Travelling as a Little White Female

One of my concerns, and I’m sure for many others too, is how safe it is to travel as a single female. Being a tiny, pale, Scandinavian girl (Finnish to be exact but for argument sake Scandinavian) and travelling to exotic destinations, I know I am a treat for local men. I’m not saying I’m super hot or anything above average even, but I do know I carry myself well and often ooze sexual energy without even trying. Even just being different makes one noticeable. I’m a target, both because of my looks and the assumption that I’m a rich Westerner. Men often want to approach me to flirt, to sell me something, or possibly to scam me out of my riches, which I don’t have.

More than being afraid something really bad will happen, what often matters to me more while travelling is the all around culture and appreciation towards women. This is not a big deal when travelling in Europe, depending on how south one goes from Finland, but the further away from Western culture one goes, the more it matters.

I have mostly travelled in Europe, and I’m not often alone anywhere, especially not at night time. Bad things only happen and night time #facts. I’m quite careful even in Finland when I walk around alone at night, I never have my headphones on and even if I’m drunk, I try to step up my game and pay more attention to my surroundings until I am back at home. I’ve never really been in any really threatening situations while travelling, but I think preparation is the key for survival.

When I was 16, our whole family went to Egypt, Sharm el Sheikh for a week, and regarding the people in there, it was a horrible experience. I will not go back. My sister, two years my junior, was blonde at the time, and it was even worse for her.

Every men talks to you, comes close, wants to touch, and often do so without a permission. The whole environment is very stressful and disrespectful. I do understand that a lot of it is cultural differences, but it’s not like we were the first white people they have seen and can not notice that we get uncomfortable. I would understand the curiosity and touching if I was dropped into middle of a jungle to a village that has never seen a pale person in their life. We were lucky in Egypt that we were travelling as a family so there was a male authority with us, but even having that support near, didn’t really help.

After that experience, I’ve been very mindful of where I travel and in what company. Thinking of travelling to Mexico, one of my first concerns was about how men act towards a white tourist girl. Everyone has heard horror stories of women getting raped and kidnapped, and everyone getting mugged in bright daylight, which of course is mostly isolated incidents and propaganda. But it is quite clear that comparing Finland to almost any country, we have it really safe.

If I didn’t have a male with me, I wouldn’t have even considered travelling here. I would have settled for any male friend for safety, but I have even better, a local tour guide to keep the creeps away. As I’ve been mostly hanging out with @anomadsoul, nobody has bothered me. Of course street vendors try to sell us stuff and I get a few looks, but nothing out of the ordinary really, nothing that makes me feel disrespected or unsafe.

Today I had to test out my theory that men in here are a lot more respectful than in the Arabic countries, by going to walk around the town alone. So after a late breakfast, I ditched my guide and headed to the streets of Playa del Carmen with my camera, and wearing next to no clothing, it’s hot in here you know.

I walked along the super touristy 5th avenue, then on the beach, and hopping along the smaller side streets and a bit away from the tourist areas. I got cat called, which I only take as compliments, street vendors try to holler at me, I ignore them all, men and female, but the only person that actually approached to talk was a Canadian man called Victor and he was not scary at all. Apart from a few annoying people in tourist traps, everyone has been nothing short of nice, sweet and respectful towards me.

I don’t mind what people yell after me and how long they stare, as long as they keep their distance. Finnish people in general need a good 2 metres of space between us and unfamiliar people, a metre or so if we are friends. I’m happy to notice that the exotic country Mexico is not scary to a little white female at all, not when it comes to its people, at leats not on the daytime.

Further investigations will happen on different times and cities in Mexico. Until then, I’ll happily walk alone along the colourful streets of Playa del Carmen.