Studying abroad is a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience, especially in the constant hustle bustle of Buenos Aires! Apart from making friends, going out, working with your internship, and taking new and exciting classes,you have to learn the ins and outs of this city that never sleeps. Learning to navigate yourself in any big city like Buenos Aires can be tough, with the added difficulties of traffic, people, language barriers, etc. The truth is, as far as big cities go, Buenos Aires is one of the safest cities in South America, but like all metropolises, whether you’re living or traveling abroad, its important to stay aware to stay safe. Although Buenos Aires can seem intimidating, and the porteños sure can scare you with their comments on the “dangers” of the city, if you pay attention to where you are and you know what to look for, the city becomes a whole lot friendlier.

General advice: Remember that theft is a two person interaction, and although even the most confident and calm of people can be effected, you can control a lot of the situation with your attitude. While traveling around Buenos Aires, try and keep an eye out for where you are and look like you know what you’re doing. Dont wear expensive items like watches or jewelry that draws attention to you, and keep cameras, phones, ipods, and other technology well hidden when they aren’t in use. Most importantly, try not to speak english loudly in public in general. That is the best way to flag yourself as a foreigner for pickpockets. (Plus, we are all here to improve our spanish, so what a great opportunity to practice speaking with your friends! ¡Qué bueno!)

If you ever feel unsafe, especially at night, there are certain areas in almost every neighborhood that serve as implicit protection. Walking on bigger, more populated streets is always better and gives you a sense of security which calms you down. If you feel uncomfortable, like your being followed or watched, ducking into a store or stopping at a kiosk for a little can be a good idea, because you have the protection of the workers there.

¡OJO! areas: Generally if you’re smart and look sharp, most areas in Buenos Aires can be safe at almost all hours of the day. Walking in groups is always better than walking alone, especially at night. But certain areas at nighttime should be avoided if possible.

Plazas and Parks: parks and plazas turn into implicit unwatched areas at night without the protection of people around. Try not to cut through parks or huge plazas at night, because many robberies have been reported there, where police and other neighbors aren’t there to watch out for you.

Tourist Areas (Caminito en la Boca, San Telmo fair, etc): during the day, these places, just like plazas, are bustling with people, and especially tourists. Its pretty much a guarantee that you’ll visit them at least once during your study abroad experience in Buenos Aires, and rightfully so – they’re delightful! But also be aware that any place that attracts a lot of tourists will also attract pickpockets looking for expensive things to take from travelers. Just keep an eye out on your possessions, don’t wear anything too expensive or flashy, and you should be safe and sound.

Juan B Justo: This palermo area, marked by train tracks, divides palermo viejo/soho and palermo hollywood. Lots of people start their night in one palermo barrio and want to move to the other by foot, which means crossing the tracks or under the bridge. This area is also known for robberies because drunk partiers cross back and forth, carrying lots of money, and become immediate targets. If/when crossing, keep a look out for other people, and make sure to cross in groups when possible.

Consitución: This area Consitución is the next barrio over from San Telmo, a beautiful, cultural, lively old neighborhood in the city. Consitución basically starts west of 9 de Julio boarding on San Telmo, and should be avoided during the night because it has the reputation for illegal activity and robberies. The other area to be careful about is crossing during the night Avenida San Juan during the night, which cuts through the bottom half of San Telmo. The avenue runs under or right next to the highway overpass, which is dangerous, unwatched, and should be avoided after dark.

Pickpocket ploys

1. The mustard: a common trick in many big cities, mostly in plazas, one person accidentally spills something on you, mustard, ice cream, a drink, etc. Then as an apology, offers to wipe it off for you. You put down your bag, or are simply paying attention to them, while a partner of theirs steals what they can while you’re distracted. Remember, there are many variations on this trick, with soap, lotion, supposed bird droppings, spit, everything the mind can imagine. The best response when someone offers to help you clean something off is to say with a smile, “no gracias, yo lo puse allí y me gusta como está!”, or “no thanks, i actually put that there this morning and i like it just fine, thank you!” and keep on walking!

2. The couple fight: more common on the subte (subway) than anywhere else, but a couple gets into a loud fight in the middle of a crowded area. Our human instinct to watch other people’s drama kicks in and distracts us while another partner (usually a child) takes what they can. When you see this happening, just grab hold of your possessions and try not to stare too much at the fight going on (because our mothers taught us anways that its not polite to stare!).

3. The classic bump: pretty self-explanatory, someone bumps into you and as they do, stick their hands into your pocket, bag, purse, etc. Just make sure to keep your stuff close to your body in crowded areas.

Subtes y Colectivos: Subtes and Colectivos are where the most petty crime is committed. Pickpocketing is common here, so  make sure to keep all bags close to your body, wear your backpack on your front or side with your arm over it (even the porteños do this), and don’t pull out any expensive belongings. If listening to an ipod or using a phone, make sure to hide it in a safe pocket somewhere that you are always aware of it. If you have a fabric bag of some kind, people have reported getting off buses and subways with their bag slashed open and their possessions gone. Just makes sure to always keep your things near you and your eye out for pickpocket situations.

Taxis: The safest way to take a taxi is to call a radio taxi, because then the company is connected to the driver and therefore is much more secure. If you have to catch a taxi from the street, make sure to get a radio taxi as well. There are radio taxis from all different companies, and they are marked both on the side (saying radio taxi) and have a taxi light on the top of the car. Using unmarked taxis can be dangerous because you run the risk of being ripped off for the prices, and can be associated with an illegal group of some kind in the city. Our professional Mente Argentina suggestion is to never use an unmarked taxi, and call a radio taxi for the most secure ride. To make sure the taxis dont overcharge you, pay attention to where you’re driving, so they don’t drive in circles to keep the meter running.

Like we said before, aside from the petty crime like pickpocketing, Buenos Aires is very safe for such a big city! In general, staying aware, calm, and trying to blend in to the porteño way of working the city will help make Buenos Aires a safe, fun, exciting place to study abroad and live in!

Rachel Sherman