The U.S. Department of State has recently issued a worldwide travel alert for anyone travelling out of the country until Feb. 24, 2016 saying, "Terrorist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions." After reading this, it made me think about the people who are planning on studying abroad next semester, and made me wonder if any of them have canceled their semester abroad. My mom told me that she wouldn't have let me go abroad if there was a worldwide travel alert, but I told her I still would have gone, because I realize that these attacks can happen anywhere, so I shouldn't let that stop me from going abroad.
I studied abroad in Florence, Italy last spring, and I went to Paris two months after the Je suis Charlie massacre, so needless to say, I was a little scared. My friends and I debated going, but I have dreamed about Paris ever since I used to read "Madeline," so I decided that I was going with or without them. Luckily, I was able to stay in a nice hotel in the 1st district, so that gave me peace of mind. I remember walking outside the Louvre, and seeing guys with bulletproof vests and machine guns casually standing in the park. This would probably make most people feel safe, but it freaked me out. Why were these guys standing here? Would they still be here if this massacre didn't happen? I also remember being in Versailles, and my first thought was wondering how I would get out if a terrorist hijacked the palace. This thought shouldn't have even been in my head, but it was looming over me the whole time I was walking through the maze of rooms. Even though I was on edge the whole weekend, I don't regret going, and I still fell in love with Paris.
So to anyone who is going abroad in the spring, listen up. ISIS threats are no joke, but you shouldn't be scared the whole time you're abroad. Don't let that discourage you from going somewhere you really want to go, like Brussels or Paris. Just be smart. Maybe don't go out late at night in a city you don't know, and have a chill weekend instead. Paris will still be awesome even without going to any clubs. Research places to stay, and make sure they're in a nice area of the city so you'll feel more comfortable walking back at night. Don't freak out when you see police with machine guns: They're there to protect you. Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that everyone should get to enjoy, so don't let what's happened in the past couple of months stop you from travelling the world.
