Job Discussion Forums

[dashzero]

Hey people. I wanted your opinion on foreign female teachers living in DF. Do you guys think its safe for foreign women to live here in DF? I would appreciate the opinion of everybody especially women. And if you guys have any advice on staying safe in DF it will be much welcomed. I dont mean to be sexist at all by the way. Thank you for your time

[MO39]

I've lived off and on in Mexico City (right now it's "on") over the years. Things are a bit less safe than they were during my first stay in the summer of 1966, but I still feel safer here than I do back in my hometown of Philadelphia in the States, whether I'm with friends or alone.

Why did you ask this question? Have you heard horror stories from female friends who've lived here? We're all ears!

[lozwich]

Apart from unwanted remarks, and those lovely up and down looks, from men, I don't think there is any difference in safety levels for women or men in DF. Or am I wrong?

When a lot of crime is poverty driven, I don't think the sex of the target makes much difference.

[notamiss]

I haven't seen or heard of any evidence to suggest that foreigners are at higher risk than locals in the DF, whether they are men or women. Anyone know anything to the contrary?

[dashzero]

I am sorry I think I wasnt very clear on my question. See I am not really a teacher but rather a mexican who is looking for a job in DF in Mexico for a friend of mine. I was worried that because she is more light skinned than the usual mexican, blond, and actually quite attractive she might be in danger of something more serious than having her purse stolen. I presume (please correct me if I a wrong) that he qualities might get her something more serious than being mugged. Also doesnt not having a car put you at a higher of getting mugged (I mean you are more time on the streets). I am not from DF so I can only assume.

[Guy Courchesne]

There are sections of the city where the odds are higher of being mugged, though it wouldn't realy matter what colour your skin is. If your friend is looking for a teaching job, the odds are pretty good that she would never find herself in these outlying areas of the city. That said, it is a big city and anything can happen anywhere. If she exercises some street smarts, such as not carrying around wads of cash and basically being aware of her surroundings, she should be fine.

On having a car, I would think she would be more likely to have problems. Car theft is a problem here.

[TheLongWayHome]

I think crime is crime pretty much anywhere in Mexico, it's just relative to the size of the city. The one thing you can't avoid (if you're a women) is the caveman culture.

[Mrs L]

I think I get what you're asking. The only horror story I've heard was from a British friend of mine who was held at gunpoint by an unlicensed taxi driver in DF. His intentions seemed to be to do more than just rob her but she jumped out of the moving taxi before he had chance to reach the more outlying parts of the city, with only minor injuries and a bit of a fright. Obviously the moral of that story is only take licensed taxis.

However, as a young blond myself who's never actually lived in DF but has visited on several occasions, I actually felt I got less unwanted attention there than in other parts of Mexico. The fact that it's a large city with plenty of foreigners made me feel less visible than in the small towns where I stand out like a sore thumb. If you're Mexican, dashzero, the horror stories you hear about DF are probably over exaggerated. Has your blond friend had any problems elsewhere in Mexico because of her looks?

[MO39]

Street smarts are essential to avoiding lots of hassles in Mexico City, especially for attractive young blondes! Something I learned during my first stay here was to avoid eye contact with male strangers when walking around the city. This is something that two blonde gringa friends of mine never learned, and they always wondered why they were being approached so much by young Mexican men on the prowl - usually these were not the kind of guys they might have wanted to meet. One of these friends was from California where apparently smiling at everyone you see on the street was accepted behavior. She just couldn't break herself of this habit, which brought her quite a bit of unwanted attention, though nothing dangerous, mind you.

[jfurgers]

I had a lady from Australia tell me she would sometimes get grabbed on her $%# while on the subway and the metrobus, but no one ever really hurt her.
She also told me that guys would think she was "easy" because she was white and had blonde hair which meant she was considered a North American.
She told me guys would say things to her while she would be walking down the street sometimes. According to her, Mexican men think North American women are "easy"because of Madonna and Brittany, plus the movies.

[MO39]

[jfurgers]

[MO39]

[Samantha]

MO39 wrote:

[MO39]