Essentially terrorism can be anything from running over a group of innocent to hijacking a plane. The unfortunate reality is that both of these situations have occurred and are all too common. While you might automatically tie Europe with terrorism, the fact of the matter is our definition of terrorism is skewed. Terrorism can (and does) occur anywhere and everywhere.

 According to a study conducted by the University of Maryland for the State Department, the majority of terrorist attacks in 2016 occurred in Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. So while we might automatically remember the tragic events of Marseille, France during Bastille day, it is just as important to remember the attacks that occurred outside of the Western World. 

If we look back at the definition of terrorism, it comes to no surprise that a large majority of these attacks take place in countries of conflict. Afterall, terrorism is the act of causing harm in order to seize or take over power; something that is all too common in war-stricken areas. It, unfortunately, comes with no surprise that ISIS was cited as the deadliest terrorist group in 2016, and will most likely remain so in 2017. 

This blog post isn't intended to scare you. Rather, I want to enlighten others about the world around them. The unfortunate reality is this: our world sucks. Terrorism has, and most likely will, continue. It can happen at the movie theater, your local shopping mall, or even while walking to the grocery store. Though it is important to be aware of your surroundings (whether you are 1,000 miles away from home or ten), it is also important to understand the priveledges that we have as Westerners. 

We can't live our lives in fear of when the next terrorist attacks might happen. We have the privileged to essentially travel wherever and whenever we want. So no, I'm not afraid of traveling abroad especially when I'm only going to Europe. Though I understand the severity of a terrorist attack, I also understand the damage of letting fear take over. If we do, then we are letting those who are attempting (or have attempted) to inflict fear on us win. 

 Knowledge is power.  Meet new people, try new foods, attempt to learn a new language, and maybe even learn about a different religion. Many times fear drives us and limits our possibilities. Instead, use this energy and turn it into something positive. Explore those uncharted territories and beaten paths and make those connections with others that will last a lifetime. 

Until next time,