Many of us would have had our fair share of dealing with nuisances while abroad. Being women travelling alone most of the time makes us easier targets to these flirty assailants. While most of these advances are harmless, our travels would be a lot more pleasant without all the cat-calling and rubbernecking.
Kelly Lewis, who is the founder of Go! Girls Guide, has a few handy tricks to keep these kind of experiences at bay. Remember these 6 tips the next time you run into a creeper:
Say no
Say it loudly, and say it often. Be rude if you have to be. When I first started travelling, I didn’t want anyone to perceive me as a “rude American,” and so I would engage in conversation as best I could, for as long as I could. This didn’t always work out so well. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had abroad that have started innocent and quickly turned sexual. Avoiding this comes down to listening to your instinct. The second you feel uncomfortable, end the conversation however you need to.
Shift your body language
Make it clear in the way that you’re sitting that you are not into talking. I usually take the window seat on buses, and if I get a creepy vibe from the person next to me, I completely face my body towards the scenery.
Cover up
The inner feminist in me hates that women have to monitor their clothing choices while traveling, but you just have better experiences when you do. Covering up can help you avoid problems, and in some countries, is a sign of respect. Plus, the less they can see, the less they can drool.
Look busy
Listen to music. Read a book. Start writing. If you’re not into having or continuing a conversation, make it clear that you’re doing something else.
Lie, if you have to
I’m not a big fan of lying to get out of situations, but sometimes you may have to lie to get someone off of your back. I don’t ever wear a fake wedding ring, but I do sometimes have a boyfriend named George, who has tattoos and big muscles and is meeting me at the next stop.
Get some help
If someone is really bothering you and won’t stop, solicit some help, either from employees or from other passengers. Remember that bus employee that was whispering to me? It ended only when another male passenger got up and sat in the empty seat next to me, blocking his access.
Whatever method you chose to keep the creeps away, the most important thing to do is to make your ‘boundaries known very clearly’ from the get-go.
Read the full article at: Huffpost Travel
Picture credit: Pixabay
Read Next:
