No one ever said that studying abroad was going to be comfortable or effortless, but it isn’t supposed to be fatal.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a worldwide caution that ISIL, al-Qa’ida, Boko Horam and other terrorist groups continue to plan attacks in multiple regions, targeting high-profile sporting events, hotels, clubs, schools, public areas and other tourist destinations in the United States and abroad, where citizens gather in large numbers, including during the holidays.
Unfortunately, study abroad students from various universities have become casualties of these violent uprisings.
During summer 2016 alone, several institutions are still mourning the losses of their own.
Beau Solomon of University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying in Italy, was found fatally stabbed in Tiber River, Rome.
Nicolas Leslie was a casualty of the Bastille Day attack in Nice, while attending an entrepreneurship camp, and Tarishi Jain was killed during attacks in Bangladesh, while working an internship. Both of these students attended University of California-Berkley.
In wake of the recent attacks, students are becoming more reluctant to study abroad and universities across the country, including University of Wyoming, are struggling with trip planning and sending students abroad.
In May, a faculty-led trip to Turkey was cancelled when terror attacks in Istanbul occurred just days before an art class was scheduled to depart.
“It was incredibly disappointing to me when the university cancelled the trip to Turkey,” said Darby Clark, a University of Wyoming graphic design student. “After a semester of classes and being educated of the country and the political side of everything, I felt incredibly comfortable going on the trip.”
Clark and two other students chose to take the plane ticket they were unable to refund and go to Greece because of the similarities in landscape and culture it has to Turkey. Clark and her peers actually ended up in Istanbul for a short time during their trip.
“We ultimately ended up in Turkey for a few days and I have never, in my life, experienced such kindness and generosity from total strangers. I felt 100 times safer in Turkey than in Greece, you would have never guessed that the day we arrived, there was a bombing in Istanbul,” said Clark.
“So, it really was too bad that the university cancelled a trip that two other girls and I went on, and experienced none of the craziness that was expected,” she continued.
This trip cancelation was a decision made by the UW Safety Committee for International Travel comprised of International Programs Acting Director, Mary Katherine Scott, a representative from UW risk management and two other university faculty members well-versed in international travel.
“We [the safety committee] had to cancel the trip because of the attacks in Istanbul two days before the class was supposed to leave,” said Scott. “Keeping students safe is our top priority, and there are several measures we take to ensure safety.”
Scott explained that trips abroad for UW students, regardless of the type of trip, have a complex safety approval process in which the committee calls meetings in the event that a trip could potentially be heading into danger. The safety committee’s recommendations are then passed along to the Office of the Provost who then makes the final call.
International Programs isn’t the only travel abroad program working closely with risk management and the safety committee. Alternative winter breaks, service learning trips abroad led by Sagan Hunsaker, senior project coordinator of Alternative Breaks in SLCE, also take advisement from these departments and directives.
“We have several measures in place in the event that something happens to our students abroad such as, evacuation insurance, a partner agency that provides ground support and U.S. Embassy to receive notifications the moment something happens,” said Hunsaker.
Hunsaker explained that traveling in a group setting, such as Alternative Breaks, can be another option for students that might be more comfortable than going alone. She warned that regardless of individual or group travel, it is critical to stay vigilant. Risk is everywhere and it isn’t foreign countries that leave people feeling vulnerable—it’s being an outsider no matter where you are.
Sara Robinson, Study Abroad Coordinator and Student Exchange Advisor, pointed out that even here in America, vigilance can be key. In fact, other countries have travel advisories posted for their residents on traveling to the United States.
“I remember going to a conference in May down in Denver felt more unsafe there than in some places I have traveled abroad,” Robinson commented. “You just have to make wise decisions and not have a Nikon strapped on your left, a laptop strapped to your right, not paying attention.”
Alongside staying vigilant, Sara also suggested a few more resources that the university and U.S. Department of State offer to give students and their families more peace of mind.
UW has a policy making it mandatory for students to have travel insurance that is billed to students WyoWeb account. Cost of the travel insurance is dependent upon how long a student will be abroad.
On a bigger scale, outside of what UW has to offer, Robinson also mentioned Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free resource offers travelers several benefits including, up-to-date information about safety in your destination, immediate contact with you in the event of a natural disaster, civil unrest or family emergency.
While studying abroad is carrying more risks now than ever before, Robinson encouraged that the experience more than outweighs the risk.
“Study abroad provides not only the opportunity to enhance your resume, but gives you the opportunity to examine the theories and concepts of your field from the perspective of a different culture,” Robinson said. “By not studying abroad, you would be doing yourself a huge disservice.”