Anyone else’s kid traveling overseas now?

[HeatherC]

Any other parents just a little nervous of their kids being overseas right now? My daughter (22) is in the later stages of a backpacking trip through Europe and is having an amazing adventure!

However, today the state dept. just warned those traveling overseas to be extra vigilant which is not a surprise with the current state of affairs.

As a parent it is just a little nerve wracking and I will happy when she arrives home. Even though it isn’t for another couple weeks.

Just curious if any other parents are in the same position?

PS…we ARE keeping an eye on things and yes, I know things can happen here too.

 

[kdonnel]

Something could happen when your kid was crossing a street in your hometown.

Being aware of your surroundings is common sense whether traveling or walking down main street USA.

As long as they are not walking down a street in Israel, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Ukraine, or Russia, they are probably not in any more danger than they were a month ago.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I think Europe is fine. I was in Poland several times over the last year and a half and they're right next to Ukraine. That said, given the incidents in Belgium and France, I would just suggest to your daughter to keep extra aware of her surroundings, avoid any and all demonstrations (regardless of if she agrees or not with the ideology), and to keep a very low profile. Monitoring European news agencies like DeutscheWelle or Le Monde might also be a good idea.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It may surprise people that various countries were already on a Level 2 which is what the worldwide advisory is for of increased caution. In Europe that primarily was terrorism some for petty crime like pickpocketing, sometimes recent demonstrations.

I doubt many people thought of Denmark or Sweden as have much risk at all just based on assumptions but they've been at a Level 2.

I mentioned when we did our cruise in July the various countries that were Level 1 as opposed to Level 2. France has been a country not many people think about being at an increased level despite the fact that they have had well-publicized terrorism issues among other issues for years.

I never felt unsafe on our cruise except for Athens, Greece when we were leaving at 3am. I didn't feel unsafe in Cancun in April however I did not want to take a taxi nor an uber and that situation with the ubers and taxis is still bad and in some ways worse. In Puerto Rico in January I didn't feel unsafe but will say it was very apparent to stay away from this shanty area in between the two forts. You didn't have to know that it was a place to buy drugs to know it was likely not a good area and an American did get stabbed there I believe a few days after we left trying to buy drugs there.

It's a good idea to be alert of one's surroundings, know where a consulate is and keep backups of your travel documents. Also consider how you carry your belongings. Keeping an eye on the news helps as well. My phone would ping off my location and most often show me local news for that area. Took quite a bit to get it to get back to the U.S. news after pinging in Greece for multiple days in a row for example.

I decided for our past April Mexico trip not to wear my wedding ring and instead cheap silicone rings, I wore that as well for our Med cruise and will again wear that for our May Europe trip and our October Japan trip. Before that I had travelled to Jamaica, St. Lucia, Hawaii and other places in the U.S. with it and not feeling iffy about it but decided to when we booked our cruise.

My husband did get a text from his mom saying "well guess your Europe trip is out" and we're like "ummm what?" She often misconstrues things so when we actually looked up what the advisory was we could ease her mind.

 

[MillauFr]

Does anyone actually believe that walking down the street in any large city in Europe more dangerous than walking down the street past the State Department in Washington DC?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Does anyone actually believe that walking down the street in any large city in Europe more dangerous than walking down the street past the State Department in Washington DC?

Living where I live it's a near daily occurrence for shootings and killings although that is very much concentrated on the other side of the state line (we've got a homicide tracker here).

I do think there is a bit difference in so much that while it may not be more dangerous depending on where one lives being somewhere but we don't have the same access to things we might have here when you're international. Like get your DL stolen well okay you've got some things you can do but get your passport stolen while international that's much trickier. And depending on one's nationality they may not aid you as much if something happens overseas (where ever that may be). So I understand being cautious but I agree with you that the initial reaction from many people tends to be shock when in reality we experience a lot of risk on our home turf on a day to day basis.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Waves from Ireland,

 

[HeatherC]

Something could happen when your kid was crossing a street in your hometown.

Being aware of your surroundings is common sense whether traveling or walking down main street USA.

As long as they are not walking down a street in Israel, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Ukraine, or Russia, they are probably not in any more danger than they were a month ago.

Did I not say I know things can happen here? Why do people insist on pointing out the obvious as if someone else is clueless about the topic.?

And if you don’t have a kid over there, why even bother responding to the post. Scroll on by. Good grief.

 

[HeatherC]

I think Europe is fine. I was in Poland several times over the last year and a half and they're right next to Ukraine. That said, given the incidents in Belgium and France, I would just suggest to your daughter to keep extra aware of her surroundings, avoid any and all demonstrations (regardless of if she agrees or not with the ideology), and to keep a very low profile. Monitoring European news agencies like DeutscheWelle or Le Monde might also be a good idea.

Thank you! Yes we are monitoring European news as just an extra precaution.

We are NOT telling her to come home (unless things change), but it is a “little” nerve wracking as a parent.

 

[HeatherC]

Does anyone actually believe that walking down the street in any large city in Europe more dangerous than walking down the street past the State Department in Washington DC?

Did anyone say that or ask that? No.

 

[White Cat]

Any other parents just a little nervous of their kids being overseas right now? My daughter (22) is in the later stages of a backpacking trip through Europe and is having an amazing adventure!

However, today the state dept. just warned those traveling overseas to be extra vigilant which is not a surprise with the current state of affairs.

As a parent it is just a little nerve wracking and I will happy when she arrives home. Even though it isn’t for another couple weeks.

Just curious if any other parents are in the same position?

PS…we ARE keeping an eye on things and yes, I know things can happen here too.

Not right now. One did just get back from 3 weeks in Turkey. I don’t worry about them when they travel. Does no good.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

And if you don’t have a kid over there, why even bother responding to the post.

Wouldn't this be great news for all? I just got back from Europe 3 months ago and in less than 7 months will be back there. It can be nerve wracking for us too especially as Ghent, Belgium is where we'll be staying at for part of by way of Brussels which is where the terror attack occurred.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Thank you! Yes we are monitoring European news as just an extra precaution.

We are NOT telling her to come home (unless things change), but it is a “little” nerve wracking as a parent.

Of course it is!! Look, I'm a married man in my 40's but before I moved to Poland, my mother was VERY nervous due to the potential of something happening. In fact, and this is good advice for your daughter, she had me put in the address/phone of the US Embassy in my town. Should the Scheiß hit the fan, your daughter can go there if there is a need to be evacuated.

Very helpful.

 

[tvguy]

My daughter was in Germany in May and I was a bit uneasy then.
She was hoping to go to school there now to get her Masters, which my wife and I were even less comfortable with. So now she is hoping to go back in the Spring for a visit. That despite word from her friends that live near the Universities she was looking at that she was rejected in part because they are limiting admissions of Americans.
But she is 32, and she is 100% of her life.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

My daughter was in Germany in May and I was a bit uneasy then.
She was hoping to go to school there now to get her Masters, which my wife and I were even less comfortable with. So now she is hoping to go back in the Spring for a visit. That despite word from her friends that live near the Universities she was looking at that she was rejected in part because they are limiting admissions of Americans.
But she is 32, and she is 100% of her life.

Other than missing your daughter why are you uncomfortable with her move to Germany ?

 

[tvguy]

Other than missing your daughter why are you uncomfortable with her move to Germany ?

The Political environment. Which is ironic since the reason she wants to go to school there is the Political environment here.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

The Political environment. Which is ironic since the reason she wants to go to school there is the Political environment here.

I have dual Us/German citizenship and go frequently. While I understand your reticence, It’s perfectly safe there. I actually agree with your daughter. I feel safer there.

 

[tvguy]

I have dual Us/German citizenship and go frequently. It’s perfectly safe there. I actually agree with your daughter. I feel safer there.

She didn't say she felt safter. She stayed a few days in what used to be East Berlin and said it was pretty creepy. Unreliable public transit, unlike on what used to be the West Berlin side, and homeless people all over.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

She didn't say she felt safter. She stayed a few days in what used to be East Berlin and said it was pretty creepy. Unreliable public transit, unlike on what used to be the West Berlin side, and homeless people all over.

Oh well that explains it. Yeah east Berlin is, well, east Berlin. Berlin is the only city in BRD where I raise a little extra guard. There is a big
Homeless problem there and parts of the city can be a little dicey at night. No reason not to move there per se but I get where you’re coming from. If she’s that dedicated to Germany, have you thought about going with her on a trip?

 

[RedAngie]

DD and Son in law are in Japan on their delayed honeymoon now. I’m not worried.