Falcons travel abroad despite recent terrorist attacks

As she wandered through the Palace of Versailles this past summer, class of 2016 alumna Nicole Prowse glanced at the beauty around her, captivated by its exquisite murals and architecture. Suddenly, the sound of security guard whistles and yelling shook Prowse out of her trance. Guards escorted her and the other visitors out of the palace, all the while murmuring about a suspicious backpack in the area. Immediately, Prowse and her friends ran from the building in fear of a possible terrorist attack — an abrupt end to their adventures in the royal mansion.

“I was scared and didn’t know what to expect,” Prowse said. “It was a frantic experience that made you see how real and intense the situation in France was.”

According to CNN, acts of terrorism by ISIS have been occurring every 84 hours on average since June 8 throughout several countries in Europe, including France, Germany and Turkey.

Despite the attacks, Prowse and her friends, twin sisters Gwyneth and Gwynevere Hunger, had planned their senior trip, determined to travel to Europe together before they went their separate ways in the fall for college. While security guards and police often inconvenient, Prowse felt a little more comforted by the precautions the European officials took.

Prowse said that during the Tour De France, an annual bicycle race with participants from around the globe, everyone was searched and bags were checked as they entered the perimeter. Prowse also noted the extra security underneath the Eiffel Tower, as she was inspected for dangerous objects. Similarly, Italy had tanks on the streets with armored guards that stood post at the various monuments.

During sophomore Jenna El-Ashmawi’s trip to Egypt over the summer, she saw that not only were there tanks on the street, but also that checkpoints were placed every few miles on the highway. The local people were also more cautious around tourists, and El-Ashmawi’s family warned her to be more aware and to take care in public places.

“The area was really unsafe and the security was from the army,” El-Ashmawi said. “I did feel nervous, but I knew I wouldn’t have gone if my parents didn’t think it was safe.”

Like Prowse and El-Ashmawi, Spanish teacher Arnaldo Rodriguex was well aware of the several terrorist attacks that had been occurring around the globe when he traveled to Greece, Russia, Turkey and Italy. Due to a coup in Istanbul, Rodriguex’s cruise ship was forced to make a stop at Athens instead.

While on his trip, a cargo truck deliberately drove through crowds celebrating Bastille Day on July 14 in Nice, France, killing or injuring hundreds of people. According to Stanford News, terrorists are more frequently utilizing everyday vehicles like trucks for mass murder, allowing those inexperienced with guns or bombs to easily pull off an effective attack.

Despite the events occurring in neighboring countries, Rodriguex said that he noticed extra security only in Italy, where security guards paid more attention and showed a larger presence toward suspicious behavior and actions. Especially because terrorists now have easier access to materials needed to commit attacks, travelers are being more cautious of their surroundings.

“When you travel you’re apprehensive, and in smaller cities like Nice, you wouldn’t expect something crazy to happen while travelling,” Rodriguex said. “I never felt unsafe, but never felt 100 percent comfortable because of the things that were going on.”

Though Prowse, Ashmawi, and Rodriguex were able to enjoy their trips and return home safely, two college students from UC Berkeley were not as fortunate. Nicolas Leslie, who was studying abroad in Nice, was killed during the terrorist attack there that claimed the lives of 86 people.

“This is tragic, devastating news,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said in an article for Berkeley News. “All of us in the UC Berkeley family-both here on campus, and around the world are heartbroken to learn that another promising student has been lost to senseless violence.”

His death came weeks after the death of another student, sophomore Tarishi Jain, who was killed in a hostage situation by Islamic Militants at a restaurant in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She had been working in an internship for e-commerce growth at Eastern Bank. A memorial was held for both students on their school campus weeks after their deaths, and in honor of the countless others killed by violent attacks that now plague parts of Europe and Asia.