As for international travel plans, the only effect Sept. 11 has had on me is my choice of locations. My next international trip was going to be Morocco in the late spring/early summer. However, I don't think that will be a good option at that time. But that does not mean I won't travel. I have travel vouchers that will expire in mid March and, trust me, I will not allow them to expire. :) I'll be using them to go somewhere internationally. Italy? Russia? Peru? These are all places my friend and I are considering. We just haven't yet decided where to go. We're gathering additional information before making a choice.

Of course, the world situation can change between now and then but that is *always* true. I haven't ever let that influence my travel plans and I'm not going to now. I'm not going to do something foolish and go somewhere where Americans are obviously not welcome right now, but I'm not going to just stay home, afraid to venture out either.

I *refuse* to live in fear. I will not allow someone who hates me merely because of my birthplace affect how I live. I'd rather really *live* and have less time to do it than cower in fear for decades. For me, *living means traveling. So, I'll be taking my chances - just like we do all the time with daily life that has tons of potential danger in it - and traveling as I normally do. I don't feel the risks are any greater now than they were a year ago, unless you're in hot spots.

Patsy