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Chazz

Hi there,
I am not meaning to be superficial in describing my girlfriend as such. I've just read a few things which seem cause for a bit of worry. Are there any basic safety for tips for her and I, or more imprtantly, are there any places in Mexico (or alll of Latin America) to pointedly AVOID?
Thanks for any help in asuaging (or justifying) my fears...

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Safe from what? The water? Airborne pollution? Earthquakes? Al Qaeda? White slavers?
If you're concerned about unwanted attention from all those stereotypical testosterone-fuelled Latin lovers, leave her at home with the testosterone-free Mounties, lumberjacks and ice-hockey players.

carlos-england · Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 8:29 am Post subject:

"Safe from what? The water? Airborne pollution? Earthquakes? Al Qaeda? White slavers?
If you're concerned about unwanted attention from all those stereotypical testosterone-fuelled Latin lovers, leave her at home with the testosterone-free Mounties, lumberjacks and ice-hockey players."

I think thats a bit unfair Graham, but the only advice
I can give you is go there with your eyes wide open
and if the fact she will get harrassed (and no... thats
not stereotype... it's fact) then pick somewhere else to
live where the majority of the blokes are blonde obsessed
morons...

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

She won't be safe if I am around!! I will have to use my American charm on her.

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

American charm? Must be some kind of Indian talisman!

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Or I will just hit her over the head with my club and bring her back to my cave!!! Laughing

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Would that be a six-iron?

thelmadatter · Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 6:30 pm Post subject: ja ja

I just love the way we seem to be handling trolls these days.... making great jokes at their expense!

Chazz

Actually, you ass (Graham), my concern lies in the very statistically high occurance of sex crime against (foreign) women in Mexican cities. For someone who's never travelled and whose girlfriend is a ripe 19 years old and not too big, I'd say that warrants an inquiry.
Thanks for your response, Carlos. I suppose my inquiry seemed a bit silly what with such a gratuitous description of my lady...I'm as OK as any boyfriend is with ogglers and idiot harassment...I can handle that. I would just like to imagine a less hostile environment (FOR HER comfort) than some warnings to and from travellers would indicate (ie I'm not doing Mexico City).

amy1982 · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 192 Location: Buenos Aires

in most big cities in latin america, your girlfriend will be reasonably safe (little beauty that she is), as long as she takes the normal precautions.

don't go out at night alone, don't go to the atm after hours, don't carry around a lot of money, don't be stumbling through the street drunk by yourself, don't go down dark alleyways by yourself, only go in marked cabs, be aware of what is going on around you... etc, etc, etc. pretty much common sense stuff. catcalls and whatnot are virtually unavoidable (even without blonde hair)...

i really wouldn't worry about it too much. another key is just to look confident but it's not absolutely necessary. and even if you break all the rules, you'll probably be ok (although i wouldn't test that hypothesis just to see what happens!) i've been absurdly lost in back allies at night, a little more than tipsy, wearing club clothes, accent thicker than it should be and not at all confident... but it turned out ok, no one robbed, raped, beat, stole or otherwise injured me physically or emotionally. in fact, a nice young gentleman and a couple of his friends (male and female) offered to walk me home.

AsiaTraveller

Alitas · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 187 Location: Maine

She should learn the spanish for "My uncle is a general."

Chazz · Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 1:11 am Post subject: Thanks, Ladies...

Good to know that she can have a good time and all. I'm happy to get some first hand from a woman's perspective...Obviously I am just worrying too much. We share most fears about the trip. She just doesn't frequent this site as much as I do.

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Interesting to see that the word "ass" is as yet unknown to the automatic censor, whereas the term for a male bird causes cyber consternation, likewise one of the abbreviated forms of "Richard".
I digress.
Yes, I am indeed an ass for doing some basic research that you could have done yourself on Google. The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs website has useful information for travellers, snobs and Barbie Dolls: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/travel/menu-en.asp
As Amy1982 pointed out, safety is a matter of common sense wherever you go, so make sure you and Miss World pack some in your suitcases.
Thelma, as I'm (apparently) such a PC person, I'll apologise for the politically incorrect subject heading!

amy1982 · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 192 Location: Buenos Aires

one key thing which may or may not be included in the "common sense" umbrella of do's and don'ts is to IGNORE people that are giving catcalls and whatnot. it's a sort of game and if you/she responds in any way, it will get worse. that is a quick way to get oneself into a potentially uncomfortable situation.

so, try not to laugh, smile, blush, roll your eyes, spout off vulgarities, etc. unless you want the situation to continue/escalate. i was told by an argentine friend that a good dose of profanity could shut them up. but this did not work in my experience, so i don't recommend it unless you're really confident. nothing really bad happend, i just had a pretty unpleasant walk home from class. i don't think they find short american girls very threatening...