Brandeis students might not be laughing in the face of danger, but they certainly aren't letting it spoil their plans. With worldwide announcements warning U.S. citizens of terrorist threats abroad, it's a wonder Brandeis students even venture out of Waltham."You can't live your life by what might or might not happen," said Jennie Gordon '07, who is participating in Boston University's London Internship program this semester despite the attacks in that city July 7. "The chances of terrorism in London are just as great the chances at home. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to leave home, leave my responsibilities, and leave family for four months."

Even in the wake of the London bombings and the train attacks in Madrid in March 2004, none of the 26 Brandeis students planning to be in London or Spain this fall have cancelled for security reasons. In fact, after the London bombings the study abroad office only received one phone call from a concerned parent about the upcoming semester. Futhermore, No programs in London or Spain have been cancelled.

"I feel like terrorists are a threat to the entire world, and if I were going to alter plans based on that, I'd have to stay out of every city in the world," said Marc Balmazi '07 who is spending the year at the London School of Economics.

Like Balmazi, other students studying in London this fall said they did not reconsider their decisions after the July 7 attacks.

"I did not even think about it," said Derya Tavozar '07, who is also participating in the BU program. "You cannot predict the future. In order to achieve your goals you need to take risks."

The attitudes of these study abroad students may seem like irrational bravado to some, but most students note that terrorism is a global phenomenon, and that cities in the United States are just as dangerous as London or Madrid.

"I think that keeping people scared and locked up is exactly what the terrorists want," said Cara Gray '07 who is studying in Madrid this semester through a similar BU program. "I'd rather just live while I can and not sit at home scared," Gray said.

And most families of students planning to study abroad think the same .

"People go about their everyday lives in Spain, England, Israel and many other places, because they know that if they didn't, that would be giving into the terrorists," said Zach Kagin, the 16-year-old brother of Brandeis student Gillian Kagin '07 who will be in Madrid this fall with the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) program. In this case, any brotherly concern is outweighed by his excitement and support for his sister.

"The benefits that Gilly is getting from studying abroad far outweigh the minute risk of being involved in a terrorist attack ... I know that she can handle anything thrown at her, and that my parents, my sister and the program itself are managing everything well," Zach Kagin said.

The study abroad office's policy is to let students and parents gauge the safety and security risks, and decide for themselves if they still want the student to go abroad. The office provides resources and advice, but has said it will not prevent a student from participating in a chosen program. According to study abroad director J. Scott Van Der Meid, Brandeis takes a "hands-off" approach.

"I think Brandeis students are an intelligent group and have considered many factors in making their decisions," Van Der Meid said. "Certainly 9/11 happening in our own country has affected how we view terrorism. Health and safety is a relative conversation-where is it really safer to be?"

Students who have traveled or lived in places that have experienced terrorism may be less concerned about the risk of attacks during their time abroad. As a student from Turkey, Tavozar recalled that terrorist incidents have occurred in her hometown of Istanbul, and Gillian Kagin explained that after spending time in Israel she learned to continue living life despite terrorism.

"[Israelis] don't live life more cautiously just because in America we think Israel is not quite safe," Kagin said.

Van Der Meid echoed a similar sentiment. "I think because at Brandeis so many people have connections to Israel ... there is a higher tolerance in general," he said. " like how a lot of people from New York saw that life goes on after 9/11."

Van Der Meid also noted that most students have chosen to study in either London or Madrid, as opposed to other cities in England and Spain. He believes if they were seriously concerned about the threat of terrorism, they could have chosen other programs available in lower risk cities.

Those students who did choose other locations did so for academic or social reasons, not a conscious fear of terrorism.

"The only way in which the bombings have affected my travel is that I will be less likely to use public transportation and more likely to walk, which is not a bad thing at all," said Victoria Ornstein '07, who chose the IES Barcelona program because it is her favorite city in Spain.

Taking more precautions-as Ornstein plans to do-seems to be the only shift planned by students going abroad.

"I think Americans are definitely higher targets then they were several years ago," Van Der Meid said. "Students need to be very cautious when they are in a foreign country. I always advocate students get to know their surroundings before they boldly go where no Brandeisian has gone before."

Even while students said they might avoid public transportation and try to be more aware of their surroundings, for the most part students in London and Spain said they are planning on embracing their experience abroad regardless of the risk of terrorism.

Kagin said that even if she avoided all public transportation, "I am a little nervous about the terrorist attacks but there is little I can do to control it. I could not take any sort of public transportation, but then what if something happens in a mall? I cannot isolate myself in order to be completely safe. So I plan to live it up in Spain and just pray that I'll be safe.