Last week, Al-Qaeda finally claimed responsibility for the July 7 attacks on London's transit system that killed 52 people. Though the specter of those attacks remains, the bombings did not deter any London-bound Jumbos: According to Associate Dean of Programs Abroad Sheila Bayne, all students scheduled to take part in the 2005-2006 Tuft-in-London program, through which students study at University College London, stuck with their commitment.
Though there was student and parental anxiety following the London bombings, Tufts' study abroad program e-mailed all participants and their parents to inform them of security procedures. Students were again emailed after the July 21 attack, and still, nobody withdrew from the program.
Bayne attributes their confidence in part to Tufts' safety precautions.
"Tufts monitors the security situation in our host cities very closely from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Department of State and International SOS Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services, a company whose services cover all participants in Tufts' programs abroad," Bayne said.
Since the 2004 terrorist attack in Madrid, Tufts has further improved its communication system. "We now keep lists of parent e-mail addresses for quick updates," Bayne said.
Nevertheless, those abroad are still affected by the bombings. Junior Veronica Adamson was hesitant to leave for London upon hearing about the attacks over the summer. Her mother, however, encouraged her to go.
"[My mother and I] agreed that the danger wasn't great," Adamson said. "And that by not going, I would be succumbing to the fear the terrorists hoped to create."
Junior Molly Nutt had similar reasons for sticking with her plans to spend the year in London. "I live in New York, so I was around for Sept. 11, and that didn't make me want to move away," Nutt said. "Terrible things can and do can happen anywhere, and it would have been pointless to not come to London because a terrible thing happened here."
"I never considered changing my plans," Nutt added. "My dad, however, held an informal dinner-table poll on whether or not I should go to London. Unfortunately for him, he was the only one who voted that I should not."
While Adamson has not noticed any particular dangers during her first few weeks in London, the bombings have left her slightly paranoid. "I do catch myself looking over my shoulder when I ride a double-decker bus," she said.
Some students actually feel safer since the terrorist attack took place. Junior Amy Feduska was scared when she heard about the bombings, but never let that fear affect her decision to study abroad: "I figured that the bombings would lead to better and more effective security measures," Feduska said. "I never thought of not going - I've always wanted to study abroad in London."
Senior Jessica Levine, who studied in London last year, echoed Feduska's sentiments, and said she would still study in London given another opportunity. "I can't let these terrorists think that I'm afraid of them," Levine said. "In fact, London is probably more safe now since the security probably increased."
Students have indeed noticed tightened security in London. "There are signs in Metro stations - and even the pub down the street - urging people to report suspicious packages and bags," Feduska said. "I see about four to six patrolling policemen a day - more in the Westminster area around the palaces and government buildings."
"There are always a few in the Tube stations as well," she added. "The main thing I notice is how much closed-circuit TV there is: streets, restaurant counters, grocery stores all have video cameras recording your every move."
Feduska and her London-dwelling peers have not refrained from using the city's Tube or bus system. "I'm more afraid of getting hit by a double-decker than I am of being on one," Feduska said.
Senior Joanna Troy, a member of the 2004-2005 Tufts-in-London group, also feared drivers more than terrorists while abroad. "I was always more anxious of being hit by a car," Troy said. "I think that is still more likely to happen to students abroad than being bombed."
Unlike Levine and Troy, senior Emily O'Neil, who also studied in London last year, said she probably would have refrained from studying abroad if this summer's events had happened prior to her departure.
"I think that if I were planning to study in London this year and realized where the incidents occurred in relation to UCL's [University College London's] campus and dormitories, I would have a great deal of hesitation in studying there," O'Neil said.
"Shortly after the incident, I had a conversation with my mom about whether or not I would have gone if this happened the year before, or if I had been planning to go this year," she added. "I know it does absolutely no good to live terrified of what might go wrong, but honestly, my gut reaction was that I would have stayed in the States for my peace of mind and that of my family."
