I Wasn’t Frightened When I Should Have Been Terrified
And was paranoid with fear when I maybe didn’t need to be
Fear… it’s a strange emotion and can occur at any time but especially when you’re travelling. An unfamiliar environment, a language you can’t decipher, or even being lost. You’ll hear a lot of warnings from well-meaning friends who’ve never been to a country about what or who to watch out for.
If I took notice of any of them, I’d never leave my front yard. “Watch out for those gypsies with babies. You’ll be admiring the baby and they’ll rob you.” Really? Has this ever happened to you? No? But it happened to a friend of my ex-wife who told me….
I don’t set myself up as a target for robbery. I don’t wear my gold jewellery and my clothes aren’t designer label. I’m a big tall woman. Most of the Roma I’ve met are tiny. I smile at everyone and usually get a smile in return. The exception to this was in Moscow. Smiling at strangers is not a part of their culture.
Firstly, let me tell you about the time I should have been scared. I was staying in a 5-bed attic hostel in Gdansk, Poland. I woke after midnight to empty my bladder. On my way to the toilet, I spotted a man sitting on the sofa in the apartment I had to myself. Normally, I’d get a fright and scream a little even if it was my own…