Flying in the Time of Terrorists

I love Europe for the ease of hopping between countries, between cultures, between languages and that means flying but flying also brings with it a concern about terrorists, terrorism, and security measures. So, when I fly, I don't linger outside the airport or inside the entrance. It's straight to the gate for me, which means through security screening as quickly as possible. Past the guards and security, I feel a sense of security but is it a false sense of security? I wonder if it is.

Keep it moving in the airport.
At the Boston Airport (L. Galo)

I fly light. The last thing I want to do is hang out in arrivals when I get off the plane. That means I have no check in luggage. I have one small carry-on backpack with a few outfits, deodorant, and perfume. My laptop is in there and that's about it. It comes in at about 15 lbs, under the maximum for most airlines, who don't weigh my small purse hanging on me when I hand them the backpack for tagging (though technically they are supposed to). The deceiving size of my small purse holds heavier items: phone and charger, make up and documents, toothbrush and toothpaste. Most of the weight in my purse is from liquids, which most overseas airlines don't require I bag up... but some do. So, take care to check which airline you fly. You may need to contain liquids to a clear bag, if required.

Over Paris (S. Galo)

My last flight was on Alitalia Airlines. I forgot to check if I needed to bag liquids (see, even seasoned travelers forget these things). So, when I arrived at security, I had liquids in my purse and liquids in my backpack. So, I was a bit in a pinch... claim my liquids, stop the immense line behind me and try to ask someone for a proper sized bag or just proceed? I decided to proceed but, trust me friends, that is not how you want to be traveling through the security checkpoint! I very easily could have had a much bigger problem on my hands. My guess is, through their high tech imaging, they saw that it was just make-up and just waved me on as a foolish American. Lucky me!

Flying in the time of terrorists makes one a bit on edge. But everyone has the conviction of carrying on, not letting the terrorists stop you from maintaining the life you've created for yourself. That would allow them to win. They want to create fear. They want to hurt us economically. They would win by creating fear and hurt us economically if people stopped flying, if people stopped going out to the the places in the world they are meant to be visiting. So, nerves aside, one goes to the airport and gets on the plane. Along the way, the nerves go away, the edge disappears, a calmness takes over.

Keep it simple and don't let fear be your friend. 
Me on the way to Split, Croatia. (L. Galo)

How can we, as travelers, be more vigilant? People say we are in this together but they don't give us any instructions on how to work as a team against possible threats to our safety. So, here are a few ideas. Look for suspicious activity and report it to authorities. What do criminals do? Do they spend time looking at passports or paperwork or managing wayward children, sleep on the seats, or read the newspaper? Or do they watch authorities instead? Wouldn't that seem just a little strange to you if you saw someone watching the authorities? We can notice if someone leaves a bag, walks away and doesn't come back and report it to authorities. (Why would anyone in their right mind do that anyway? Clearly, the person who does this is not in their right mind! We have been told at every turn to never, ever leave our bags alone in the airport - ever!)

I say, do travel - but be safe and watchful. There will always be dangers in the world but we cannot allow dangers to paralyze us with fear - to stop us from having a full and rewarding life - and we certainly can never allow the terrorists to win by allow them to induce fear that pervades our lives and the choices we make in living it.


- Li Galo (mom to three fabulous and fantastic homeschoolers)


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