Crime can happen anywhere in the world. Often times as Americans we see traveling to foreign countries as being potentially dangerous. While this may be true of some places, crime can happen anywhere in the world. This past October hundreds of dollars worth of stuff was stolen from my car, in my small town of 1,410 people. Often times we become complacent with the things we do everyday. While these pointers are particularly true while traveling, they can be used anywhere and anytime!
Research, Research, Research
In 2011, tens of thousands of Egyptians packed into Cairo’s Tahrir square demanding change and demonstrating against poverty, corruption, and political repression. This uprising ultimately led to President Hosni Mubarak being forced out of power after 30 years. This violent clash between security forces and protestors left at least 846 people killed and over 6,000 injured.
This abrupt turmoil left thousands of Americans stranded in Egypt and seeking government-chartered evacuation flights. The major issue was the fact that Egypt was experiencing major internet interruptions, and Americans were not able to receive or request the vital information needed to get them home.
The moral of my history lesson is, research as much as possible prior to your trip. Find out the location of your country’s embassy prior to arriving. God forbid something happen to the state of the country while you are traveling, you may need to acquire resources and get help quickly.
Prior to even booking your trip, make sure you are researching the political or security conditions of the country. Places like Rio De Janeiro are known for their rampant cases of pickpocketing. A simple Google search can easily help you become aware of any issues and how to prevent them.
The US Department of State’s website has countries ranked from Level 1 to Level 4 (Do not travel). And includes the current state of the country. You can easily get an idea of any specific issues that may occur. Do A LOT of research on the specific place you are staying. Look at the local news and see if there are any issues in that specific location. Read the reviews on a place and be on the lookout for a reoccurring trend. In a world full of “Karens’ sometimes we aren’t getting accurate information. But if there’s patterns in whats being written, there is probably a lot a truth to that.
A sporadic review or two, I would ‘take with a grain of salt.” I remember I was researching my last Cancun resort, and a lady complained that her room smelt like the ocean…. She gave the resort a one star ranking, because the ocean front all-inclusive resort, did in fact smell like the ocean! Groundbreaking Karen….
Preparation
Leave a copy of your itinerary with someone you trust. This is especially true if you plan on hiking by yourself. Let them know estimated times, so they can check back in and alert authorities if you are not back in time.
If you are traveling internationally, email and a print a copy of your passport. If your passport is lost or stolen, this can expedite the process of getting a new one substantially.
Think about WHO you are traveling with ahead of time. There is so many different ‘types’ of travelers out there, and you need to know WHAT kind of travelers they are; Will they be that friend that just wants to party until they black out. Are they super trusting of strangers? Do they want to sit and read on a lounge chair the whole time. Some of these may also be personalities traits that can put you in risky situations.
Research what the local emergency number is. 911 in the United States is 999 in the UK. And in Australia it’s all zeros. Having good cell phone service can also be vital during an emergency. A lot of people try to save money and just connect to WiFi while abroad. The International roaming fees may be worth it in case of emergency.
Language and Cultural Differences
Americans seem to be lacking when it comes to learning second languages. In other countries around the world, individuals learn multiple languages from an early age. We seem to assume that everyone knows English. Not only is it a major safety issue not being able to say basic phrases, but it makes traveling ten times harder.
Apps like Google translate can help substantially when traveling. The app doesn’t need to be connected with data to work either. You can “push to talk” between two people, and let the app act as a translator. It also has the capability of translating menus or other written wording by using your phones camera.
When I was In South Africa, we seemed to CONSTANTLY get pestered and sold on items from locals (no hate to them, obviously after awhile it gets old). I eventually asked our local friends how to politely say “no thank you” in Afrikaans. Anytime we were approached after that, I immediately replied with that “no thank you”. This helped us substantially! Some locals would immediately stop asking after. Others appeared to know that we weren’t from South Africa, but seemed to realize we weren’t going to give them the time of day either.
Often times, the reason we travel is to experience different cultures and surroundings. People tend to forget that they may also have different laws and cultural norms as well. Being American (or any other citizen) doesn’t excuse you from breaking the law in other countries. Did you know that sex toys are illegal in the UAE. If you are caught with something “sexy”, you’ll have the items confiscated and/or be prosecuted. This is true in other religiously conservative countries including; Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, and the Maldives. In Morocco unmarried couples are not allowed to share a room. Article 490 of their penal code prohibits premarital sex. People having intimate relations outside of marriage can be jailed. People even suggest carrying a copy of you marriage certificate while traveling to avoid any issues.
Being apart of the LGBTQ+ community can hold inherent risks as well while traveling. In 2019, the country of Brunei made it legal to flog and stone LGBTQ people to death. Nigeria is widely considered the worst country for violence against gay travelers. There, people can be imprisoned for up to 14 years or even put to death under Sharia Law.
Check out Forbes 20 Most Dangerous Places For Gay Travelers (And The 5 Safest).
What NOT To Wear
Leave expensive jewelry at home. Even if that means just wearing a wedding band. Or wearing a cheap ring in place of your wedding set while you travel. Expensive jewelry is often sentimental, you would much rather have it in the long run.
Leave name brand clothing at home. Big brands are recognized world-wide. Expensive purses are easily recognized. Opt for packing a small clutch/wristlet since its harder to steal. Instead of a larger purse, bring a small backpack.
Ultimately, don’t make yourself a target by looking like a tourist. BLEND IN and pretend to be a local. Ultimately this is not always possible everywhere. But you don’t need to be wearing a matching Hawaiian print outfit with your significant other or staring at a map as you are heading to the next touristy event you have planned. You are just dying to get taken advantage of.
Safety During Your Trip
While this can be taken care of ahead of time, make sure to book or ask for a room on the second floor or above. While ground floors are convenient, they are also the easiest rooms to break into. Opt for a room that is also not facing a the Main Street. That way people aren’t walking directly in front of your room.
Never give out your full name to an unknown person. Carry a credit card folder or money clip in something not easily accessible to thieves. Ensure you are getting into proper transportation. Don’t flash money around. Don’t flash money around anywhere.
Do Not use sketchy looking ATMs. There have been many cases of rigged ATMs, that essentially just steal all your information and drain your bank account. Try and plan having some paper money ahead of time. Banks like Wells Fargo will exchange money free of charge for account holders. Also, try and always have some sort of emergency cash on you. Debit/credit cards can be lost, stolen, or simply just shut off. Always try and have some sort of paper money on you.
Be with other people during high risk situations. This gives you more eyes, opinions, and overall awareness. Larger groups of people are more intimidating to assailants. In an emergency situation join another group if possible. I’ve heard of situations where people seek out motherly looking women, and let them know of any concerns you have. These types of people are often more protective and will to help.
Living Accomodations
When you get to your hotel room or rental, prop your bags against the door and inspect the entire room to make sure no one is there. Inspect the room for any safety issues as well as cleanliness. Signs of insects, dirt, and mold should all be brought to the front desks/managers attention.
Find all of your emergency exits. Do not “check in” on social media or post the location of where you are staying while you are there. If you leave your room, keep the television or radio on. Intruders are less likely to enter if they believe people are present.
If the door isn’t locked to your liking, place a chair or luggage in front of the door. If someone breaks into your room, you will immediately hear them at least from the commotion. Make sure your windows are locked as well. I stayed in a sketchy hostile in Nuremberg Germany one night. And while there was four of us crammed into a tiny two twin sized bedroom, we felt a bit uncomfortable. I decided to stack all four of our checked luggage pieces in front of the door so we could be awoken if anyone tried to get in.
Things to Buy
- A Door Wedge or Door Alarm.
- The alarms sit under your door, similar to a traditional door wedge. If for some reason your door is opened, it will press down on the wedge and start alarming.
- Collapsible Water Bottle.
- Depending on where you are traveling, water is not always safe to drink. These water bottles are easy to pack while traveling. According to the Aerospace Medical Association, you are supposed to be drinking 8 ounces of water for every hour you are flying.
- Fanny Pack/Day pack.
- You are able to keep the items right in front of you, to better protect you from pick pocketers. These Lululemon brand fanny packs, are currently very popular.
- Baggage Locks.
- Just make sure they are TSA approved, otherwise they may cut your lock.
- Hidden Pocket Scarf
- Hides your items while giving you an extra layer of warmth (perfect for flying).
- Portable Door Lock.
- Can be placed in between the door and door frame for an additional lock.
- A Fake Wedding Ring.
- You are less likely to be kidnapped if the kidnapper believes your husband/partner is with. Also, If you were to be robbed while traveling you wouldn’t be losing any valuable items.
- RFID Blocking Card Holder.
Conclusion
My number one piece of advice is to TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! Your body can sense when something is off. Prior to becoming a flight attendant, I spent over six years working in a men’s correctional facility. You KNOW when something is wrong. More often than not, you can call two inmates fighting before it even begins. You need to read your surroundings. If something feels uncomfortable, there’s probably something wrong.
In May of 2019, I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa. While most of the trip was spent “in the bush” we were able to spend a few days in Cape Town as well. We rented this beautiful house in the Camps Bay Area. Besides the many cliff side mansions located in the area, it is filled with unique restaurants, boutiques, and bars.
After dinner one night we found ourselves walking around looking for a fun bar to drink at. Again, we are all Americans in a foreign country, it’s easy to stand out. Out of the corner of my I noticed a man come out from an alley way, and walk behind us. We had no where in particular to be, so we walked at a slow pace taking in the surroundings. This man, consistently stayed behind us. This went on for some time, until the man started walking faster towards our group. Another guy in my group noticed the suspicious behavior as well, and we quickly jumped inside a local bar. Once we were all inside, the man stopped outside the front door and turned around.
Essentially the moral of this article is don’t be dumb… I even considered titling this post, “How to not be dumb while traveling”. Enjoy your trip, but be smart about the decisions you are making. 99% of the people you meet traveling are great people. It’s the 1% who ruin it for the rest of us. Don’t put yourself in a situation that’ll ruin traveling for you.