Well my trip is 2 weeks away and I am going to El Salvador.
I am very excited but getting nervous, too. Does anyone have
any tips on how to look confident and self assured even when
you are a wreck inside??? I don't want to stick out like a
sore thumb any more than necessary (as it is I am
blonde/blue eyes).
Any experienced travellers that have any advice for a
beginner?
Any advice for hiding money? Is in your bra a good idea?
Is it best to steer away from casual conversations with men
to avoid trouble?
I hope my 'instincts' will kick in once I leave home to keep
me out of trouble.
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Joan-
I'm so glad you posted because I lost your posting from
before...San Salvador is AMAZING, very different than most
CA cities and not as bad as the books and warnings make it
out to be. If you're ever in need of a rest, break or book,
Centre Intercambio y Solidaridad (CIS) is a nice language
centre/political activism coallition with a great library of
Eniglish language books (and young americans working
there. It's near the SA University. Another good place to go
is la UCA, with a memorial to the six priests slaughtered in
their home with their housekeeper and her daughter. I only
had one ugly incident, on good friday going to the newly
repainted and reopened national cathedral -- drunk loud
and abusive guy on the bus. I was with three Salvadorenos
and my american younger brother, and don't think it would
have been any different had I been on my own. If ever you
feel uncomfortable, take a cab instead of a bus, and I heard
there are more gropings on the smaller busses than on the
larger (real bus size) busses. people are fairly restrained,
but you should be fine and most people were fairly friendly
once they heard my spanish, despite its slowness and my
incorrect grammar! There are enough women around in most
places that you should feel comfortable most of the time.
The scariest part is always (for me anyway) leaving the
airport - try to get someone to come meet you if possible,
or perhaps lush out on a pricier hotel to get a safe
transfer, or share with someone who knows where they're
going. There's a nice artisans market (lots of ticky tack,
but nice crafts as well - especially the hammocks) and the
major tourist sites are accessible by public bus.
~
As for the looking confident, don't wear jewelry (not even
my watch went) and don't carry anything you can't lose to
theives. Do carry a bit of USDs if possible to hand over if
you are mugged ($20). Don't think you will be mugged, keep
your head up and take all the folks from your hostel when
you go out at night! All the rest is deep breaths and
smiles.
~
Good luck, you'll have a great time, and let us know how it
goes!!
Oh yeah-ps: I am going to start marketing travel bras with a
secret pocket for carrying cash discretely for emergency
purposes only; I always tuck some cash, a key and a spare id
in there (it also scares the gropers away! ;-)) And as a
b/b/yf I don't think I was harrassed too much more than I've
been in other countries - some stares, the odd comment, and
the one loud and offesive but not dangerous bus incident.
The guys will try to hit on you, I'm sure, but not
threatening -- if you feel threatened, walk away with your
friends...going out alone isn't recommended because travel
at night in the city is not recomended. Hope it
helps...enjoy yourself!
...blonde girls always think that you are the only ones
who are being harrassed or who experience more
harassment,which is abslolutely not true ! I am dark skinned
and have dark hair and was harrassed more often than I found
bearable.
Most of the time ,blondes do not have the hair mother nature
has given them ,anyway.
whenever one person sticks out from the crowd - through
height, weight, skin or hair color, dress, language,
stupid comments on a web page, whatever - it's a magnet for
others' attention. since hair color is such a visually
obvious distinguishing characteristic (as opposed to eye
color, which is significantly less noticable, for example)
it follows that if you are travelling in a place wherein
that hair color sets you apart it will attract attention.
this is true for blondes travelling in countries where many
people have darker hair; obviously, the obverse is true for
darker haired people as well. there's nothing quantitative
(or qualitative) about this, or about the above postings.
~
in case it's not clear enough to you, i will expressly state
that this is not to imply that this means other people don't
receive such "attention," simply that it is one more
annoying way in which people do focus (often unwanted)
comments. for example: can i touch it?...let's see if the
rest of your roots are as light...did you hear the one about
the blonde who...so, were your parents nazis?...i love
marilyn; can you do that thing she did?...yeah maybe it's
blond on top, but...all you blondes like to have fun, don't
you?... how dumb are blondes, anyway?...is it real?...Most
of the time ,[sic] blondes do not have the hair mother
nature has given them ,[sic] anyway...
~