Job Discussion Forums

[la reina]

This is great! Please keep the advice coming!

[notamiss]

A bit off the topic of safety and security, but this follows from the anecdote about confusion over invitar. Cooperaci�n might confuse you the first time you're asked for one, since it means what in English we call a "contribution" (financial) � chipping in with your share.

[dixie]

For those of you owned by a pet, be careful where you board your furry friend.

I had to leave my two dogs at the vets while we returned to Canada for the Christmas holidays. I returned to pick them up - one was terrified (she�s mommy�s sucky girl, and never likes me to leave her) - but both were in bad physical condition. Tequila (sucky girl) had a massive raw spot on her chest, as well as several on her front legs, and paws. Chela had a few marks, but not as many. The big problem (that I stupidly didn�t check out) was that the cage bottoms were wire grates - a MASSIVE NO-NO (unless you run a puppy mill). Chela was no worse for the wear, but Tequila was terrified. Obviously, we never returned (nor have I left them anywhere since).

[Prof.Gringo]

[arthur mcbradley]

how safe is it to walk around with ipod headphones on? i guess that a potential thief would know that they must be attached to something and that you can't necessarily hear them sneaking up on you from behind... what about having your pocket digital camera out while sightseeing? is this a bad idea? i plan on moving to mexico city in january, and these are two things i have with me all the time when out & about in korea... it'd be ashame to have to forego these two favorites because of something that might happen... just wondering?

[Guy Courchesne]

For the ipod, it might depend on the part of town you're in. I wouldn't worry too much walking about the streets with it (though you might want to watch you're not hit by a car!). I see people with them all the time in the subway, but as a foreigner, you might be tempting pickpockets.

Everyone and his uncle Jorge has a digital camera here. I wouldn't worry about that one either, though again, maybe not in a crowded subway or certain areas of town that don't offer much by way of sights to see anyway.

[Prof.Gringo]

[MO39]

You know, a lot of the advice being given on this thread are things I would do to be safe back home in the USA. For example, I can't imagine leaving a backpack on my chair in a restaurant to go to the bathroom, even if it didn't have anything valuable inside, ANYWHERE. I wonder if the Russian guy Prof. Gringo talks about would have done what he did in Moscow or wherever he was from...Just use common sense, and you should be fine.

[Prof.Gringo]

[MELEE]

Another note on signs of wealth.

The catch 22 is that because you're a gringo some people will think the things you have are worth something. I've had two 5 dollar watches stollen, one in Puebla and one in Ecuador.

[hlamb]

I have generally felt very safe here and the rare occassions when I didn't happened because I didn't understand what was happening, rather than being in any actual danger.

HOWEVER, I was grabbed recently on the street at night-and not just my @ss, either. From what the guy said to me, it was pretty obvious he wasn't after money but definitely wanted to get me to go home with home. At first I told him to leave me alone and tried to break his hold on me, but he just grabbed me again. That's when I started to scream as loudly as I could and punched him in the stomach (not as hard I would have liked). He found I was not an easy target and ran off. So, if you figure they're after you, not your wallet, make as much noise as possible.

This can of course happen anywhere, so take your usual common sense precautions, but don't forget to have fun. Be careful, but don't let yourself get paranoid.

[Prof.Gringo]

[Gary Denness]

[MO39]

[Gary Denness]