Charlotte (queen city news) — It's officially spring break in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools and surrounding areas, which means many families are taking advantage of the opportunity to travel.
If you're already planning a summer vacation and your trip will take you to another country, there are additional steps to consider when packing.
Rachel Weiss, a mother of two from Weddington who plans to hit the slopes this spring break, is no stranger to international family travel. Whenever they travel, they check the U.S. Department of State's website for travel advisories.
“When we were pregnant with our second child, it was right around the time the Zika virus was going around, and we were going to go to Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic, and that was high on our list and we decided to completely cancel the whole trip. I readjusted,” she said. she said.
These advisories don't just cover the virus, but also include several different areas to inform Americans about safety and security in other countries.
These levels are rated on a scale of 1 to 4, where 1 is “''.Take normal precautions”, Level 4 is”don't travel”
Charlotte attorney Marcel McCrea explained that authorities consider several things when specifying these levels.
“These include petty theft, violent crime, natural disasters, weather, health hazards, civil unrest and kidnapping risks,” he said.
McRae himself is an experienced traveler. He has visited 43 countries. He said that while rankings may seem alarming, they are actually a very useful tool.
“I recommend getting as much education as possible about a particular destination before visiting it,” he says.
Level 4 countries include Afghanistan, Haiti, and Russia, while popular tropical destinations just three hours away from Charlotte are also high on the list. Jamaica is currently in Level 3, which means “reconsider travel.”
“It's scary because when we say Level 3, people are breaking into resorts and stealing property and selling drugs in restaurants,” Weiss said. “That's scary.”
These are some of the things authorities are seeing on the island, according to the State Department's website, which says it's “reducing violent crime.”general”, adding that sexual assaults also occur frequently in resort areas.
“I think sometimes it's important to be aware of your surroundings and be careful. For someone who doesn't travel a lot, this is probably pretty alarming,” Weiss explained.
Even U.S. government employees are prohibited from visiting certain areas of Jamaica.
The ministry has made several suggestions if travelers choose to go to “high-risk areas”, including designating a power of attorney before departure, leaving a will and even having a DNA sample taken by a doctor. are listed.
Mr McRae said these are just legal measures to ensure things are taken care of in your absence.
“A power of attorney allows you to designate an agent to carry out affairs on your behalf while you are stranded in your destination,” he said. “If the extreme scenario were to happen and you happened to pass away while you were there, of course a will would give you access to all your affairs and belongings.
While most people don't plan family trips to Level 3 and Level 4 areas, Weiss said that at the end of the day, travel should be fun and memorable, so travelers should He said you need to make the best choice for yourself.
“If it happens suddenly and it's bad, make a decision that works for your family. The decisions I make for my husband and I are probably the decisions I make for myself and I It may be a little different than the decisions that they make for their children,” she said. Do a little homework and be prepared. ”
