| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
chinaroman
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Posts: 61
|
 Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:29 am Post subject: In your opinion.... |
 |
|
| What is the most safe city/country in Latin America? Now I do realize that there are dangerous areas everywhere in the world, but where would you consider to be most safe in LA? I will not be found in any back alleys trying to score drugs or wandering the streets looking for prostitutes....... but I would like to not have to worry about being robbed, be able to use my cell phone while walking down the street, etc. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 5:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
I thought Mexico was pretty safe coming from Peru. Ecuador also seemed nice. Argentina as well, but I taught an Argentianan for years and he said it was vERY unsafe. Ironcially, he thought Peru was safer. Go figure. 
Though Piura, Peru was pretty darn safe. Dinky towns usually are. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
just_a_mirage
Joined: 11 Nov 2008
Posts: 169
Location: ecuador
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ecuador can be dangerous. Ive been on buses that were robbed at gunpoint three times in the last couple months. I live in Guayaquil, but overall crime seems to be up around the country. Smaller cities are safer, but there isnt much work there. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
spanglish
Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| From what I've heard and read Uruguay and Chile are the safest countries in Latin America. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:38 pm Post subject: Re: In your opinion.... |
|
|
| chinaroman wrote: |
| What is the most safe city/country in Latin America? Now I do realize that there are dangerous areas everywhere in the world, but where would you consider to be most safe in LA? I will not be found in any back alleys trying to score drugs or wandering the streets looking for prostitutes....... but I would like to not have to worry about being robbed, be able to use my cell phone while walking down the street, etc. |
Avoid Mexico. The drug war is in full swing. Along with that many illegal Mexicans have returned from the US, which has only served to increase unemployment and thus crime rates.
Chile seems like a good bet. They are on the right track and have just elected a conservative president. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Come to Mexico, or at least to Mexico City where I feel safer than I ever did living in a large city in the US. I am a single middle-aged woman who travels around the city on public transportation, and in the three years I've been living here have had no problems related to my personal safety. Of course, I don't visit bars in the seedier parts of the city in the wee hours and don't flash expensive jewelry when I do go out. Take Prof. Gringo's warnings with many grains of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 4:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Isla Guapa wrote: |
| Come to Mexico, or at least to Mexico City where I feel safer than I ever did living in a large city in the US. I am a single middle-aged woman who travels around the city on public transportation, and in the three years I've been living here have had no problems related to my personal safety. Of course, I don't visit bars in the seedier parts of the city in the wee hours and don't flash expensive jewelry when I do go out. Take Prof. Gringo's warnings with many grains of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila! |
Take it anyway you want, but 30,000 dead in a few years is not a joke.
Also, Mexico City has a lot of violence as well, robberies, pick-pocketing, rapes, kidnapping, all are very much a part of daily life in the capital of Mexico.
If you want a truly safe place, steer clear of Mexico.
Chile offers a much better country. Poverty rates have fallen in less than 15 years from near 40% to less than 15% today. Chile is a country that is moving forward and you're never far from the coast.
Chile is everything that Mexico wishes it was, but isn't. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: In your opinion.... |
|
|
| chinaroman wrote: |
| What is the most safe city/country in Latin America? Now I do realize that there are dangerous areas everywhere in the world, but where would you consider to be most safe in LA? I will not be found in any back alleys trying to score drugs or wandering the streets looking for prostitutes....... but I would like to not have to worry about being robbed, be able to use my cell phone while walking down the street, etc. |
I thought Panama was safe and seemed to really be advancing. Costa Rica has a good rep as well.
Chile, good choice, perhaps the top of my list for safety and a country that is creating jobs and advancing itself.
I like Peru a lot, but it might not always be the "safest" but I would take Peru over Mexico anyday. I never had any problems whatsoever in Peru. Great people, great food. Low EFL wages, but we don't do this for the pay, do we? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chinaroman
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Thank you all for the very solid info. I am currently wrapping up a contract in Northern China, enjoying a Siberian winter. Looking forward to seeing what LA has to offer next. Excited for the change, but one nice thing about China is that safety is never a concern. Happy 2011 to you all! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 1:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| chinaroman wrote: |
| Thank you all for the very solid info. I am currently wrapping up a contract in Northern China, enjoying a Siberian winter. Looking forward to seeing what LA has to offer next. Excited for the change, but one nice thing about China is that safety is never a concern. Happy 2011 to you all! |
Where are you now? Hope it's not as cold as Harbin! In Changchun we had snow in MAY! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chinaroman
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 3:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Hahaha naturegirl, that is precisely where I am! Well actually just outside Harbin in a city called Daqing. We had our first snowfall October 15. I sure won't miss the snow. How long have you been in China? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 5:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| chinaroman wrote: |
| Hahaha naturegirl, that is precisely where I am! Well actually just outside Harbin in a city called Daqing. We had our first snowfall October 15. I sure won't miss the snow. How long have you been in China? |
NOt there now. I was there for about 1.5 years. Wanted to go back, but ended up back in Korea. Pay is better here. I-d still like to go back to CHina though |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Broseph
Joined: 16 Jan 2011
Posts: 6
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| just_a_mirage wrote: |
| Ecuador can be dangerous. Ive been on buses that were robbed at gunpoint three times in the last couple months. I live in Guayaquil, but overall crime seems to be up around the country. Smaller cities are safer, but there isnt much work there. |
Would you say that this is an accurate reflection of big cities in Equador as a whole, or are you talking about isolated areas of them? I'm interested as I'm thinking about going to Equador later this year to teach and I seem to be hearing mixed reports about it. Like the original poster I would also like to start out in a South American country that is fairly safe. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 1:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Broseph wrote: |
| just_a_mirage wrote: |
| Ecuador can be dangerous. Ive been on buses that were robbed at gunpoint three times in the last couple months. I live in Guayaquil, but overall crime seems to be up around the country. Smaller cities are safer, but there isnt much work there. |
Would you say that this is an accurate reflection of big cities in Equador as a whole, or are you talking about isolated areas of them? I'm interested as I'm thinking about going to Equador later this year to teach and I seem to be hearing mixed reports about it. Like the original poster I would also like to start out in a South American country that is fairly safe. |
NO place is completely safe. I've been in Guayaquil and Quito and as a tourist I felt safer there than at home in Lima, Peru. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Swing59
Joined: 30 Jun 2010
Posts: 17
Location: U.S.A.
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 2:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
Guayaquil has a rep for being the most dangerous city in Ecuador. Quito can be dangerous as well, although not as bad as Guayaquil. Cuenca is pretty safe as long as you aren't walking around alone after dark, but still people get robbed, and I think Loja is alright. Not sure about Monta. I'm not sure that you'll find much work outside of these cities. Maybe in Ambato.
I personaly feel like in almost all South American cities you run the risk of getting robbed. Foreigners stand out, often walk or take public transportation, may not speak the language well or know their way around the city, and are often precieved to be wealthy. Just try to take common sense safety precautions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
