As a Washington DC native, Los Angeles convert, and current Buenos Aires inhabitant, I have had many people ask me, “Aren’t you scared living in such dangerous cities?”. Well…no. But I am very realistic, and that’s an important distinction. Buenos Aires is just like any other big city: there’s no need to walk around terrified, but there’s also no need to walk around oblivious. Some tips are obvious, along the lines of ‘Don’t walk home alone’ and ‘Don’t keep your phone inyour back pocket’. But what about the insider tricks of the trade? The little things that you never find out until it’s too late? Well, here we are…pre-too late. Read on, and give yourself the best possible chance of a safe and successful trip to the breathtaking city of Buenos Aires:

Where To Keep Your Shit – I already addressed the issue of the back pocket, but that’s just a given. Pickpocketing here has been taken to a whole new level of both skill and audacity, and no matter how Argentine you might have the good fortune to look, chances are something about you can still scream tourist. That’s the equivalent of a target painted on your phone, wallet, and anything else someone might consider to be of value. I experienced two attempted-thefts, (one that resulted in a friend slapping the guy’s hand away and another that was unsuccessful when my purse strap didn’t break), before someone actually made it work. That time I was carrying a small cross-body bag at a concert, made the mistake of taking my hand off it for just a few minutes, and then looked down to find my bag unzipped and my phone gone. Ladies, carry tiny bags that fit right under your arm, clutches that never leave your hand, or if you have the rack for it I honestly suggest keeping a fair amount tucked between the twins. Gentleman, obscenely tight hipster pants with front pockets that even you can barely get into are your new best friend. These are the sacrifices we all make…just go with it and give yourself a little less to be worrying about.