Here's What You Should Know Before Going To Europe This Summer
How the State Department’s Europe Travel Alert could affect your upcoming trip.
1. First things first, understand what the alert actually means.
There's a big difference between an alert and a warning. "Alerts are for short-term events where the government thinks we should know about what's going on there, like an outbreak (Sars or Zika), or an election, or a strike, or a demonstration. Warnings are more serious, because the government wants you to think about whether or not you should actually go. It means there are intense and ongoing levels of violence and crime," explains Diaz.
Keep in mind: The government issued an alert for European travel — not a warning. "The State is saying, just be alert [about the situation]. It doesn't mean you shouldn't go; it means you should just know," says Diaz.
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2. But also understand that, at the end of the day, these terms are just big, blanket statements.
"It's truly up to each individual to understand more deeply about what these statements mean," says Diaz.
Take, for example, the warning that's been in place in Mexico for the last several years. "They just updated it in January to show, 'Hey, there's violence going on here,' but I travel to Mexico all the time. In today's world that's so much more interconnected, it's inaccurate to just give a blanket statement. You have to understand the nuances [of each particular case]. Even though what happened in Europe was sad and tragic, that doesn't mean that it's happening all over Europe," Diaz continues.
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3. And so, have some perspective about it. Put everything in context.
"It's important to recognize the severity of what's happened, and the sadness. My heart goes out to all the people impacted. It's a tragedy, and I'm saddened," says Diaz.
"But at the same time, it's also important to step back and put this in context. Yes, the world can be dangerous. Violence happens everywhere. But it's also amazingly beautiful. So ask yourself: Do you hide in your house all day, or go out in the streets and dance?"
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