Recently I read an article on the Odyssey Online titled The US Shouldn't Allow Students to Study Abroad after Brussles, my immediate reaction was to agree with Emily Gauci.
Right now the world is a terrifying place, the attacks being carried out by ISIS sympathizers in the world these last few months have left most of the world shaken and crushed. Safety is always going to be a legitimate reason to turn down and refuse to allow students to travel, my own parents are in the phase where any news of attacks marks off a new place from the very short list of countries I am allowed to visit. Safety is a reason to caution travel for sometime, however fear is not a reason to ban it.
ISIS claims that they are fighting for the Islamic State, that they are true and loyal to their religion and will die and kill for it. They claim their goal is to spread the word of their message and religion, however they have one goal and it isn't the one they so wilingly share, they wish to separate us. If they can separate the world into sections it will be that easier to control, and fear is extremely useful in controlling the masses. We in the Americas are already so far fro the rest of the world, both in physical distance and in our understanding. We tend to be blind to the rest of the world only taking notice when prompted and now more than ever is a time to be prompted to look out to the rest of the world
Now is a time when we need to come together. We are told we have the power to change the world, that we can fix what our forefathers destroyed. But that is not possible to do that if we don't understand the world around us. They try to use fear to keep us grounded and separated but if we can think for one moment of a time we did not fear the idea of travel I believe we will be even better suited to travel in times like this. Now is the time to travel, to understand the world around us and the people in it. We are not immune to the sickness in the world, our country has shared its own tragedies as the hands of ISIS but does that mean we should fear leaving our home each day?
Nothing good comes from fearing things that have no certainty of happening, yes caution for events and being prepared will keep you safe and alive for one more day but will you really be living? We are ment to enjoy this life because as cliche as it is this is the only one we have.
I know that it seems ridiculous and honestly crazy to claim I would gladly travel across Europe knowing that ISIS could be a threat. Now is my time for exploring and experiencing the world and I will not fear anyone to the extent that I give that up. I would rather live knowing I could die, than die knowing I never lived.
