Travel is part of who I am. The greatest learning experiences of my life have come in places far from home. I have climbed the Great Wall, visited the Oracle at Delphi, ridden a camel in Morocco, prayed in the Holy Sepulcher, knelt in the Blue Mosque, walked the Way of Saint James, and have had many other experiences in many other places. I would not be who I am today without these experiences and my fondest wish is for my daughter to see the great wonders this world has to offer; to eat strange food, hear strange languages, meet strange people, and develop a deep love for the great diversity of this world.
So many of the places I have traveled have been struck by acts of terror: Jerusalem, Madrid, London, New York, Boston, Istanbul, Paris... and the list goes on. Then the news of the Belgium attacks breaks. Yet I will continue to travel... I must.
As my wife and I plan to travel to Munich this April we have discussed whether or not to cancel the trip, whether or not it is wise to take our daughter abroad. We have spoken to friends, family, and colleagues and have had a mixture of responses. Essentially it came down to the simple, sobering fact that if we do not travel to Munich, then we must also not go to Boston or New York... this is something we are not willing to do.
I am also steadfast in the belief that student travel is essential, and to that effect I am still traveling this summer with my students. This world is too beautiful to allow a group of hateful terrorists to dictate how we live. I have been in contact with the parents of the students traveling with me and they are in agreement that the trip must go on as planned.
I understand the anxiety you all must feel at this point, and I do not make the decision to continue traveling lightly, but I feel like it is my own way of fighting back against terrorism and extremism. I refuse to live in fear.
#noWalls
So many of the places I have traveled have been struck by acts of terror: Jerusalem, Madrid, London, New York, Boston, Istanbul, Paris... and the list goes on. Then the news of the Belgium attacks breaks. Yet I will continue to travel... I must.
As my wife and I plan to travel to Munich this April we have discussed whether or not to cancel the trip, whether or not it is wise to take our daughter abroad. We have spoken to friends, family, and colleagues and have had a mixture of responses. Essentially it came down to the simple, sobering fact that if we do not travel to Munich, then we must also not go to Boston or New York... this is something we are not willing to do.
I am also steadfast in the belief that student travel is essential, and to that effect I am still traveling this summer with my students. This world is too beautiful to allow a group of hateful terrorists to dictate how we live. I have been in contact with the parents of the students traveling with me and they are in agreement that the trip must go on as planned.
I understand the anxiety you all must feel at this point, and I do not make the decision to continue traveling lightly, but I feel like it is my own way of fighting back against terrorism and extremism. I refuse to live in fear.
#noWalls
Spain 2015
Students learning the art of Paella. |
Spain 2015
My little world traveler in Madrid! |
Jerusalem 2009
This is my Colombian friend Johanna whom I met while touring the Holy City. You can see the Dome of the Rock in the distance. |
