By Marlene Bruno
For The Inquirer
What comes to mind when you hear “Medellin, Colombia”? When my daughter accepted a teaching assignment in Colombia’s second-largest city, my thoughts centered on drug cartels, guerilla warfare and kidnappings.
To reassure myself about my daughter’s decision, I asked friends and family whether they knew anyone who had visited Colombia. I called my travel agent, begging for encouragement. Instead, she suggested I read the U.S. State Department’s travel warning. (Go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_941.html to read the June 4 warning.)
Desperate, I visited several bookstores to learn about this violent, remote country where my daughter would live. I found two travel books about Colombia, and both contained long chapters on safety. Finally, I realized that I needed to trust my daughter’s judgment. >>Read the rest of the article.
