Every time I travel to another country my dad tells me "Don't make me have to go in after you like Liam Neeson did in Taken"

Coming in from spring break the travel bug is going around. What are we using our time after midterms to do? Looking up our next destination. So let us hit on the last thing you want to mention to your parents when you want to go somewhere else…safety.

When I wanted to backpack Europe I told my brothers that they could not mention the movie “Taken” with Liam Neeson for the next two months. We weren’t going to mention the possibility of anything happening and I would go on my way being invincible as usual.

Well my parents still brought up the safety issue. It is unavoidable. My saving grace in the safety argument was traveling with a buddy. If I found a buddy then I would be protected…maybe? Good enough for me.

In the midst of my travels I was so thankful for my buddy. Where she would forget something I would cover her and vice versa. By being with someone I knew I felt safer which gave me the confidence to continue traveling when things were uncomfortable.

But we could have been a lot safer. If you are drinking one should be on the sober side to lead the other. You should stay in public when around men. You should lock up your stuff. You should not tell people where you are staying. These pieces of advice are just the beginning of what you need to consider.

Being with another person does not make you invincible, but it does make you less of a target than being by yourself. It does allow another person to watch out for you when you are not thinking. It does give you the reality check to be safer and be smarter.

I needed a partner to attempt to keep on top of all the activity happening. With this person I was able to grow, travel, learn, and have a little security blanket through all of my adventures.