Staying at a new and foreign place is pretty exciting. We get amused at the things we see, the feeling we get when we are there, the things we want to experience. It’s always a good feeling to be carefree, but on a vacation on an unfamiliar place, we should always think of our safety; don’t get caught off guard, you never know when danger will come.

Not trying to sound crazy here, but you can never really tell if there’s harm coming your way.  The place you are in might be beautiful and the people seem to be so warm and welcoming, but that does not mean that there isn’t anyone with wrong intentions roaming around. Remember: they are everywhere. And to someone who’s unfamiliar to that place, you are a perfect target. Foreigners are most likely to get attacked or robbed because a.) they think they could get some loot out of you; and b.) you are not familiar with the place which is an advantage for them to get out of the situation easily. You have to be street smart at all times. Don’t act around like you are lost or you don’t know what to do. Always be ready with the situation, don’t be a “deer in headlights” when danger comes, because that half second that you are taken aback is a full advantage for your attacker. As much as possible, don’t show off anything that could become possible loot for pickpockets and robbers. Keep your wallets/ money close to you, and gadgets such as laptops and cell phones should always be tucked in safety.

As much as possible, try to talk to someone you can trust in that place if you need some help. Don’t talk to some random people just because you need to ask for directions. Ask an authority as much as possible. And if you are on a home exchange,better to ask your home exchange partner some information beforehand regarding safety. It is never wrong to ask this information. Always be safe and be street smart.