Feature photo by DBarefoot. Photo above by debaird.

Few people know what their lives are worth. My life was worth about $45, a credit and bank card, a new phone, an old watch, and a new iPod.

Bryce, Katherine, and I took the night bus to Quito so we could make the Ecuador vs. Bolivia soccer game Saturday afternoon. In the neighborhood of midnight, the bus was hijacked by 6 or 7 robbers.

This is the darkest part of foreign travel.

With a man waving a gun in the air, you tend to forget any premonition of heroism and simply follow what he tells you to do. As my friends were being interrogated, my heart rate was at the breaking point. Some men had to be made examples of, and as the cold metal pistols thudded into flesh, one man screamed out for his mother.

Bryce was pistol whipped and then taken off the bus. Then Katherine was brought up and though she was shaky and on the verge of tears, she held it together with strength and courage that I can’t begin to understand.

I couldn’t see much because I didn’t want to risk being beaten for looking up. A slap on the head told me it was my turn. I opened my bag and showed them the contents. They stood me up and took me off the bus where two men were waiting to frisk me.

Travelers Are Targets

When you travel, no matter where it is in the world, you are inevitably a target for potential thieves. It’s easy for thieves to pick travelers out of a crowd, what with their big bags and looks of bewilderment.

That night on the bus was something out of my control, and yet there were ways in which I was able to limit my vulnerability. Luckily, some of these words of wisdom were passed on from a security representative from the U.S. Embassy in Quito. Because of his skill and professionalism, he was also able to help us through the aftermath of that night.

Photo by .m for matthijs.

What To Do If Tragedy Strikes

If you find yourself in a situation like a bus hijacking, realize there is little you can do. As it’s happening, do exactly as you’re told and follow what the locals are doing. If they put their hands behind their head, do the same.

You shouldn’t hide anything once a robbery has started, because if you’re caught, you could be in big trouble. Chances are you’ll be frisked thoroughly, and if they see that you’ve held out, you could face some consequences. Is the iPod, wallet, or camera really worth getting hurt?

One of the most important things to remember is that you don’t have to be a hero. There’s no shame in keeping your head down and doing as you’re told.

After the Incident

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to call home immediately. You will be hysterical and so will your parents or other family members. It’s much better to contact your Embassy first, and wait to call home until after you’ve calmed down.

Always have the number of someone at the Embassy to call, and memorize it. If your papers are stolen, you won’t know how to get in touch, so always have at least one number memorized.

Photo by debs.

Carry Only the Essentials

If you’re just arriving or leaving a country, you need to have your passport on you, but if you will be in the area for a while, stow your important documents in a place where they will be safe. You don’t need to carry your passport everywhere. As long as you have two good photocopies of your information page and visa, you should be all set.

This also goes for bank and credit cards. You should never walk around with a card unless you’re positive you are about to use it. Have cards photocopied so that if they are stolen you can get them replaced faster.

Money in a Foreign Country

You might want to have more cash on you to avoid bank fees from local ATMs, but leave most of it in the hotel. Especially if you’re in a developing country, you shouldn’t need more than $20 a day. Walk around with only what you need, but also make sure you have at least something on you.

As a foreigner, robbers won’t believe you if you’re actually broke. Make sure you carry some change too so you can hand over something if you’re out of bills.

Most importantly, never flash your money around. Only take it out when you need it. If you think an ATM is sketchy, don’t go to it. Trust the ones with guards or the ones inside a building more than the ones in the street. Cover up the pin pad as you type in your numbers, as there have been inside scams with security cameras.

Most likely you’ll want to carry around a camera, but never leave it around your neck. This is asking for trouble. Keep it somewhere you can access it, but try to hide it under a jacket or shirt. It might be uncomfortable, but keeping it out is unnecessary and dangerous.

If you’re sitting at an outdoor café, always wrap a strap of your bag around your leg; this way a thief can’t just run off with it.

If you’re riding a public bus, turn your bag around and wear it on your stomach. You might look stupid, but this way you can see your personal items at all times. Always have your money ready for the bus so no one else sees how much you have.

Trying Not To Lose Perspective

Photo by Weidmaier.

For a long time that night we sat in silence, occasionally hearing someone come back to yell at us or tell us it was going to be okay. Suddenly, the man two over from me started to groan in pain. He’d been stabbed too many times in the chest and groin, and was bleeding to death. He got up on his knees in pain, and a few of us around him tried to help.

The robbers soon realized that they’d gone too far and needed to leave, and after a long period of silence, we knew we were alone. Slowly, we got up and looked around.

This is exactly the kind of thing my family warned me about. There have been moments in my life when I’ve wanted to die, or to disappear, just as most people have in their growing pains. But the beat of my heart and the fear in me told me that I wasn’t ready for it, and that life is a precious thing.

So now I have to move on. I’m not going to leave Ecuador. I’m not going to give up and hate everyone I see. But I have serious doubts as to whether I can trust the majority of people I see and don’t already know, and for that, I truly hate the robbers. At the bare minimum, I won’t be taking any night buses any time soon.

And now it’s just a matter of getting back on the horse and moving on with my life, no matter how uncomfortable it may seem.

photo by – Nick –

Spain is one of the most diverse countries in Europe. Though Castilian is the official language, there are several spoken languages as well as regional dialects. These differences are only a part of what to consider while figuring out where to study.

Madrid

Madrid is the capital, and as such is a cosmopolitan city with a great metro system, food at all hours, entertainment, and what many argue is the best nightlife in Europe.

Madrid has undergone huge changes in the last decade. As it has increasingly become a center of business in Europe and a premiere destination for travelers from all over the world, Madrid has lost some of it’s authentic Spanish charm and it has gotten a lot more expensive. This is not all bad of course, depending on what you’re looking for.

Just in the last five years, many of the tiny coffee shops that once served whiskey and coffee side by side and were adorned with legs of Jamon on the walls have been replaced by sleek new restaurants and bars. This has made the nightlife and general experience of going out in Madrid more colorful and diverse than ever. Madrid is also the most convenient place to get flights and trains, which, if you plan on doing a lot of travel while you study abroad, is something to take into account.

Barcelona

Barcelona, or “BCN” as it is commonly referred to by locals and expats, is another cosmopolitan city with a great nightlife and the unique culture of Catalan. Barcelona is known for its colorful party lifestyle and is sprinkled with impressive art and architecture from Antonio Gaudí and many other legendary innovators.

It is perhaps an even more popular tourist destination than Madrid which makes it a constantly-churning melting pot of people, languages, and cultures. With that however, comes crime and theft. Walking around by yourself at night, especially drunk, is a bad idea.

Las Ramblas, the big strip where people go to hang out, is a cool place, but can be dangerous; opportunists lurk in many of the city’s hot spots hoping to catch someone slipping. You need to keep your eyes open at all times and your hands on your valuables. Barcelona also has some great beaches that can be reached easily via metro, bike, or on foot.

photo by eduardpitt

One important thing to note regarding studying Spanish in Barcelona is that Castillano (the Spanish most people learn in high school and college in the US), is not the dominant language of Barcelona. Most locals in BCN speak Catalan, which is quite different from Castillano. If you want to learn Spanish that you can use elsewhere–especially in Latin America, make sure your program offers courses in Castillano.

Sevilla

Considered by many as the capital of Andalucia, Sevilla is a center of well-preserved Spanish culture. The summers are blistering hot, as Andalucia almost touches Northern Africa, but the hot nights tend to inspire people to go out. With over 4,000 bars, Sevilla boasts the most bars per person of any European city. A great nightlife is guaranteed and many of the restaurants serve some of Spain’s tastiest traditional cuisine.

Considered by many as the capital of Andalucia, Sevilla is a center of well-preserved Spanish culture.

Sevilla has a good bus system and is currently building a tram that will connect the city and the surrounding suburbs with above ground and subway cars. In addition, because Sevilla isn’t as large or crowded as Madrid or Barcelona, it’s cheaper. At a local bar in Madrid, a beer might cost anywhere from 4-6 Euro; in Sevilla it’s 2-4.

Sevilla also has great festivals throughout the year. Semana Santa (Holy Week) and Fería de Abril, are in close proximity for a reason: after a week of holy processions, the Sevillanos get wild for Fería. Full of friendly people, and situated next to a beautiful river, Sevilla is solid choice for the study abroad student looking for balance of parties and authentic Spanish culture. Madrid can be reached pretty easily for a weekend by taking a high-speed train called the AVE. It takes 3 hours and costs $50 USD one-way.

Granada

This small city in the Sierra Nevada mountains was the former capital of the Ottomans and Ferdinand and Isabel. At first you will find it hard to understand people. Words are clipped and colloquialisms dominate the dialect. However, if you can master the language here, no matter where you go in the Spanish speaking world, you should be able to understand what’s being said.

This small city in the Sierra Nevada mountains was the former capital of the Ottomans and Ferdinand and Isabel.

Granada has a law that says with any purchase of a beer you are entitled to free plate of tapas, so if you’re short on cash you can just head to the bar. This phenomenon has made Granada the Spanish capital of tapas and one can drink and eat for hours jumping from one bar to the next.

Due to it’s close proximity to N. Africa and large Moroccan population, Granada has some of the best kebabs in Spain. It is also home to another treasure: La Alhambra. This fortress and palace complex left by the Moorish monarchs is one of the most impressive tourist attractions I’ve ever visited and should not be missed–regardless of where you study in Spain.

Salamanca

Salamanca is a typical college town; most of the people there are between the ages of 18-35. The nightlife is fantastic. Only a short bus ride from Madrid, Salamanca can be pretty cold in the winter and boiling hot in the summer. It’s a great place to study abroad because of the Intercambio program offered at the university. Students will speak part of the time in Spanish and part of the time in English, thus privately tutoring each other.

Oviedo

Oviedo, located in northern Spain, can be very cold in the winters and warm but not too hot in the summer. Tourism in the city is minimal, and you’ll have to speak Spanish to survive. Getting thrown into this environment can be intimidating, but it’s the fast-track to fluency, and can be made easier when you arrange a study / homestay program such as the one offered by Eurolingua.

San Sebastián

San Sebastián, located just south of France, on Spain’s northeastern coast, has just over 180,000 people, making for a cozy atmosphere and a laid-back way of life. It’s known for some of the best surfing in Spain. IHSpain offers a combined surfing and Spanish program.The city is located in the Basque region, and it’s necessary to learn a little Euskadi (the Basque language), to read the street signs.

Valencia

photo by icanteachyouhowtodoi t

Valencia is a large beach city. The locals speak a dialect of Catalan. In March, Las Fallas, a huge festival, brings people from all over Europe. Valencia will pretty much shut down for the festival. Every day will be filled with drinking, dancing, and singing. At the end of the festival, all of the floats (made of paper mache and some of which rise 70 ft tall) are burnt to the ground. No matter where you study in Spain, try to make it to the last weekend of Fallas. It is like no other party on Earth.

Which Program is Right for You?

There are hundreds of independent study abroad programs available if you aren’t going through your home university. Programs range in difficulty, price, and options, such as staying in an apartment with other students or living with a host family. One of the best programs available is Academic Programs International. API offers the same services and excursions as other programs, but it’s much cheaper. One semester with API will cost a little less than $9,000. With that in mind, if you go to an expensive school, you stand to save a lot of money by studying abroad with API. Another good program is International Studies Abroad. Like API, ISA has programs throughout Spain, offering placement, student assistance, and excursions. A semester with ISA will cost a little over $9,000.

For more information, contact these Matador Experts on Spain: