Healthy Travel Tips is provided by Teri Champigny.
Safe Travel for Students and Women
Unfortunate but true, women and young students traveling in Europe are targeted more often by criminals, and experience the most trouble with government officials as well as locals of the country. Students also experience higher health risks while traveling in Europe, simply through the activities that most students engage in. For these and other reasons, it is necessary to introduce a few travel safety tips specific to students and women.
First, if you are a student traveling for the first time, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, not every adult can be trusted, even if they appear to be friendly and helpful. Especially if you have grown up in a small town where everyone knows everyone else, this can be a difficult concept to grasp and remember. However, remembering that you cannot trust everyone is the first step in remaining safe in Europe.
Second, you should know at least some basic bits and pieces of the language common to the country you are visiting. If you do become lost or need some type of assistance, you will be less likely to get it if you cannot communicate your need to those around you. It is best that you at least know how to ask for directions, ask for the US Embassy, request police or governmental assistance with a crime, or yell for help in the case that a crime is in progress.
To avoid run ins with local government officials, familiarize yourself with the laws for the country and area that you will be visiting. Make sure that your partying stays under control and within legal limits. Avoid illegal drugs, and refrain from drinking. Even if drinking is legal for your age group in that country, it is best to avoid it. Drinking alcohol clouds your judgment and can lead to embarrassing or legally troubling situations. It also limits your perceptibility and makes you a more vulnerable target for criminals.
Women especially should avoid walking at night, especially in dark and deserted streets. If you find that you have stayed out too late, take a taxi home. You’ll be much safer. When you are walking, taking the bus, or on the train at any time of day or night, be aware of your surroundings. Make sure that you have a way to escape any advance from a potential criminal or rapist, and be aware of everyone around you and what they are doing.
You should also make sure that your personal items and valuables are well hidden and against your frame so that they cannot be easily grabbed. Sewing pockets into your underwear or bra can be a great way to stash money in case of robbery or mugging. You should also try to avoid wearing any jewelry other than a simple wedding ring. If you don’t appear to have anything, you will be a less likely target. If someone does try to rob you, hand over your items willingly then run for the most public and well lit area possible. This will protect you from untoward advances from the thief as well as put you in a position to find help.
Common Crimes Against Tourists And How To Avoid Them
While the last thing you want to think about when planning your European vacation is what can go wrong, it is best that you are aware of the likelihood of these situations and how to avoid them before your travel to Europe and learn the hard way. Crime against tourists is not an often discussed topic in the news, because these crimes are usually not reported. That is because even if you file a report with the local police, you will likely be safe at home and unable to follow through with the charges, if any are ever pressed.
The most common crimes against tourists are pick pocketing and mugging. Pick pockets can be just about anyone around you. Strangers in a foreign country might talk to you and seem very nice, but when you leave them and hit the next shop, you find that you are missing your wallet. The best way to avoid pick pockets is to avoid overly crowded places like buses and trains, and trust no one.
Mugging usually happens around currency exchange agencies. These thugs watch you enter the agency, and wait for you to come out, following you to a less crowded place where they take everything you have. Other criminals might actually hang around inside currency exchange agencies watching to see how much money people are exchanging. Those who exchange thousands of dollars at one time are the most likely to be mugged as soon as they leave. The best way to avoid these crimes is to conduct currency exchanges in places where there are few by standers. You should also exchange only small amounts every day or every couple of days, and at different locations.
Areas heavily populated by tourists are also targeted by pick pockets and muggers. The best way to avoid these types of crimes is to simply stay away from other tourists. Instead of visiting the normal tourist attractions, submerse yourself in the culture of the country that you are visiting by going to local shops and restaurants where tourists do not typically frequent. You should also avoid bars, night clubs, and secluded areas with few by standers.
Although money can be a prime motivator for crime, passports are often even more likely to be stolen than your valuables. Passports can be altered by the simple changing of a picture, and a way out of the country and into America can be a major reason for crime in some areas. Although you should have your passport on you at all times, you should keep it hidden on your person in a back pack, underneath your shirt, or strapped to your leg underneath your baggy slacks.
Another common crime is simple scamming. These crimes are often not discovered until much later, if ever. Restaurants, shops, and currency exchange agencies may attempt to get more money from you than is actually required for your transactions. The best way to avoid these types of crimes is to be completely familiar with typical prices and the exchange rates between US dollars and Euros or the national currency. If you are aware that a shop owner is trying to haggle you out of more money that something is worth, you will be able to call them on it and pay a lower, more reasonable price.