No more Morocco...maybe

Thanks to the numerous smaller airlines throughout Europe and the relative proximity of countries, it is unbelievably simple and inexpensive to travel to neighboring nations. To better understand the compactness of Europe, a contrast of its land area with that of the U.S. will certainly help to shed some light. The United States currently possesses a total land area of 9,161,923 km2, while the European Union, with its 27 member nations, boasts an area of 4,324,782 km2. So much diversity in such a small vicinity is certainly a blessing for those interested in travel and foreign cultures. With such a surplus of travel opportunities from which to choose, it becomes difficult to make a decision. Recently, I began searching some of the websites offering cheap flights around Europe and to surrounding areas. One that particularly caught my attention was a flight to Morocco, the most northwestern African nation. Separated from Spain only by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar (a distance of around 8 miles), an excursion there would take no longer than a flight from Memphis to Chicago. Becoming excited by the prospect of a relatively cheap trip to Africa with all of its exotic appeal, I began to research requirements for American entry into the nation. Though I was pleased to hear that American tourists wishing to enter Morocco needed no vias, immediately after opening the State Department’s website on Morocco, I found the following:

>>>In March and April 2007, a series of terrorist bombings occurred in Casablanca, two of which simultaneously occurred outside the U.S. Consulate General and the private American Language Center. In 2003, a series of similar attacks in Casablanca targeted hotels and restaurants. The potential for terrorist violence against American interests and citizens remains high in Morocco. Moroccan authorities continue to disrupt groups seeking to attack U.S.- or Western-affiliated and Moroccan government targets, arresting numerous individuals associated with international terrorist groups. With indications that such groups still seek to carry out attacks in Morocco, it is important for American citizens to be keenly aware of their surroundings and adhere to prudent security practices such as avoiding predictable travel patterns and maintaining a low profile. Establishments that are readily identifiable with the United States are potential targets for attacks. These may include facilities where US citizens and other foreigners congregate, including clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, hotels, movie theaters and other public areas. Such targets may also include establishments where activities occur that may offend religious sensitivities, such as casinos or places where alcoholic beverages are sold or consumed. All U.S. citizens are urged to remain alert to local security developments and be vigilant regarding their personal security and report any suspicious incidents or problems immediately to Moroccan authorities and the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.<<<

A bit dismayed by the news, I began thinking about the American psyche with regards to the notion of freedom. The abstract concepts of liberty and freedom provide the framework upon which our country and other democracies were founded. So ubiquitous are the freedoms we take for granted that it is at first challenging to actually identify them. As Americans we rarely consider our power to vote, our ability to express our opinions, or the ease in which we may freely travel within the United States as freedoms at all. Rather, because we have always enjoyed these luxuries, we deem them merely as natural and expected components of our daily lives. Unfortunately, the preciousness of those freedoms is typically only remembered once it becomes threatened. I am lucky to have even been allowed to come to Europe. There are areas of the world where people are unable to afford such trips, and there are other areas in which governments deny their citizens the right to exit their homelands. While technically I still am able to travel to Morocco, the dangers are so current that I probably will postpone that trip. Nevertheless, the experience has made me both more cognizant of and grateful for the simple, though important, freedoms I enjoy. Hopefully one day the dangers will diminish so that I may travel to any place that interests me.