Texas Global has relocated two May Term study abroad programs due to the conflict in Iran, according to a spokesperson for Texas Global. Multiculturalism in Jordan, a program previously located in Amman, Jordan, will now take place in Rabat, Morocco. Turkey: Ottoman State and Society, previously in Istanbul, Turkey, will now relocate to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The University began evaluating the risk levels for the programs and looking for alternate locations after the conflict began in February, according to a spokesperson for Texas Global. To determine risk levels for international travel, the UT System Board of Regents uses information from the U.S. Department of State and On Call International, a global emergency assistance company.
While travel was completely suspended to Jordan, Istanbul received a lower risk level from the UT System that allowed the lead professor to request approval for travel from the Texas Global’s International Oversight Committee and Office of the President. However, the appeal was denied, and the program was relocated to Sarajevo.
Students in both programs were given the option to continue in the program at the new location or cancel with a refund.
Both programs include a one-hour class in the spring that teaches language, history and culture lessons to prepare students for travel. The lead professors in each trip have adjusted their curricula to align with the new locations.
The students in the Istanbul program were informed of the relocation during a class meeting.
“They started the class by saying, ‘Just to note, y’all are getting moved to a different country,’” said Elif Painaik, a government and economics junior. “This pallor fell over the room. I was trying not to cry the whole time.”
Reema Barakat, an associate professor of instruction in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies, was one of the faculty leads for the Jordan program. She will not be able to travel to Morocco because she does not have enough time to get a visa with her Syrian passport, Barakat said.
“Students get excited to go with a professor they know,” Barakat said. “We wanted to be together, but it happened a little too late to do any change or to take care of the situation.”
Elizabeth Pompa, an international relations and global studies sophomore who planned to travel to Jordan, said she is worried about the change in living situation for Morocco. In Jordan, the students were set to live in private apartments, but in Morocco, they will live with host families, she said.
“I just would appreciate more preparation and communication for Morocco because we haven’t really talked much about Morocco culturally or the language,” Pompa said.
Olla Al-Shalchi, the co-lead of the Jordan program who will be going to Morocco, said it is unfortunate that students won’t be able to experience the country, but she acknowledges the necessity of the relocation.
“(The students) understood why this needed to happen,” Al-Shalchi said. “It is disappointing that we’re not able to offer that to them right now.”
