I ended up hopping on a plane leaving home to spend four months in Europe. Evidently, this once foreign land has become a second home. My study abroad experience has been one of the most thrilling and maturing experiences of my life. I have travelled to over six countries and seen a lot of Italy. I would not give up this opportunity for anything, and I continuously tell anyone who has the option to go abroad to absolutely do it. I have learned more about myself, as well as the world in the last 3 months than I ever have before, and in my last month here, I will continue to do the same.
However, just a few weeks ago on March 22, 2016, suicide bombers attacked Brussels, Belgium. This attack, claimed by ISIS, was in backlash for the capturing of one of the men responsible for the Paris attacks in Brussels. The attacks hit both the Brussels Airport and the metro station, leaving 32 dead along with the suicide bombers and hundreds more injured. This attack not only had a large impact on the people it directly affected, but also for myself and many students studying abroad in Europe. I have friends who had been in that exact airport days before, and I cannot even count the amount of European airports and metro stations I have been in over the past 3 months. We received a handful of emails instantly from our home university and the school we are studying at to give our exact location. Many people reached out to me from home asking if I was ok.
As scary as it all was, that experience was eye opening. I realized nothing, not terrorism and definitely not this attack, was going to stop me from traveling and just living my life. I was definitely going to continue my experience of a lifetime with my head held high. Yes, we have had to be more cautious with different places we travel to and the situations we put ourselves in, but I wasn't going to stop completely. I believe it is wrong to let these extremists win and to allow them control over us and what we wish to do. We live in a beautiful world, and radicals should not stop us from seeing it. It is wrong to let them win in the sense of scaring us out of our experiences. So, no I will not stop traveling and I will never shut my eyes to this amazing world simply due to the people who wish to scare others with their violence.
