I am not afraid of traveling to new places. Unless there is an extreme circumstance such as an active war zone, I don’t think there is anywhere in the world I wouldn’t go at least once. However, I also I do not want to put myself or others in a dangerous situation by being ignorant of what is happening at a local level or by having a cavalier attitude. As a guest in a foreign country, it’s important to me to act like it. To not assume that things will operate the way I am familiar with. I want to be prepared and plan accordingly. So when I hear that a country is dangerous, I try to go with an open mind but to also have a plan that keeps me safe until I am more familiar with the area.
By traveling to new places, especially alone and when I don’t speak the language, there is of course some element of potential danger. Routine may cause the development of a false sense of security, but really, isn’t potential danger lurking regardless of where you are? There is always the possibility of getting into some kind of tragic accident wherever you may live. I could get mugged or assaulted where I live in Atlanta or anywhere else in the United States. And there is of course, the greater danger of staying only where I am comfortable, of living a life based on fear, and never experiencing a life worth living at all.
In Latin America specifically, there are areas that are dangerous. This is often due to cartel violence, which is fueled by the incredible demand for illicit drugs in the United States. To say nothing of all the weapons being used by criminal organizations that have been exported to our southern neighbors directly from the United States.
When I decided to move to Mexico in 2016, I was so excited I was telling everybody. What shouldn’t have surprised me was the response of mostly men, whose opinion I had in no way solicited, and who had never been to Mexico at all, telling me that it was such a bad idea. That it was dangerous, that I would get robbed and attacked by all those brown men. That I shouldn’t be going at all, much less alone.
After living in Mexico City, I often am asked the question, is it safe? The most shocking, though not surprising, encounter happened when an older white women I had literally just met asked me, do you know anyone who was raped there? I was so thrown off by the question that I responded with a simple no. The level of violence against Mexican women in Mexico a systemic failure and absolutely heart breaking. However, I personally do not know any women who have shared with me that they have been raped in Mexico. I wish I had responded to her inappropriate question that unfortunately, I do know many women in the United States that have been raped. And wether she is aware of it or not statistically speaking she does too, as at least 1 in 6 women in the US will be sexually assaulted during her lifetime.
Mexico City ranks as one of the top 5 biggest cities in the world. Asking if Mexico is safe or if Mexico City is safe is like asking, is the United States safe? Is New York or LA safe? The answer is going to be yes and no. It depends on who you are, where you are, and what you are doing. Most major cities experience elevated rates of crime. There are safe and not safe neighborhoods. There are some dangers in Mexico that do not happen frequently in the US, such as being extorted by the police or being kidnapped. Kidnapping today in Mexico is much less common than it was in the 90s, and you are very unlikely to be kidnapped as a foreigner.
I believe that Latin America is viewed as dangerous by Americans largely due to American behavior. If I went to any major American city, without speaking English, with the goal of getting wasted or asking strangers for drugs, if I was wondering around at night in neighborhoods without knowing if it was a safe area or not, it seems to me highly possible if not probable that I would be the victim of a crime. Using the common sense one uses at home, and treating other countries with at least the same respect, could avoid a lot of the obnoxious behavior and dangerous situations that I see my dear fellow Americans put themselves in when they trapeze off to an “exotic” location to treat as their personal playground.
When I first arrived in São Paulo, because it is such a big city, and because I barely speak any Portuguese, and because it was my first time in Brazil, I was a little weary when I first arrived. Almost every local I talked to told me to be careful with my phone. The neighborhood I was staying in, Jardins, was very nice, full of trendy bars and restaurants. I was told that because the area attracts a wealthier crowd, it also attracts pickpockets.
I only had one very jet lagged day to explore. Because I was tired, short on time, and a little trepidatious, I stuck to known touristy areas. And because I was working while I was there I didn’t have the chance to venture out much at night. I never felt unsafe when walking around, with others or by myself, in São Paulo or anywhere I visited in Brazil.
I happened to arrive on Sunday, when the main avenue Avenida Paulista is closed to vehicles. This was a great way to start the day, with vendors lining the streets and people out for a stroll, biking, or skating.
I made a quick stop by Parque Tenente, a small but peaceful park that holds the last slice of rainforest left in São Paulo.
I also visited the main park of São Paulo, Parque Ibirapuera. This was a great place to walk or bike around, and is the home of several museums I would have liked to visit if I had more time, including the Museu Afro Brazil.
There is no shortage of museums and cultural points in the city. I ended up having time for just one, the MASP (Museum of Art of São Paulo). Tickets are free but you still need to get one online before you can enter. They have a rotating exhibit downstairs, and a permanent collection upstairs. There are no walls where this collection is displayed. Each work of art is suspended, starting with the most recent pieces. The artist, date, and any information about the piece is available on the backside of the work. The idea is that you observe the art without the influence of context, and that you can walk freely throughout the exhibit, “as if walking through a forest.” It was a such a unique experience and I’m glad I had the chance to go. If you only have time for one museum, I recommend this one.
I learned that São Paulo has the largest population of Japanese people outside of Japan. Japantown is known as the Liberdade neighborhood. There are distinctive red lanterns marking the area. As with everywhere in this city it seems, there is an abundance of good food. I am usually skeptical of inland sushi, but you need to come to this area hungry.
I also stopped by the Mercado Municipal, the main market of SP where you can buy all kinds of fruits, vegetables, fresh and cured meats and fish. Although I was completely stuffed and repeated exposure has left me unusually resistant to being screamed at by vendors for an American, I ended up trying some local fruits because they looked so good. I also recommend coming here hungry not just for the fruit but to grab some delicious ready made food from one of the many stalls and have a beer or glass of wine and enjoy some of the live music playing.
My favorite stop was Beco do Batman (Batman Ally). This is an area of several blocks covered in graffiti that is constantly evolving. The rumor is that the area started with a single mural of Batman and became what we see today. There are several shops and vendors here, and it is situated between neighborhoods that are good for grabbing a bite, a beer, or coffee.
Though it was a short visit, I absolutely loved the time I was able to spend here. São Paulo was busy, messy, and has so much to offer. I left better than when I had arrived, and even managed to hang on to my cell phone.
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