Madrid bombing hits home for UNCP instructor

By Rachel Hernandez
Staff Writer

A chilling 911 days after Sept. 11, terrorists bombed three Madrid train stations in Spain killing at least 198 commuters and wounding over 1,400. Coincidentally, Enrique Porrua, a UNCP Spanish instructor, who was born in Madrid, happened to be in Spain the very same day the bombings took place. He was in Granada, approximately four hours south of Madrid, finalizing plans for UNCP students who are planning to study abroad this summer.

“This is the first time that so many innocent people were targeted for no reason in Spain,” he said. Porrua said Spain was an easy target because they do not have a sophisticated defense infrastructure and because they backed the U.S. led war in Iraq.

Porrua admitted he is not interested in politics but said he is concerned with terrorism.

“In my opinion, you should support President Bush, John Kerry, or Mickey Mouse… whoever is going to take a position against terrorism,” he said.

“I was obviously very impacted and depressed but it didn’t get me by surprise.”

Porrua said many students called him to make sure the trip was not going to be cancelled. He said the students were more concerned with the possibility of not going, rather than being concerned about their safety.

Salyna Dvorovy, an environmental science major, said that the incident did not affect her decision to go to Spain.

“I figure if I go over there and if something happens, it was meant to happen,” she said.

Others students also commented that they were not afraid to go. Rachel Sudderth and Maya Budihardjo, both elementary education majors, said the news did not make them reconsider their decisions either.

“If you go to New York or Washington D.C. it could happen there too,” said Lonnie Bell, a history and international studies major.

Porrua said that plans for the trip will not be affected.

“Spain still remains a very safe country and I don’t see any reason to cancel the trip because of this,” he said.