Natural Risk-Takers

Sitting in the Porter lounge at Billy Bishop airport in Toronto, my flight to Boston cancelled and rescheduled 5 hours later, I pull up some readings for my online masters program. This week we are discussing how to teach listening:

"Those who are cautious need to be encouraged to take risks and to make inferences based upon the words they have managed to identify. Natural risk-takers need to be encouraged to check their guesses against new evidence as it comes in from the speaker. And all learners need to be shown that making guesses is not a sign of failure: it is a normal part of listening to a foreign language"

('The Changing Face of Listening', by John Field, English Teaching Professional 6 1998)

"Natural risk-takers". The idea that some of us are naturally predisposed to a life of risk. 

As a traveller, I often reflect on situations where I ought to have made different choices than I did. Should I have hopped in that car with the man who worked in the Underground in London? Should I have drank that mysterious cloudy alcohol in Turkey, given to me by a person whose name I didn't know? Should I have slept alone in all those airports? Should I have had that Chai tea with that stranger in Kuala Lumpur? Should I have pulled out my camera and taken that photo of the 'no photo' sign at the border? Should I have gotten on that bus without checking that it was the right one, not knowing it would drop me off in the dark next to a garbage dump at midnight? Should I have made those choices? Should I have taken those risks?

Should you really have trusted me with all your worldly belongings?

Maybe not. 

Maybe I shouldn't have gotten drunk with my roommate and spontaneously booked that one-way ticket to London back in 2006. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Korea without knowing anything more than the voice of my boss. Maybe I shouldn't have held my camera in one hand while trying not to fall on that slippery border crossing above a rushing river. Maybe I shouldn't have had that lemon shake that tasted a bit funny. Maybe I shouldn't have sat on the stairs of that train carriage. 

Maybe I shouldn't have talked to that guy at that party. 

But, what if?

If I hadn't booked that ticket to London, I wouldn't have travelled those 22 countries in 4 months, and I wouldn't have learned that I could travel alone. If I hadn't gone to Korea, I wouldn't have spent 4 of the happiest years of my twenties making friendships and memories that will last my lifetime. If I hadn't filmed that border crossing, I wouldn't remember how unsafe that bridge actually was. If I hadn't had that lemon shake I wouldn't have gotten traveller's diarrhea... okay so that was one risk I shouldn't have taken, but it was so thirst-quenching! If I hadn't sat on the stairs of the train carriage I wouldn't have dropped my purse and leaped off the moving train (James Bond style) to get it, but I also wouldn't have learned that a train in Burma will stop for that one idiot traveller who jumped off.

If I hadn't talked to that guy at that party, I wouldn't be sitting in this airport lounge now, with him at my side, waiting to board this plane to Boston. 

In language learning, in travel, in life, we take risks every day. We have heard that getting in a car presents more risk than boarding a plane.

I'm not encouraging wannabe travellers to adopt a risk-taking attitude, or that natural risk-takers make better travellers. No, not at all. What I am saying is that our lives are made up of the sum of our experiences. And the experiences that we have are, sometimes, the direct result of the choices we make. Risk-taker or cautious, we are all making choices every day that shape the direction of our lives.

While we're getting deep, I'll also share that I suffer from overconfidence, a trait that can make or break a person, almost literally. Over the years, and throughout my travels, I have tried to keep my confidence in check, and to recognize when a particular situation merits more logical reflection than an impulsive choice. As I inch closer and closer to my thirtieth birthday, (pause for reaction), I am learning to balance my personal, educational, and professional life with my natural tendency to throw all my eggs in one basket, or (more literally) throw all my savings into a 6-month trip through South America. Trying to see the whole damn world while keeping my head on straight.

It is gonna take more than a few risks to get me there, or perhaps it will just take a few more cancelled flights.

5 Real Tips for Travelling in South America

Tortuga Bay, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

1. Be scared, but not too scared

There were some cities where I didn't go out past 9pm for fear of what lurks in the dark. There were hostels with signs up warning of thefts on the hostel grounds. There were travellers with stories of being held up at knife-point in the mornings, and even being mugged with a screwdriver. And more than one story of over-friendly locals turning sour. There were a few taxi rides where it occurred to me that the taxi driver could be taking me anywhere, down any alley way, and could hold me up and take everything. There were even a few times when I took the memory card out of my camera and shoved it in my pocket, to save my photos in case someone stole my purse. There were dangers, there were fears, and there were moments when I really didn't know if everything was okay. Being a little bit scared helped me stay safe, make wise decisions, and keep my guard up when I needed it.

Lake Titicaca, Peruvian/Bolivian border

2. Go with someone

Travelling with my friend helped a lot, as our two brains together worked well to keep us aware and safe, and paying attention to the things around us. She and I both had moments of being scared, and usually the other could logically calm down the situation.

We met a lot of couples on this trip, and met far few solo travellers in South America than we had met in Southeast Asia or Europe. We both experienced a few weeks of solo time in South America, and agreed that it was safer and much more fun to travel South America with a friend.

La Paz, Bolivia

3. Buy everything

Alpaca sweaters, blankets, scarves, musical instruments, coffee, handmade necklaces, shoes, teacups, ponchos, pillow cases, friendship bracelets, jackets, toys, statues...

Cusco, Peru

4. Trust your instincts

When I arrived by night bus in Buenos Aires by myself early in the morning, I planned on taking a taxi into the city centre. I walked around and checked out my options for "secure taxis" (a safe taxi service company), and also checked out the normal taxi area. When I came outside, a man greeted me and asked "taxi?" and I said yes. I then noticed a row of taxis ready to go, and the man shook his arm no, and told me that all those taxi drivers were on their coffee breaks. I then thanked him and went inside to get a secure taxi.

Why did I do that?

Because, if something seems too outlandish to be true, it probably is. [Were ALL those taxi drivers really taking their coffee breaks at the same time, making the man talking to me the ONLY available taxi driver? I think not.] When strangers come up to talk to you or offer you things, evaluate their behaviour, and listen to your gut if you get a bad feeling. I listened to my instincts on this trip, and more than a few times I'm certain it saved me from a potentially bad situation.

Pichilemu, Chile

5. Go to South America now

Peru has been a hotspot for South American travel for decades, and in high season up to 5,000 visitors might see Machu Picchu in a day. Colombia, however, is still not too touristic, and neither is Bolivia (beyond La Paz and the Uyuni desert). These two countries will become more popular as more people visit, and they too will become more established stops on the South America gringo trail. And Ecuador? Who knows if tourists will continue to be allowed to visit the Galapagos islands in large numbers. If you go now, you can still feel the warmth of Colombian hospitality, see the magic of people walking in traditional hats and clothes in La Paz, and come face to face with the wildlife of the Galapagos. And yes, Peru is touristy, but it's so beautiful you wouldn't want to miss it.

If you're reading this, you've already got some interest in South America, so why not make 2013 the year to see the Andes in real life?

I Got Mugged in South America

Exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Santiago, Chile

It happened. After 6 months of travelling and listening to other people's stories of muggings, it happened to me.

On the afternoon of the incident, I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Santiago, Chile. I had a fun time walking through exhibitions of light and sound, as well as getting inspired for my own creative endeavours. After an hour in the museum, I came outside to a sunny staircase where I had seen a girl sitting earlier. I thought to myself "why not have a seat and soak up some sun" and took a seat on the stairs. There were others around, sitting on the grass nearby; couples kissing, friends eating, people biking. I felt so relaxed and happy, and warmed by the light of the sun on my skin.

After a few moments of quiet relaxation, it occurred to me that I should confirm the location of the hostel of my friend whom I was meeting that evening. Without much thought, I pulled out my phone and swiped through my pictures to find the map. Happy to be seeing this old friend again, (who I first met in Peru, then again in Argentina, who I would now see in Chile!), I was in my own world.

*SWOOSH*

As fast as a gust of wind, a guy ran up behind me, grabbed my phone, and ran down the stairs. What was in my hand a moment ago as a tool was not in my hand anymore.

All action, not thought.

I yelled "No! No!" and ran down the stairs after him. "Stop! Help me! He stole my phone! Stop!" I yelled as I ran after him. Someone got up from the grass and chased after him. I chased after the both of them, still yelling for help. They ran around the block to the front of the Museum of Fine Arts, and when I turned the corner after them, they were both gone. Onlookers wide-eyed and stunned stared at me, and I yelled "Where are they!?" and I was pointed onwards. I kept running, and realized my shirt had come unbuttoned during the chase. Holding my shirt closed with one hand, I kept running to find the man who was helping me standing next to a parked car. I ran up to him, coming to the realization that the thief was gone, along with my phone. All the photos, videos, and memories of South America, gone in a second.

As I reached him, out of breath and panting, I asked "where is he?" and the man pointed down at the car. I walked around to the other side of the car to see the thief crouched down by the front wheel. He looked like a little mouse who had stolen a piece of cheese. The man then said, "Give her back her phone!" in a fantastic display of heroism. The thief pulled the phone from his pocket, and handed it up to me while saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" repeatedly.

My phone was in my hands again.

Instinctively, I hugged the man who helped me, and still catching my breath, thanked him. "I don't speak much Spanish, but thank you" I uttered through coughs, in broken Spanish. He replied that it was nothing, and we walked away from the parked car to the front of the museum. Deer-in-headlights stares from onlookers continued, and I realized again in that moment that my shirt was still undone. I buttoned it up as two friends walked up to the man who helped me. Spoken in rapid Spanish, I heard a re-cap of events which ended with "You got it back!?"

I made more attempts at a Spanish thank you:

"Without your help, I wouldn't have a phone anymore." + "I can't run fast." + "I want to buy you a present."

"A present?" He laughed, and I gave him another hug and a kiss on the cheek. I said to his friends "Keep him, he's a gentleman."

"Well, he's my brother, so yes I will keep him." His sister replied, and we laughed.

With that, we parted ways, and I sat on a bench in front of the museum counting my lucky stars. Or my four leaf clovers. Or my guardian angels.

I also contemplated my stupidity to chase after a potentially dangerous person. He could have had a knife, or a group of friends waiting for him, or a car... anything could have happened. I was just so lucky that the thief was alone, and that we were able to stop him.

As a female traveller, I am obligated to think about the worst situations that can occur on the road, both as a foreign person, and as a female. I also think about what I would do if in one of those situations. I've always maintained that if I was in a position to do so, I would draw attention to myself by yelling.

I realized my strategy was a good one in this situation. Yelling for help brought help to me. People looked, and they knew something was wrong. Despite the fact that only one person actually got up and chased him with me, it only took the two of us stop the thief.

I had been in Chile for two weeks prior to this incident, and in those two weeks I felt a great increase in quality of living compared to the other major cities of South America. Santiago has big shiny buildings, people using iphones on the subway, and it felt very world class to me. For this reason, I acted in ways I hadn't acted in place like Peru or Ecuador, where I felt less personal security. I never would have sat in a public park in Lima with my iphone out, and I let my guard down in Santiago.

After this mugging, I was reminded again that I'm not invincible. No matter how comfortable I feel in a place, I have to remember that an iphone is a very attractive piece of technology for someone in the market to steal. I never should have sat in public with my phone out, especially so nonchalantly on the stairs of a museum in a park.

I wish all of the other stories of muggings that I heard about while on this trip had happy endings like mine.

Thanks to you, gentleman stranger.