Many avid travelers all have one ultimate goal — the accomplishment of journeying to as many countries as possible, regardless of consequences or cautionary warnings.
The United States defines a dangerous country as a place declared to be unsafe for American travelers, either due to domestic circumstances or the U.S.’s restricted access to international affairs in that area. Its list includes countries such as Afghanistan, Belarus and Haiti.
Visitors to such countries should also be well prepared at home — among the list of precautions encouraged by the U.S., people are advised to draft a will, leave DNA samples and share important documentation, as stated by the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Travelers who insist on going to such countries are advised to be well educated in the local laws of their destination. High chances of kidnapping, theft, long-term detention and the dangers of armed conflict are all factors that tie into the countries’ classification as ‘high-risk.’
Travelers should also be aware that foreign aid may be restricted, and if an emergency were to occur, it would be difficult for the government to help.
Spanish teacher Courtney Van Arsdale is a frequent traveler who has journeyed to many Latin American third world countries, including Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. Van Arsdale prepares herself for travel in various ways.
“I just always keep my wits about me. I never look lost, and if I feel like I’m in a dangerous situation, I always keep my head up and keep looking forward,” Van Arsdale said. “I don’t look around and I don’t read maps or travel books in public.”
Despite the dangers, many travelers insist on visiting ‘high-risk’ areas for the sake of new knowledge.
Adventure travel blogger Nellie Huang ventures to see what a country is like regardless of the way it is portrayed in the media, giving her a wider perspective of the world.
“Traveling is my way of learning on-the-ground knowledge, and visiting these forbidden lands is a channel through which we see a place beyond headlines,” Huang wrote.
Religious factors also play an overwhelming role in why many decide to journey off into dangerous lands. Churches are notorious for sending missionaries to small, unknown islands, oftentimes disregarding hostility from inhabitants for the sake of religious conversion.
In addition to evangelistic grounds as motivation for travel to high-risk countries, travelers are also exposed to fantastical writings by airline companies encouraging them to visit such destinations.
When looking for flights to Afghanistan through the website of the airline Emirates, potential travelers are greeted with words glorifying the possible danger.
“In this war-torn country [Afghanistan], tourism has almost disappeared, but that’s exactly what makes it amazing to visit,” the website writes.
Enticing opportunities such as these can tempt people to potentially put themselves in danger, but it’s ultimately up to the traveler to decide how to protect themselves.
History teacher Bill Clark believes that traveling to high-risk countries isn’t as complicated as it seems. Clark has been to numerous countries classified as unsafe, including Turkey, and is planning a trip to Israel over the summer.
When asked what he thought of traveling to high-risk countries, Clark said, “As long as you’re safe and not stupid, it’s just travel. Just do it.”
