I know this post may upset some people so before you read any further I want you all to know that I am fine. I am not hurt, I was just extremely shaken up and freaked out but other than that I am fine.
You have to understand that me traveling in Latin America as a blonde gringa is a risk that I choose to take and I know there are dangers out there. With that being said it doesn't mean it makes it any easier when something does happen.
Yesterday I was super happy. It was my first day back to teaching after four days off and honestly I was happy to get back to classes and see my students.
My plan was to go find the location of my Spanish classes and go see the Cathedral. I also wanted to find the bike rental place. I really wanted to get myself acquainted with my new city.
Before I left I met one of my housemates and her friends and spoke as much as I could. She is from France and speaks French and Spanish and minimal English so I'm having to pull out the Spanish I remember. She is going to university here so she is quite helpful and really sweet. They were actually going to go to Talquepaque (the town I fell in love the day before with Cesar and his family).
I should've asked if I could go with them.
I set off with my music in my ears and my phone in my hand with my google maps as I had no idea where I was going and automatically got turned around within seconds even with the map lol. But I was happy, it was a beautiful sunny day and I was in Mexico...it was perfect.
I was recording a Snapchat... I was talking about being a blonde gringa in Latin America and how it makes it difficult for me as I get stared at constantly and I'm automatically thought of as a "rich American." Just as I was saying this I stepped off the side walk on to the street with some caution as the driving is crazy here, I have seen about 5 or 6 accidents in about 4 days...its loco. As I was looking to my right a motorcycle was coming up really close to me so I went to step back on the side walk and before I knew what was happening he grabbed my phone out of my hand and both of them were gone. I didnt even realize what had happened...I was in complete shock and I just stood there and watched him drive away. I was confused when I felt the phone being taken out of my hand I was trying to avoid being run over I wasn't really focused on what was taking place.
My whole body started shaking. My phone was gone... I had just been robbed in broad daylight in the middle of the street. Okay.. so its my phone and thats all, I'm physically fine but now what? I had to go back to my place as I didn't know where anything was but I also didn't know where my house was. I was lost!!! Trying to keep it together I walked back the way I had come but didn't remember the street I turned down. Still trying to hold back the tears and not try to make it look like I'm in distress. Nothing looked familiar I couldn't find the University or the Cathedral. I stopped and asked two young boys "donde es Calle Garibaldi?" and they told me where my street was. I still had my ear buds in the whole time listening to nothing but my thoughts. I made it home. I walked into the house and straight back to the garden where my housemates friends were and started to cry. My whole body was on high vibration and all I wanted was a cigarette. "I was just robbed!" One of them has pretty good English. "What? When?" So I told him what happened and he translated. They put their arms around me and told me to relax but I couldn't... I kept replaying everything in my head. I grabbed a beer.
I messaged my mom and Cesar on my laptop. Now poor Cesar who is at work gets a message I was just robbed from me on Facebook. He thinks I was taken somewhere and they stole everything, he was relieved when he found out what happened ... not in a bad way... he was just happy I was okay. He sent an Uber to pick me up and go to his house.
As soon as I saw Claudia (his wife) I broke into tears, she ended up with tears in her eyes. Their oldest daughter was home and she speaks some English so she translated what happened to me.
Apparently this is a common thing in Mexico...you can't walk around with your phone. Okay...thats fine, but I wasn't told this, had I have known this I wouldn't have had it out. They are professionals who do this and it's Mexico so you can't report it because nothing will be done. This is what makes me lose faith in the human race. I just don't understand it...why...everyone has a phone these days...and just because I"m white? Because I was dressed nice? I have been told to even take out my nose ring. Corruption and dishonest people have never been something I can wrap my brain around...how people can be so horrible to other people and sleep that night look in the mirror the next day...it absolutely disgusts me.
For those of you that have read my blogs over the years you know that this isn't the first time this has happened to me in Latin America - new readers can refer to my Peru blog - but it doesn't make it easier, it just makes it more frustrating and disheartening.
Claudia was amazing. She taught me how to make the soup I like - super easy - and then she took me around to find a new phone. I finally found one but they wouldn't let me use my credit card without my ID. She spent an hour trying to help me find a phone. She understands English but doesn't speak so she was doing her best to reiterate what I was saying and I was doing my best to speak as much as I could in Spanish and then listen to her explanations in Spanish. I'll tell you...I may have bad Spanish but if I didn't have what I have I would've been so lost trying to communicate with her so I am very grateful for the bad Spanish I do have.
When Cesar got in the car he let me use the phone to call my mom who was upset and mad...not at me just at the situation "do you have a fucking target on your forehead saying please rob me!"
By the time I got back to my place last night I was exhausted plus I was so paranoid in the Uber last night ... the first time I was uncomfortable in one..my heart was racing and praying for a safe arrival to mine. I spoke to my roommates and her friends and they have invited me out for tomorrow night so I am looking forward to that. They are super sweet and she actually wants to practice her English and I think it will be fun to practice Spanish with her.
Not having my phone has cost me money. It was my alarm clock so I missed half my classes this morning and my school called me but I don't have my phone so I was marked as absent. I had to get another teacher to log into my account at another school (because its actually on an app) cancel my class for today which I was fined for, close my schedule down and message all my students for me. All my photos were gone and all the slides I made for my curriculum when teaching my private classes...everything...I felt like I lost all motivation...I would have to start months of work from scratch. Uggh. I even had to get my other housemate (who's from Caifornia) to cancel my Spanish class today - he hooked me up with the teacher - as I have to get myself sorted.
Cesar tried all day while he was at work today to get me a phone but my passport isn't considered an ID when buying things online so it was even more frustrating today. To top it off I am a little paranoid to go anywhere at the moment...I keep replaying what happened over and over trying to see a way I couldve changed it but they might've gotten my purse instead so my phone is probably the best. I would like to say however that before I left Canada I decided to bring my tablet - the one I bought in Ecuador to replace my stuff from being robbed in Peru - and I am grateful I did. All my stuff backed up on Google pictures, all my slides I made for my classes. I downloaded my Clanedar app and all my appointments were there.... THANK YOU GOOGLE AND CLOUD! This was such a silver lining (haha the cloud has a silver lining). I downloaded some other apps and payed my bills and got a little organized but my tablet is old and I can't download my teaching app so I can't teach at my one school which is frustrating so I am losing money at the moment.
I'm still without a phone and still upset with the whole thing but....
I know that traveling isn't always rainbows and unicorns and I know that I am lucky that I wasn't physically hurt, that all they got was my phone. I am so grateful for Cesar and his wife for acting fast without any questions. I am grateful that I made three new friends out of this. I have been through some shit this past year and know that everything happens for a reason. I may not know what that reason is now but I will find out and I don't think it will be a bad reason. I am not going to let something like this stop me, send me home or fuck my shit up! I always manage ... I promised myself this year was all about me and Im not gonna let some pendejo fuck that up for me...no way... I'm not gonna let any guy do that. So with that being said I'm still here, phoneless and unable to teach all my classes but I will get it sorted. I told myself if I can go through the shitty relationship I just did for 6 months than I can get through this.
The kindness others have shown me in the past 24 hours reminded me of the goodness that is out there and that it does outweigh the mean people. I am grateful...besides it made for a good blog right lol ... but seriously I had a few silver linings, Google and the people in my life, even though I barely know some of them they still helped me and for that I am nothing but grateful. I also watched Hostel to remind myself it could've been worse... lol it made me feel better.
Until my next post, be safe everyone and keep your phones close.
Oh...in case you are all wondering... no I didn't give in to my emotions and have a cigarette, even though I thought if there was a time I could give in and not be shamed that would've been the perfect time but I didn't.
- My Beautiful Life-
You have to understand that me traveling in Latin America as a blonde gringa is a risk that I choose to take and I know there are dangers out there. With that being said it doesn't mean it makes it any easier when something does happen.
Yesterday I was super happy. It was my first day back to teaching after four days off and honestly I was happy to get back to classes and see my students.
My plan was to go find the location of my Spanish classes and go see the Cathedral. I also wanted to find the bike rental place. I really wanted to get myself acquainted with my new city.
Before I left I met one of my housemates and her friends and spoke as much as I could. She is from France and speaks French and Spanish and minimal English so I'm having to pull out the Spanish I remember. She is going to university here so she is quite helpful and really sweet. They were actually going to go to Talquepaque (the town I fell in love the day before with Cesar and his family).
I should've asked if I could go with them.
I set off with my music in my ears and my phone in my hand with my google maps as I had no idea where I was going and automatically got turned around within seconds even with the map lol. But I was happy, it was a beautiful sunny day and I was in Mexico...it was perfect.
I was recording a Snapchat... I was talking about being a blonde gringa in Latin America and how it makes it difficult for me as I get stared at constantly and I'm automatically thought of as a "rich American." Just as I was saying this I stepped off the side walk on to the street with some caution as the driving is crazy here, I have seen about 5 or 6 accidents in about 4 days...its loco. As I was looking to my right a motorcycle was coming up really close to me so I went to step back on the side walk and before I knew what was happening he grabbed my phone out of my hand and both of them were gone. I didnt even realize what had happened...I was in complete shock and I just stood there and watched him drive away. I was confused when I felt the phone being taken out of my hand I was trying to avoid being run over I wasn't really focused on what was taking place.
My whole body started shaking. My phone was gone... I had just been robbed in broad daylight in the middle of the street. Okay.. so its my phone and thats all, I'm physically fine but now what? I had to go back to my place as I didn't know where anything was but I also didn't know where my house was. I was lost!!! Trying to keep it together I walked back the way I had come but didn't remember the street I turned down. Still trying to hold back the tears and not try to make it look like I'm in distress. Nothing looked familiar I couldn't find the University or the Cathedral. I stopped and asked two young boys "donde es Calle Garibaldi?" and they told me where my street was. I still had my ear buds in the whole time listening to nothing but my thoughts. I made it home. I walked into the house and straight back to the garden where my housemates friends were and started to cry. My whole body was on high vibration and all I wanted was a cigarette. "I was just robbed!" One of them has pretty good English. "What? When?" So I told him what happened and he translated. They put their arms around me and told me to relax but I couldn't... I kept replaying everything in my head. I grabbed a beer.
I messaged my mom and Cesar on my laptop. Now poor Cesar who is at work gets a message I was just robbed from me on Facebook. He thinks I was taken somewhere and they stole everything, he was relieved when he found out what happened ... not in a bad way... he was just happy I was okay. He sent an Uber to pick me up and go to his house.
As soon as I saw Claudia (his wife) I broke into tears, she ended up with tears in her eyes. Their oldest daughter was home and she speaks some English so she translated what happened to me.
Apparently this is a common thing in Mexico...you can't walk around with your phone. Okay...thats fine, but I wasn't told this, had I have known this I wouldn't have had it out. They are professionals who do this and it's Mexico so you can't report it because nothing will be done. This is what makes me lose faith in the human race. I just don't understand it...why...everyone has a phone these days...and just because I"m white? Because I was dressed nice? I have been told to even take out my nose ring. Corruption and dishonest people have never been something I can wrap my brain around...how people can be so horrible to other people and sleep that night look in the mirror the next day...it absolutely disgusts me.
For those of you that have read my blogs over the years you know that this isn't the first time this has happened to me in Latin America - new readers can refer to my Peru blog - but it doesn't make it easier, it just makes it more frustrating and disheartening.
Claudia was amazing. She taught me how to make the soup I like - super easy - and then she took me around to find a new phone. I finally found one but they wouldn't let me use my credit card without my ID. She spent an hour trying to help me find a phone. She understands English but doesn't speak so she was doing her best to reiterate what I was saying and I was doing my best to speak as much as I could in Spanish and then listen to her explanations in Spanish. I'll tell you...I may have bad Spanish but if I didn't have what I have I would've been so lost trying to communicate with her so I am very grateful for the bad Spanish I do have.
When Cesar got in the car he let me use the phone to call my mom who was upset and mad...not at me just at the situation "do you have a fucking target on your forehead saying please rob me!"
By the time I got back to my place last night I was exhausted plus I was so paranoid in the Uber last night ... the first time I was uncomfortable in one..my heart was racing and praying for a safe arrival to mine. I spoke to my roommates and her friends and they have invited me out for tomorrow night so I am looking forward to that. They are super sweet and she actually wants to practice her English and I think it will be fun to practice Spanish with her.
Not having my phone has cost me money. It was my alarm clock so I missed half my classes this morning and my school called me but I don't have my phone so I was marked as absent. I had to get another teacher to log into my account at another school (because its actually on an app) cancel my class for today which I was fined for, close my schedule down and message all my students for me. All my photos were gone and all the slides I made for my curriculum when teaching my private classes...everything...I felt like I lost all motivation...I would have to start months of work from scratch. Uggh. I even had to get my other housemate (who's from Caifornia) to cancel my Spanish class today - he hooked me up with the teacher - as I have to get myself sorted.
Cesar tried all day while he was at work today to get me a phone but my passport isn't considered an ID when buying things online so it was even more frustrating today. To top it off I am a little paranoid to go anywhere at the moment...I keep replaying what happened over and over trying to see a way I couldve changed it but they might've gotten my purse instead so my phone is probably the best. I would like to say however that before I left Canada I decided to bring my tablet - the one I bought in Ecuador to replace my stuff from being robbed in Peru - and I am grateful I did. All my stuff backed up on Google pictures, all my slides I made for my classes. I downloaded my Clanedar app and all my appointments were there.... THANK YOU GOOGLE AND CLOUD! This was such a silver lining (haha the cloud has a silver lining). I downloaded some other apps and payed my bills and got a little organized but my tablet is old and I can't download my teaching app so I can't teach at my one school which is frustrating so I am losing money at the moment.
I'm still without a phone and still upset with the whole thing but....
I know that traveling isn't always rainbows and unicorns and I know that I am lucky that I wasn't physically hurt, that all they got was my phone. I am so grateful for Cesar and his wife for acting fast without any questions. I am grateful that I made three new friends out of this. I have been through some shit this past year and know that everything happens for a reason. I may not know what that reason is now but I will find out and I don't think it will be a bad reason. I am not going to let something like this stop me, send me home or fuck my shit up! I always manage ... I promised myself this year was all about me and Im not gonna let some pendejo fuck that up for me...no way... I'm not gonna let any guy do that. So with that being said I'm still here, phoneless and unable to teach all my classes but I will get it sorted. I told myself if I can go through the shitty relationship I just did for 6 months than I can get through this.
The kindness others have shown me in the past 24 hours reminded me of the goodness that is out there and that it does outweigh the mean people. I am grateful...besides it made for a good blog right lol ... but seriously I had a few silver linings, Google and the people in my life, even though I barely know some of them they still helped me and for that I am nothing but grateful. I also watched Hostel to remind myself it could've been worse... lol it made me feel better.
Until my next post, be safe everyone and keep your phones close.
Oh...in case you are all wondering... no I didn't give in to my emotions and have a cigarette, even though I thought if there was a time I could give in and not be shamed that would've been the perfect time but I didn't.
- My Beautiful Life-
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