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The day I got robbed while traveling

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There is no worse thing that could happen to any traveler than getting robbed in your destination, since I experienced myself going through this, I will tell you my own story.

I was in one of my beloved cities and my second home: Santo Domingo. I am totally familiar with the city, specially the criminality, I go several times a year since most of my family lives there. Last April I went back to Santo Domingo since every year by that date is the International Book Fair. I was excited since I traveled there by the Ferry from San Juan with a few friends who are also Literature Freaks.

La Feria del Libro

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Stand at the Santo Domingo International Book Fair

 

We got to Santo Domingo on a Thrusday morning and went to our hotel, right in the George Washington Avenue where the Malecon is located. We went out to walk outside by the famous Zona Colonial – Santo Domingo Colonial Zone, that even though is a hugely touristic spot, you can feel the magic of its structures. Zona Colonial is one of the most amazing places I have been. At night time, people go out to meet and have fun in the squares. Even though I’ve lived most of my life in Puerto Rico and that is so close to Dominican Republic, here in the island we’re not used to that.

Friday it was our first day in the International Book Fair. It was definitely amazing! If you love Latin literature, you should definitely put it in your bucket list! You will find amazing classic for about 100 Dominican pesos, which is less than $3 USD, so, book lovers, take note!

That Friday I heard some book sellers talking about how they got robbed different things: cell phones and wallets were the top. That definitely sucked! They told us to be careful about our valuables, not to put our cell phones in the back pockets and all those things that we usually take for granted. I should have been a little more careful.

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Walk by Colonial Zone, at my favorite place there, Sabina Bar! And yeah! That’s the purse I got robbed

That day I got robbed…

On Saturday, I decided to walk to my aunt’s house and told one of my friend to come with me. I walked the same way I walk to get to my aunt’s house EVERY SINGLE TIME. My aunt lives right in Mexico Avenue, that if you check is exactly where the Government Palace is located at. I walked there. I crossed a crowded street. I just fell someone pulling my purse. I just got shocked.

There was this man in a motorcycle. He came right in front of me. Pulled my crossbody purse off of me. The handles broke and then he left. “At least I didn’t have there my passport and my wallet”. That was my first thought. My second one? MY iPHONE!

Yeah, on that purse I had my iPhone, that always hurt to lose one. There was the charger. $10 USD and about 2,000 Dominican pesos (about $50 USD). I hugged my friend. I was glad I was alive, I was not hurt, no one point me with any kind of gun. I lost my moleskine there. That same moleskine I was trying to write my experiences in Santo Domingo and I had few stories already written. When I look back, losing that little notebook was what hurt the most. All the other things I had were easily recovered, those stories not.

What can you learn from it?

 

No, I will never tell you not to visit Santo Domingo or any other place in Dominican Republic, which is one of the places I love the most in the world. I will tell you the same thing that I was told that Friday: take care of your valuables! Leave your passport and wallet in your hotel security box, go outside of your hotel with no jewelry, and, first thing I should have thought about: NOT TO SPEAK IN STREETS THAT ARE DANGEROUS! These people noticed that I am Puerto Rican because of my accent (since I am half Dominican, they don’t know I was not born there until I start to talk) In case of you guys that are tourists and do not look either Dominican or Latin, my best suggestion to walk around is to book a tour or meet local people from different platforms online. This way, it will be easier to you to be conscious of where is safe to walk.

Keep on traveling, but make sure your vacation does not turn into a nightmare!

Tell us, have you ever got robbed while traveling?

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robbed

Brenda: + 34 years old + Puerto Rican + Viajera Boricua + Master in Cultural Tourism + Foreign Language Major + Hispanic Studies Minor + Portuguese + Italian + Russian + Literature Freak + ♥’s Indie Music + Volleyball Enthusiast + Tricolor do Morumbi(SPFC) + San Antonio Spurs +

Comments:

  • February 2, 2016

    Yes I have been robbed while traveling!
    http://www.postgradandpostcards.com/how-airbnb-totally-rocked-my-world-when-i-got-robbed-in-turkey/

    Getting robbed sucks. It makes you feel like such an idiot. And I too felt genuinely hurt afterwards, like my poor laptop ): your poor moleskin. Our babies!

    I’m glad you don’t encourage anyone from letting robbery get in the way of their travels! I wholeheartedly agree.

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  • February 3, 2016

    Thank you very much for sharing this…
    It is always so sad for me to talk about robberies, as this experience occurred to me some years ago in Czech Republic – I was going to the airport to take my flight home, and someone stole my money, ticket, passport – OMG it was awful!

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  • February 3, 2016

    So sorry this happened! So glad that you were able to recover from this and write about your experiences. It’s so crazy that no matter how familiar we get with an area- things can always happen. Best of luck to you!

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  • February 3, 2016

    I want to go to Puerto Rico for Spring Break but I also want to bring my Nikon and my laptop to blog with… This is my biggest fear! 🙁 Or coming back to my hostel to see that my stuff has been tampered with or something! Yikes!

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  • February 3, 2016

    I’m so sorry you got robbed!.I would be most upset to loose my notebook too! ?

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  • February 3, 2016

    I’m Happy that you didn’t let that ruin your trip. This can happen anywhere, to any of us all. I also travel with a cross body purse. I also hold the strap when I walk, just in case, but I wouldn’t be any contest to a guy coming by on a bike or even running. It can be scary out there. Yes, always leave your valuables in the hotel safe, if you have one. We’ve even been places that the hotel staff will tell me to leave my wedding rings and I always appreciate that.

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  • February 3, 2016

    This is one of my biggest fears when travelling, especially since I’ve recently been doing more solo travel. Good thing you were safe and all they got was your phone, which can be easily replaced (even though incredibly inconvenient). Great tips!!

    http://www.mimisw0rld.wordpress.com

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  • February 3, 2016

    Yikes! I forget to remember that anything can happen, even those sceneries where I tell myself “it won’t happen to me” but reality is it can!

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  • February 4, 2016

    No I haven’t been robbed. *cross my fingers* I’m glad to hear that getting robbed doesn’t stop you from travelling!

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  • February 4, 2016

    Oh my gosh — wow!! So sorry you had to go through this, but thank goodness you were not hurt!

    This is a great piece and serves as a great reminder to us all to always be extra careful and alert!

    Thank you for sharing your story!

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  • February 4, 2016

    Oh no that’s the worst thing to happen..thank god you Atleast did not have your passports in there..

    Your advice is totally valuable and would love to share it with all my fellow friends who travel to foreign lands..

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  • February 4, 2016

    Oh my gosh. A friend was robbed in this way when we were in Vietnam. It must have been so scary. I`m glad you`re safe.

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  • February 4, 2016

    I know the feeling. I got robbed about 500 euros in Thailand, twice. Take care, girls

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  • February 4, 2016

    I’m sorry this happened to you! I totally know the pain you felt about losing the moleskine over the iphone more. I am the same, I once lost my camera and my passport!! I was sadder about the camera than anything LOL. It’s the sentimental stuff that hurts most!

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