As much as I love living in Colombia, I cannot ignore the fact that there is a lot of crime. Every year I notice that more and more foreigners are coming to Colombia to visit. I recently saw a post on a Facebook forum where an American said that he was robbed by a “taxista” of all his “maletas” (suitcases) on the same day he arrived here.
Not at gun point. “Gracias a Dios” (Thank God). But the “taxista” used some type of “estafa” (scam) to separate the American from his “maletas.”
So today I want to give some practical advice on staying safe in Latin America, including advice on how to blend in with the locals, by wearing what they wear, and avoiding being an easy target to identify.
I find it easy to spot Americans here in Medellin, Colombia. Besides the fact that many Americans tend to look like giants compared to some Colombians, I can also spot an American or European because they often wear “chanclas” (flip-flops). But here in Medellin, “chanclas” (flip-flops) tend to scream out “I’m an American tourist!
” Especially the Americans who wear flip-flops with white sports socks.
How To Say Baseball Cap In Spanish
Or how about this one: a New York Yankees “gorras de béisbol” (baseball cap). I have lived in the Bronx (the home of the New York Yankees) for many years but I would never wear a New York Yankees baseball cap here in Medellín unless I know with certainty that I am in a very safe area.
Another “pista” (clue) that someone is an American or European tourist is when a person carries a “mochila” (backpack) everywhere he or she goes.
When I see people do these kind of things in Medellín right away I know that they are foreigners. And if I know, I am sure that “los criminales” will also know.
How To Say Pickpocket In Spanish
And be aware of “carteristas” (pickpockets). “Carterista” is the word that is commonly used in many parts of Latin America for pickpocket. But here in Medellin, Colombia the word for pickpocket is “raponero.”
How To Say Pickpocket In Spanish
This makes sense considering that in many parts of Latin America the word “cartera” means “wallet.” But in Colombia they use the word “billetera” for wallet. I have a friend who lives in Barcelona, Spain who told me that in Spain the word that they use for pickpocket is “chorizo.”
In Colombia, a “chorizo” is a very tasty sausage. Actually, from studying European Spanish courses I know that the word “chorizo” can also be a sausage in Spain. But apparently in Spain, “chorizo” can also be the word for some type of “ladrón” (thief) or pickpocket.
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