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I miss America. And while there are things about the United States that still annoy me, living in Brazil has made me appreciate many other things that I normally would have taken for granted.
So I decided to make a list:
Five Things I Miss About America
1) Safety
While I haven't felt unsafe in São Paulo, there certainly are things I've had to sacrifice to feel that way. I don't wear my watch. I don't walk around with my iPod. I try not to use my cell phone in public. And, if I'm carrying my laptop, I take a taxi to work even though it's only a 10 minute walk from my hotel. But because petty street crime is a popular pastime here, you don't want to do anything, carry anything, or wear anything that would make you look like a target. We've all heard the story about the Americans who were robbed at machine gun point. I'd prefer if that wasn't me.
And although I wouldn't call New York City a perfectly safe city (we have other things to worry about like terrorists and protestors), the criminal element seems to stay in specified areas. As long as you're not wandering around the Bronx at 2AM, I think you're pretty safe. And even so, I think a machine gun is a bit excessive - even for the most ruthless New York criminals.
1) Safety
While I haven't felt unsafe in São Paulo, there certainly are things I've had to sacrifice to feel that way. I don't wear my watch. I don't walk around with my iPod. I try not to use my cell phone in public. And, if I'm carrying my laptop, I take a taxi to work even though it's only a 10 minute walk from my hotel. But because petty street crime is a popular pastime here, you don't want to do anything, carry anything, or wear anything that would make you look like a target. We've all heard the story about the Americans who were robbed at machine gun point. I'd prefer if that wasn't me.
And although I wouldn't call New York City a perfectly safe city (we have other things to worry about like terrorists and protestors), the criminal element seems to stay in specified areas. As long as you're not wandering around the Bronx at 2AM, I think you're pretty safe. And even so, I think a machine gun is a bit excessive - even for the most ruthless New York criminals.
