Robbed!

Every once in a while, you need a subtle reminder that you're not in a developed country. Poverty is rampant as is desperation. Unfortunately, my reminder took a not-so-subtle approach.

Wednesday night, I was headed out to meet a friend for dinner. We were meeting at 10, to blend in with when the locals ate, but I was heading out a little early to stop by the theater and buy tickets for the weekend's wine-tasting fair (350 vineyards, all-you-can-drink, $10!)

I went through my typical clean-out-the-purse routine, making sure I only had what I needed. Of course, this being the zillionth time I've done this, I went a little fast, taking out my sunglasses and iPod, but leaving some smaller items, such as my USB memory stick, and prepaid bus passes.

I headed out, down my well-lit street (still full of people), but turned off at the corner down a darker street, to cut down toward the city center. Yeah, it sounds stupid, but my friend had a theory that robbers looked for people where people were. Therefore, she always took backstreets, and six months into her stay here, she'd never had an incident.

I didn't buy this completely, but instead decided to combine theories, and use whatever street was convenient.

A couple had turned down the street just before me, and were keeping a decent space, but walking several feet apart. Finally, I decided to pass them, and the boy stopped me, and asked for change. A strange request, as change doesn't amount to much here, unless you're at a bus station, or highly trafficked area. I told him I didn't have any, and tried to continue past him, but he reached out, and said "No, give me your change," and at this point, the girl grabbed my purse from me.

I was caught by surprise. The street continued to be empty, despite being a well-trafficked area. "Can I at least have my keys?" I asked, although they were in my jacket pocket, I was stalling for time to think, time for someone to find us. They agreed, and he held me by my jacket, while she searched my purse. Bad move, while she was searching, he started patting me down, and found my cell phone, the most expensive item I had on me, and quickly confiscated it.

She wasn't finding the keys, and he was getting nervous, so she opened the purse to me, for me to locate them. I grabbed the USB memory stick with this chance, as it was the most valuable thing I encountered. "Show us," he demanded when I withdrew my fist. I did, "What is it?" She asked. "I don't know," he answered, snatching it back from me, "Liar!" And they took off running.

Not knowing what else to do (and needing more money to meet my friend for dinner or a phone to call her and cancel), I returned home. My host parents were there, and horribly shocked. They'd never heard of this being a problem in their neighborhood, and none of their previous volunteers had any problems. Jorge wanted to call the police, but Josefina convinced him it wouldn't do much good. They wouldn't find anyone, and with so much corruption in the police department, if the officers didn't directly benefit from the information, it certainly wouldn't increase our own safety, just waste time. (The status of police in this country is interesting. It's a dangerous job, and as one Argentine put it, you'd only go there "if you have no other options." (Perhaps like some going into our military?) There was a recent article addressing a request for a pay increase, as many can only afford to live in the villa, Argentina's infamous ghettos.)

So, now, it's recommended that I take a taxi where ever I go after dark. Several of my coworkers have told me that just recently they've begun doing the same. Things are getting worse in the city, and the only way to prevent it is to avoid it. Stay home if you can't find a friend or take a taxi, because it's not about the neighborhoods, like it is at home...things seem much more likely to happen anywhere, here.