@EmmaJames we would get robbed the same week. HAH. it's funny but not really. but this would happen? maybe we should do a co-blog post for the ski team? joint email about being safe?
yes, you can imagine how this went down. except i lost an ipod, not a camera. and it was stolen, but substitute a motorbike for some knives. after i finished blogging about patagonia (WHICH TOOK ALL DAY Y'ALL BETTER APPRECIATE IT), i decided to go for a run. it was around 3pm, which i figured was great because there would be a bunch of people in park. however, it didn't occur to me that 3pm is smack in the middle of siesta time, when the police aren't working. so, after a big lap of the park, i decided that i was feeling great and would do another one. this big loop goes around a majority of the actually park space, but it's still part of the peatonal y recreativo (pedestrian and recreation) loop that the city maintains.
as i was halfway through the second lap, i noticed three boys/guys (?) walking towards me. i was on the part of the road that is really long and flat. there were people in front of me and behind me, but this section of the road is so long that they weren't close enough to see what was going on. i was jamming out to my ipod because i had just downloaded a bunch of new music. as i got closer, they started walking more towards my side of the trail, which completely cut me off from being able to run by them. as i was about to pass them, one of the boys held his arm out to prevent me from passing. i thought they were going to give me a piropo, you know, one of those annoying compliments or kissy noises. how wrong was i. no, they gestured to me and then to my headphones. in my fog of running (i tend to really zone out when i run), i pulled out my headphones and said the first word that came to mind: "no", thinking that they were asking for directions or giving a piropo. so then they all pull out knives, and motion to my ipod. so i unclip my stupid ipod nano and hand it over. then they ask if i had my cell phone and i said no (thank god i left it at home because it died and i had no minutes left). then, they asked if i had money. i said no to that too. then one them pats me on the arm and says "tranquila, hermosa, tranquilaaaa" which basically means "calm down, beautiful". so i sprint away, scared that they would try and jump me as i turned around. by this time, i was bawling my eyes out; partly because i lost my ipod, the one thing that half-way kept me connected to the united states with my music, and partly because i felt so stupid and alone.
as i stumbled along, trying to make myself look less conspicuous, a man on a bike rode by and asked what happened. i said that some kids stole my ipod. he asked if they had knives, and i said yes. to add to my misery, he said that he couldn't help me and that it was unfortunate (really!?). we both turned around, and the boys had disappeared completely.
i sprinted the 4 miles home (woke up sore this morning to further this unfortunate experience), but on my way back, i noticed that when people run with ipods here, it's very discreet. people use ipods (except they're not ipods, they're mp3 players or radios), but they are hidden under peoples shirts and the headphones go through their shirts, so you can't really tell that they're running with music until you get close to them. me, on the other hand, had my ipod clipped to my running shorts with my stupid pink headphones on the outside of my tank top. i feel like i had a target pinned to my back now.
after i got home, i didn't really know what to do. i felt like crying, but i was also angry; at myself and at the boys who mugged me. it's the first time i've felt unsafe here. and it's ironic because EMMA i just emailed you telling you how comfortable i was feeling in mendoza. not anymore. now i know that running with any type of music is out of the question and that i'm never going during the siesta hours when there are no policemen riding around on bicycles. i'm going to stick to the main main loop that is totes boring and just run 394589 times around that.
after talking to mom&dad+the rest of the fam on skype (<3 you guys), i took a shower and decided to just chill at home and watch a movie. i sent a facebook message to my 5 girlfriends here, explaining what happened, and barely 2 hours later, they insisted on coming over to keep me company with a movie and some wine. it made me feel a lot better about myself because my friends run the same loop in the park so it could have happened to any of them too. it made us realize that we do need to be more careful, especially because we are staying here for 5ish months (in total) and have started to become "regulars" in the town. it makes everything a little more real and that we need to be more conscious of what we do here because people remember us because we look so different.
now, everything is fine. i'm still home alone, but i'm just chilling. i went to the gym today instead of running in the park and am about to mail some postcards and letters (who will be the lucky ones!?!??!). life is good. rip ipod but thank the baby j for insurance.
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