Korean Job Discussion Forums

[travel zen]

If you have travelled, you might have seen some wicked things, or maybe have felt in danger.

One place where I felt my mortality was in Bhopal India.

I was backpacking by myself to Varanasi, and as I got off the train, I felt myself to be the center of attention throughout my stay.

I was there for about four days and didn't see another foreinger for all that time. My hotel manager was very accomodating, but was concerned for my health, he didn't want me to go out on the town. He would send his bell-hop to get what ever I needed and had his kitchen cooked whatever food I wanted. It is a muslim city and there were mostly aggressive men on the street. I was THE center of attention as I walked around, I had never felt so isolated, alone and without a weapon to defend myself...should the need arise. If you have felt this way while travelling, its not a good sign. So I took the hotel managers adivce and laid low for the next few days.

That night (and every night for the next three days) as I tried to sleep I heard gunshots, shouting and general rioting. It turned out that the city was having elections and that 33 people had been killed while I was there. As I took an autorickshaw to the airport for my flight on my last day there, I saw much destruction and armed police on the streets. My rickshaw driver was scared and took shortcuts through the town to speed the trip. Few times in my life have I felt relieved to actually be on a plane.

Your turn

[Bulsajo]

In a tight cave under a reef.

[Hater Depot]

Down in Anacostia in Washington, DC.

[Zark]

Lost, in a bad part of Johannesburg, South Africa. Not such a good place - at the time (1989) - for honkies . . .

[mindmetoo]

Downtown Windsor, Ontario after the bars let out. Hundreds of 19 year old drunk Americans are wandering the street, in a different country, sure the laws don't apply to them, and sure American law dictates a Rambo style raid to rescue any American in a foreign jail...

[ajgeddes]

Brooklyn, New York. I had really got confused riding the subway (first time ever riding a subway by myself). I missed my stop and ended up in Brooklyn, so I got out and walked across the platform to the other train, and it just took me further into Brooklyn. So, I decide to get off the subway and I look outside and it was the projects. Cars were up on blocks, on the streets, I was the only white dude in the area (which I knew because everybody was staring at me, like WTF are you doing here) and I am in plain site holding my video camera. I got back in the station, and it probably only took 5 minutes for the train to come, but it felt like 35 minutes. I later told my friend where I had been and he just laughed and called me an idiot because white people don't really go there (he was from Brooklyn).

[Mills]

South Korea; any crosswalk with a green "walk" signal lit.

[Mills]

[kangnam mafioso]

a few come to mind ...


Bronx, New York City (Jerome Ave/ Webster)


wrong neighborhood, Cairo, Egypt


old city, jerusalem (arab quarter) shortly after thugs smashed the bar in the hotel ... almost felt as unwelcome in the ultra orthodox jewish section of the new city (although nobody smashed things)


juarez, mexico, after midnight, highly intoxicated, unable to locate dive hotel room or keys.

[crazylemongirl]

[TOGirl]

Nairobi, Kenya....after dark, looking for our hostel.

Not a good place for 2 little white blonde girls.

[skinhead]

Coober Pedy, South Australia. Psychobilly Hell! Interstate bus left me stranded there at 1am once on the way back from contract at Uluru. I highly unrecommend this experience.

[Tiger Beer]

Robbed, beaten up, and strangled with the attackers stealing my passport and credit cards in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

When I went back to the hotel.. I was told that some 'doctor' saw the attack and was able to recover my credit cards.. and he'd like to personally bring them to me at the hotel (somehow he 'supposedly' followed me afterwards and knew where I stayed). He left the number at the desk, and I called him about it.

Then I went to the police station (later I learned the 'corrupt' station).. there are 3.. and only 1 is acceptable to report crimes. While I was at the station I saw a 60-year old couple who'd just got their car hijacked by gunpoint.. later in the hotel, read there had been 17 car hijackings by gunpoint that weekend alone in this city.

While at the police station, it extended past the time the 'doctor' was suppose to be waiting in the hotel lounge with my credit cards. When I got back to the hotel, they told me there were several extremely shady looking characters with a lot of alcohol on their breaths.. who were 'waiting' for me.

When the staff saw me bloody bruised face and black swelts around the eye and forehead and such.. they actually hid me in the hotel.. served me food.. and feared for my life without letting me go anywhere.

In addition.. this all occurred on a Friday in Barquisimeto.. and I couldn't leave this city until Monday.. as without a passport.. I couldn't travel back to Caracas.. (I'd get arrested and thrown in jail for traveling without an ID - they have road blocks all over the fricking place in Venezuela).

Ultimately 3 days later.. made it to Caracas by bus.. spent the next 10 days at the U.S. Embassy everyday trying to get the right forms and everything else to get my passport again to get out of there. While hanging out in the hotel with my banged up face and body.. I met 7-10 Malaysians who were robbed by the police.. watched several dozens kids sniff glue from my window every night.. went to the plaza and sat around and watched some guy motioning to me for 20 minutes how he was going to cut my throat.. everytime I went to the U.S. Embassy (which is so far out you need to take a taxi), I got ripped off and severely overcharged.

When I finally left Venezuela.. almost got robbed by an 'official' looking man who was taking me to some 'airport tax office'.. he was trying to lead me somewhere.. then he saw real official people and suddenly slinkered off real quick. When I checked in, some real airport guy grabbed my bags and ran to the 'waiting lounge' and adamantly demanded I give him US$20 as it means nothing to me and he did just help bring (actually run with) my bags to the waiting room.

In short.. Venezuela is a fucked-up place.. and I have no desire/interest in returning again. Pretty much every fear anyone has ever had about 'traveling' happened to me on that trip.

[peppermint]

Probably just in the wrong place at the wrong times, but Cheong ju, Korea. Two firsthand encounters with rather violent men within a 15 hour period one day.

[rainyqueen]

again - just at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Itaewon.