Currency exchange while traveling: why do some still carry wads of cash? (page 16 of 28)

Good evening Catherine,

On another note, regarding your last sentence... Would you say of a woman who was raped that she is "partly" responsible for her rape? I understand what you mean, but the reasoning leaves me a bit perplexed...

Good evening,

For my part, what perplexes me is that one could compare respect for a person's dignity, whether man or woman, to a wad of cash.....

True, the comparison does verge on provocation. At its core, the topic doesn’t really matter—it’s just a pretext for raising questions.

The real issue goes much deeper: should we feel responsible for a lack of caution? Should we feel guilty about our vulnerability when we’ve contributed to the consequences?

In your post, you answer these broader questions with a yes. That’s all I wanted to point out. Of course, there’s no need to compare things *stricto sensu*... 😉

Hi there,

You're talking about trips lasting three to twelve months. Just a heads-up though—if Big Brother turns out to be the government, it could have implications for your tax status or social security coverage.

And if Big Brother is watching us, well, so be it—it’s less painful than potentially getting robbed.

Michel

e. That’s all I wanted to point out. Of course, there’s no need to compare strictly speaking... 😉

The provocation was indeed quite strange. The Other, your alter ego, can’t really be an object or a possession... There’s still a lot of work to do if we’re still at this point!

You're talking about trips lasting three to twelve months. Still, be careful—if Big Brother turns out to be the State, it could have implications for your tax status or social security coverage.

🙂 Our way of traveling probably makes our neighbors talk, which doesn’t bother us much🙂, but so far, I haven’t noticed the State worrying about it. Why would they scrutinize the lives of two ordinary folks who aren’t doing anything unusual? 🙂

The Other, your alter ego, cannot in effect be an object, a possession....

Not to mention that, in my opinion, someone who tempts a thief is at least half as responsible as the thief.

If the thief becomes a rapist, would the quote no longer hold? Why?

...

🙂 Our way of traveling probably gets our neighbors talking, which doesn’t bother us much🙂, but I haven’t noticed the state worrying about it so far—why would they scrutinize the lives of two ordinary folks? 🙂

If you have savings like a Livret A or life insurance, the taxes you pay are tied to residing in France for more than half the year. I think your social security coverage also changes in that case. There’s also different taxation on any rental income, with fewer deductions allowed.

Michel

Looks like I wasn’t clear—my bad. Let me try to explain better...

The provocation was indeed quite odd. The Other, your alter ego, can’t really be an object or possession...............Looks like we’ve still got work to do if we’re still at this point!

When I say that “the comparison leans more toward provocation,” I don’t mean my message was *only* meant to provoke your reaction (though, if the goal is to spark debate on one of our disagreements, why not?!).

What I’m really getting at is the core issue: provocation itself. Should we feel responsible for an aggression, and can we even call it “provocation”?

As Djalma points out, what applies in one case should apply in others. Someone attacks me: I’m responsible: I’m guilty: I must’ve provoked it: it’s my fault.

And that’s exactly why I disagree. 🙂

When it comes to the risk of being robbed, I don’t really see much difference between short or long trips: - Whether you're away for a few days or much longer, you can get mugged at an ATM—either to steal what you’ve already withdrawn (even if the amount isn’t huge for you, it could be 15 days or a month’s salary locally), or to force you to withdraw more. It’s even become pretty common in our neck of the woods. - If you’ve brought cash reserves, a potential thief has no way of knowing unless you’re counting your wads in public. Personally, I carry a few large bills and hide them in a pouch on me—not around my neck. And depending on the countries you visit, what we have in our van or car can make us look like "super-riches."

And that’s where I disagree. 🙂

Yes... I probably didn’t express myself clearly either.

To me, anyway, a girl being "provocative" and "provocation" can take a thousand different forms depending on the culture and place: a girl in ultra-light clothing in Saint-Tropez is less "provocative" than a girl in a chador, and the opposite will be true in Tehran. Regardless, this girl (since it seems we’re talking about a girl) isn’t an object—she’s the Other, your alter ego, the only way a human can recognize themselves as such.

On the other hand, flashing valuable items—like a camera that could cost as much as a family’s living expenses for a quarter, counting large sums of money in the street after exchanging currency—those are objects that can spark envy because they *are* objects.

If you’re trying to make me say that if a girl was raped, it’s partly her fault, you’re mistaken. As I explained, the Other, regardless of gender, isn’t an object by definition. Comparing the theft of an object to the rape of a person is, in my eyes, a deeply troubling confusion.

🙂 For more info on how to handle your insurance, health coverage, and social security when traveling outside Europe for more than 90 days, check out the "Preparations" chapter on my blog.

Otherwise, I don’t really see how this concerns you.

Yes, Sissi, you're absolutely right. On the other hand, you can get robbed in Place de la Comédie in Montpellier just as easily as in Aguas Calientes or Ulan-Ude, but maybe that’s my *Parpaillote* upbringing—if I get robbed, I’ll definitely feel guilty and think, well, you kinda asked for it.

I also grew up with a "parpaillot" upbringing—I’m not Genevan for nothing—but I won’t feel guilty if something gets stolen from me, I think. Unless, of course, I hadn’t taken basic precautions to avoid it.

As for the rest, I don’t really see how it concerns you.

It doesn’t concern me, but I find the "I’ve got nothing to hide from Big Brother" stance pretty naive. I checked out your blog, the "preparations" page; legally, you’re probably right, but if something goes wrong, you’d have a hard time getting your interpretation accepted. Still, try not to make too many enemies among your neighbors.

Michel

🙂 You’ll admit that being naive at my age is kinda cute!

Besides, I really don’t feel like I’ve got anything to hide from Big Brother or any other Big Ears, and to be honest, I don’t care.

. Unless I hadn’t taken basic precautions to avoid that, of course.

🙂 Exactly—every time my husband had his bag stolen, twice in Argentina, he’d just set it down at his feet without a second thought. In my opinion, he was at least half to blame, and even more so the second time.

--

Besides, I really don’t feel like I have anything to hide from Big Brother or any other Big Ears, and to be honest, I don’t care.

Still, be a little careful.

Michel

Okay, that’s a bit like tempting fate, I know, but go to Japan, leave your phone on a table to mark your spot while you grab food or hit the restroom, and you’ll find it right where you left it when you get back.......

🙂 Yeah, it seems so, and in Irkutsk, our host who was showing us around town would leave his car with the sunroof open, his phone on the dashboard, and his bag clearly visible. When we looked surprised, he just laughed and said, "Oh, in Russia, there’s no risk of anything happening..."

Hey,

I’m replying because you mentioned the risk of cash theft...

Thieves have moved on too... They’re after smartphones now... There’s everything in smartphones... And so many aren’t secured (a PIN code isn’t security for a hacker)...