The kidnapping two weeks ago raises questions about responsibility, the nature of world travel and the necessity of students and the university to plan as well as possible for life in an uncertain world.

When something like this happens to students abroad, it’s only natural to wonder about the role MSU plays in protecting its students.

The Guatemala program was not affiliated with the university. The students who participated in the trip did so through a company called Encountour. MSU does offer trips to Guatemala, although those trips operate under stricter security guidelines than the Encountour group.

MSU does not function in a parental role to students as they travel abroad. It is up to students to determine what they are willing to risk during an experience.

The State Department issued travel warnings to people about the dangers of traveling in Mexico and surrounding regions because of recent violence. With or without university affiliation, there are inherent risks in traveling abroad and that responsibility falls upon the person taking the journey.

Although no one is immune to violence here in the states, a traveler is taking significant risks when leaving the country. Travelers from the U.S. easily can become targets abroad for of a multitude of reasons.

Regardless of attempts to blend in when you are unfamiliar with an area, it shows and can make any situation dangerous. Experiencing and learning new things about the world is the point of travel and also what can ultimately hurt you abroad. Travel can be the most fulfilling experience in life, but caution is a must when in unfamiliar surroundings.

Planning is absolutely essential to success on trips abroad. As a traveler, safety should be a primary concern. Encontour did not make the best decisions for keeping its customers safe.

Discretion is incredibly important when traveling in a potentially volatile area, and the travel company dropped the ball. Encontour’s customers were relying on them to provide a safe experience and, unfortunately, the proper steps weren’t taken to ensure safe passage.

However, we do live in an uncertain world. As they say, “the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.” The world is dangerous, especially considering Central America’s current situation. There are unforeseeable tragedies that happen all the time.

We’ve all heard horror stories of terrible things happening to people abroad, but the same can be said here in the U.S. Bad things happen all the time and they are usually not events that can be planned for. Caution can be the best remedy for avoiding travel troubles, but there are no guarantees. The unknown is what makes traveling exciting in the first place.

But, be careful out there.