Day 6: Homelessness and Crime in El Poblado, Boxing Day

Today was a little bit better. I got up earlier to head over to cafe and sit and chill while writing

and sorting through all these photos to post. Of course, I happened to choose the brunch spot Azul Selva which, come to find out, was the cafe attached to my new friend's hotel - and she came down just as I opened my iPad. So, nevertheless, nothing got accomplished.

But it's fine - gotta make friends.

The German guy who got robbed showed up! Luckily , he was prepared for it. Had a burner phone and kept his credit card in another location- GOOD JOB. That's one thing to keep in mind with traveling - first, the safe boxes are not safe. Someone has to have a key. Second, keep your passport separate from your cards and money. I actually have TILEs on my items. Most people don't know what they are (they are used to the Apple tags which can be scanned to find) TILE is also on your phone so if you lose that, you can still track it online. Third, only carry enough cash for what you plan on buying and in the case of an emergency, and always have 2 different credit cards- and NOT a debit card. I'm still not sure why people swipe debits - if you get scammed, that's directly out of your bank account. At least with a CC, you can still be protected.

https://www.tile.com/product/black-pro-4-pack

Something everyone, including myself, always say they are going to do - and how many of us actually do it? Work out when vacationing? I don't even want to waste the space in the suitcase for that stuff. BUT, this is a sabbatical. And I've been boxing for 3 years so I can't stop Now. PLUS, isn't Colombia known for their fighters? Well....

First day at boxing was great. I'm so out of shape and one thing to note, which I knew before since I have had 3 other boxing coaches within a 6 month span (dated 2 of them) - everyone is different. So one will correct something you've bee doing wrong all along and the other never spoke up, or you just have to learn THEIR way. So with my coach, Estaban, there is some footwork I'm learning. AND still doing the same bad skill I've had, not extending my arms for 1 and 2.

After that hour of a private lesson, I was not staying for a group class! Hell no. I had salsa tonight AND this again tomorrow. Negative.

Lunch: Sere

So now about the homelessness and crime here.

Yeah, there is petty crime everywhere. Hold your items, backpacks are fine, check your surroundings and make sure if you get robbed- give them what you have and hold things at the apt. Now, I have never been in this situation and hopefully never need to. But the way things are in America, I feel I have a higher risk of being shot in the grocery store or working (angry client) than I do here. Everyone has guns everywhere! Everyone is poor somewhere. Just be alert, be smart and be ready. There's a Colombian phrase: Don't Give them Papaya. I really don't know where this came from, but basically, don't give people a reason to take advantage of you. This is for those that live through the lens so your face is always looking at something through your expensive iPhone 25 or whatever # they are on now (Android here). And keep moving. Don't look like a foreigner if you can avoid it -meaning, don't walk around with your LV or Gucci sunglasses and 'California Dreams' T-shirt while walking side roads. Serious target!

Homelessness, yeah, it's here - especially in the more 'ancient' like natives - meaning, those that have more a traditional look - darker skin, straighter hair, they are very physically similar to Mexicans. Colombians, as you know, were a mezcla of European, closer than many of the other countries - so the blonde hair is preferred (although most dye and straighten theirs), they have a nice shape for females, males are pretty thin and very light skinned. So, yeah, you can guess who would be more on the poor side. Most of the females have tons of children under 10 with them - where the over 10 yo are, well... you can imagine.

There are a lot of, I'm going to use the word HOOLIGANS not to be mean or judgmental in any way, but to describe a very wide variety of persons between 20s and 40s that are in the streets on corners doing tricks - whether it is break dancing, singing, playing music from a boom box, or tandem rope walking.... they are out there. It's interesting- if you stop, tip them like 1-5 mil pesos. I don't knock a person for working for their money in whatever way is necessary (and legal). I'm a very skeptical person, and have been proven correctly in some instances, so I am just not the one to be giving tips to people. My late aunt gave me a tip of giving granola bars to 'the hungry' instead of cash and sure enough, a 'hungry' man asking for money at a gas station turned it down - so what were you needing that money for then?! Situations like that have made me , uh, bitter/skeptical, yeah.

Would love to know what everyone else does. I hear people do gifts for airline stewardess (I'm sorry, I think that is way too overplayed, especially with all of their own perks with free flights and all). I've heard of goodie bags for homeless that have socks, underwear, pads for females, hand warmers, etc and started doing this myself.