I have felt extremely safe while traveling around Europe. Obviously visiting cities comes with a certain risk, but simply having common sense and knowing general travel safety information (use a cross body bag, don’t keep valuables in your back pockets, etc.) has been sufficient so far this semester. In Spain, machismo—the sense of masculinity a man feels—plays an important role in gender dynamics. Social interactions are heavily male-dominated, and men won’t hesitate to approach women and engage them in conversation. As a woman, I am used to being vigilant when I am alone, but since coming abroad, I have been even more cautious. Even during the day in public areas like parks I have been careful with the tone and language I use if a man approaches me. That’s not to safe Spanish men are unsafe or violent, however I am easy to identify as a foreigner (the blonde hair always gives me away), and I have been hesitant to tell them to leave me alone outright. Body language and short answers usually seems to send the message, and if I’m desperate, I whip out “no hablo español.” The feminist inside my slowly dies with each of these unwanted interactions, but my gut has told me not to say anything too hastily—while I haven’t necessarily felt threatened by men, these conversations didn’t exactly make me feel comfortable either. The difference in gender roles and the way men and women interact in Spain is definitely something that women studying abroad should take note of, and while the dynamic is not dangerous, I’d definitely suggest proceeding with caution until you get a sense of it.
Aside from safety, the most important travel lesson I have learned is to go in with a plan, but to ALWAYS be flexible. Knowing information about the sites I have visited has made trips more interesting and rewarding. However, you can’t know everything about a city. Some of the coolest things I have seen and done were the result of someone saying “I wonder what that is.” So walk a little further, check out the funky garden, and pop into a random church. Your itinerary will still be waiting for you.
