Senior Jessica Gordon is just one of the many students who have taken advantage of the Ball State University's study abroad programs. This year, she enrolled in a program at the London Centre, the oldest of the many trips provided by the Rinker Center for International Programs.
"This is my very first time being in Europe," Gordon, a landscape architecture major, said. "But before I have been to Mexico several times, Cayman Islands, Jamaica and the Bahamas. So this is a definite culture shock compared to those places, and especially Indiana."
The threat of international terrorism to the U.K. was raised from substantial to the second highest level of severe this month, according to an article in The Guardian. This change means that an attack is not imminent, but "highly likely."
These warnings do not go unnoticed in London, especially after 13 people were killed when 18-year-old Hasib Hussain blew up a double-decker bus in central London, almost an hour after 39 people were killed in three simultaneous bombings in the underground system, or subways, on July 7, 2005.
Despite the increased security risks and the heightened threat level in London, Gordon said she isn't concerned about her safety and her decision to go to London this semester.
"[The threat level] hasn't made me feel uncomfortable riding on the tubes or buses," she said. "Because of past terrorist attacks, I feel that the police are taking extra precautions, and Ball State wouldn't put us deliberately in harm's way."
This isn't the first time that a study abroad program has faced terrorism threats. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, a group of Ball State students waiting in the airport to go to London faced flight cancellations. Immediately, Director of Study Abroad James Coffin sent a letter to each of the students, assuring them that although they had the choice to drop out of the program, London was considered a relatively safe city.
"Having worked closely with all of you and your families in preparation in this wonderful program, I want you to know that all of us at Ball State care very much for your well-being in these troubled times," Coffin wrote. "[Study abroad leaders] report that there is an unprecedented degree of British support and protection for their American guests at this time. With this in mind, the London Centre will go on as planned."
Just six days later, all 46 applicants continued on their journey to Europe.
"Not one dropped out," Coffin said.
Even though the threat level for London has increased, and a general travel alert is issued for all of Europe, it would actually take a travel warning for Americans and students to be sent back to the U.S.
Coffin said it would be an "absolute nightmare" if a travel warning was issued for a foreign city in which students were attending school. Even though this has never happened for any Ball State program, the Rinker Center has steps in place to ensure that the students get home safely.
"[If a travel warning was issued], we would get them out right away, then the negotiations for the housing, bus companies, deans and faculty would follow," Coffin said.
The department provides an insurance plan that pays for any emergency flight out of the country and recommends that each student registers with the U.S. embassy in the country that they are visiting to make sure they can have access to the first available flights.
This would also set in motion the process of obtaining credits for the students' interrupted semester, depending on when the travel warning was issued. Students might have the option of enrolling late for classes at Ball State, or create correspondence courses to make up for the missed classes.
"We're hoping that common sense would prevail and students would be allowed to enroll late or work something out with the professors," Coffin said.
Assistant Director of Study Abroad Kelly Kirkwood said she believes no matter what city someone is traveling in, there are always risks involved. When traveling, especially in a foreign country, students are not familiar with the cultural cues or the area and are more reliant on staff instructions and warnings.
"When visiting larger metropolitan cities, and a lot of [Ball State] students are from more rural areas, you have to have an understanding of street smarts and have the same information that you would need in Chicago or New York," Kirkwood said. "However, [traveling in Europe] is like a double culture shock [for students]. You have to be conscious about risks that occur abroad or even here."
Gordon has already made plans to travel to Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona and Ireland during her time in Europe. She doesn't see much of a difference in regards to security around airports in London.
"The security process went smoothly and it wasn't any different than the other airports I have been to," she said.
Kirkwood said she continues to keep up with international news and makes sure that traveling Ball State students are safe, wherever they might be.
"We're working behind the scenes. We have kids all over the world and we worry about your safety," Kirkwood said.
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