Health and Safety in Mexico City*

When it comes to safety and security, Mexico City has traditionally gotten a pretty bad wrap but, having just spent more than a week in the capital city, this seems more than a little unfair.

Before the time I first went to Mexico City in 2008 I had heard horror stories of tourists being mugged, falling victim to dodgey taxi drivers and other scams. On that trip, as on this trip, it became very clear that whilst that may have been the case in Mexico City 10 years ago it is certainly not the case now.

Over the past week we have wandered extensively around Mexico City, from the tourist areas to the backstreets, from early in the morning to late at night. We've taken taxis, buses and the metro, and done a lot of walking and at no point at all did we feel unsafe.

In fact, we felt very safe.

The Mexican Government has done a great job in cleaning up a lot of the problems that existed in the past, especially in the main tourist areas. You will always see plenty of police around, including at night, as well as private security contractors. In addition, there are always so many people around that normally one's greatest worry is a talented pickpocket.

The Mexican people's no. 1 election issue: Seguridad (Security) - so there has been a lot of political will to make people feel safe!

Like any big city anywhere in the world, there are areas of the city that you shouldn't go. That's fine, because they are areas you've got no reason to go to or that would be unusual just to wander into. And like any big city there are certain things you should do to increase your safety and security - and these rules apply anywhere in the world, not just in Mexico City.

A few tips to increase your safety and security when you're travelling:

1. Travel in packs - particularly at night.
2. If you're heading for a night out, look out for one another, don't get plastered and think ahead to work out how you're going to get home.
3. Phone for taxis, pick them up at official cab ranks or ask hotels/restaurants to call them for you. Don't hail taxis off the street.
4. Don't take the green VW 'beetle' taxis in Mexico City.
5. Don't carry large sums of money and carry a 'throw' wallet - one with a little money and some useless ID (like that expired library card you've been meaning to get rid of anywhay) that you can just hand over in the unlikely event you do get into trouble.
6. As much as possible, leave your real valuables - passport, that expensive-looking watch, or bling-bling ring - at your accommodation....as long as your accommodation is secure of course (i.e. not a backpacker hostel)
7. Don't take the metro late at night, especially not alone.
8. Be aware of your personal space, particularly in crowds or on a busy metro or bus - pickpockets operate all over the world. Your wallet sticking out of your back pocket in a busy place is an invitation - carry it in your front pocket and try to be aware if anyone is in your 'space'.
9. Don't carry valuables overtly (like laptops, expensive jewellery or cameras) - put them in a backpack.

As I say, these are just general rules that you can follow anywhere in the world.

We've got a couple of friends who have been living in Mexico for the past few years and when I asked them about health and safety they told me the following:

"You're probably more safe in Mexico city as a foreigner than as a Mexican. If Mexicans saw something happening to a tourist they would most likely react very strongly against the perpetrator because tourism is such an important industry for the country. A local wouldn't necessarily receive the same support"

It was also easy getting around just in English, or with just a few words of Spanish (like hello, goodbye, thank you and counting from 1-10).

The long and short of this is don't let outdated stereotypes put you off Mexico - this is a wonderful country to visit and Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City) is a great place to visit and study.

Health Care in Mexico

There is a range of health care facilities in Mexico City - including doctors, public and private hospitals.

The Australian Embassy has a list of English-speaking doctors in the city who are available for consultations. These doctors also cover a range of specialities if one needs more than a General Practitioner.

The private hospitals in Mexico City are some of the finest in Latin America or North America. As travel insurance is mandatory for students taking AIM Overseas programs, students should never have a problem in having access to world-class care whilst living and studying in this city.

Most medications are available over-the-counter at local pharmacies, without a prescription, although there are a range of 'restricted' medications that require a script from a doctor.Not-prescription medications, such as painkillers, cold and flu tablets etc etc are readily available and much less expensive in Mexico than elsewhere in the world.

If you have a regular medication that you take, it is always best to bring a supply of it with you that will last long enough for the duration of your stay (along with a note from your doctor explaining what the medication is for if you need to explain to local authorities). Having the packaging of your medication with you will allow local medics/pharmacists to issue you with an alternative medicine if your exact medicine is not available.

Health and Safety at La Salle University

AIM Overseas runs a number of programs at La Salle University in Mexico City - here are a few comments on Health and Safety at this fine institution.

La Salle University's main campus is located in the fantastic 'La Condesa' area of Mexico City. This is one of the best areas of the city - crammed full of restaurants and bars, tree-lined streets and activity.

Students on programs in Mexico City at La Salle will stay in homestay accommodation in La Condesa, within about 10 minutes walk of the university. The reality is that since the area is so funky, students will most likely end up eating and going out close to home - eliminating a lot of the headaches related to getting home at night.

La Salle has worked with their host families for many years - and during this time they have identified and retained the best possible families so the chances of you having a negative experience with your homestay family are very slim.

The University itself is incredibly secure. Other than being located in a very safe area, students need to have their student card in order to pass through security and enter the campus - there are always security personal on the campus, as well in the surrounding streets (including motorcycle patrols), ensuring that the area is totally secure.

The campus is wonderful - inside students will not only find all the facilities they need to study (such as library and computers) but also many of the facilities that make life more comfortable: they have a first rate gym, swimming pool and places to eat - all accessible to students on AIM Overseas programs. Most importantly, they also have a bank and ATM machine inside the campus itself, probably the most secure place in Mexico City for students to conduct their banking transactions.

La Salle University is amazing and people will feel right at home there. They also have an English-speaking doctor on call 24 hours a day - so you will never have to worry about not having access to the best possible attention or about having to explain your problem in a foreign language.

All students also get given the 24 hour contact details for staff at La Salle if there is ever a health or safety issue day or night.

So do it! Go there! Mexico City is an amazing place, full of history, culture, stunning architecture and great places to see - be prepared, but don't be put off by outdated rhetoric.

For opportunities to study overseas in Mexico, visit www.aimoverseas.com.au

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*Note: this blog entry does not constitute official health and safety or travel advice. For this you should always seek official government advice - see www.smarttraveller.gov.au

Carrying your money overseas

A few years ago I went to Myanmar (Burma) with my wife. As a country hidden behind the secrecy of a military junta, we didn't really know what to expect and so had prepared ourselves carefully.

When it came to our money, we had followed all the rules about carrying money: we had our ATM cards, a supply of travellers cheques and about US$100 in cash. The sensible approach so that even if you lose one of your sources of money you've always got a backup.

The catch, we were to discover after arriving at 9pm in Yangon, was that the military junta were protesting against the international embargo by prohibiting all use of international credit cards and travellers cheques in Myanmar.

...major bummer...

We then found ourselves in the interesting situation of having just US$100 for a 3 week trip, US$500 of travellers cheques and worthless plastic credit cards. Faced with either an expensive flight back to Bangkok just to change some money, or an expedition into the underword of the Burmese blackmarket, we found ourselves in a little shop with our guide negotiating over prices. After some wheeling and dealing, we managed to change US$400 of those travellers cheques on the black market for a commission of 10% - a very low commission we were to find, since everywhere else we asked during the trip around the country wanted 30-40% commission.

The one upside was that it was a very cheap US$400 trip around the country for 2 people for 3 weeks....but that's another story.

So, on to carrying money...

"Carry a mix of currency options"
When travelling anywhere overseas, with perhaps the exception of Myanmar, you should always carry a mix of cash, travellers cheques and credit cards. This is so you always have a backup if you lose one of your sources of money.

Cash - "Never carry more than you can afford to lose"
When it comes to cash you should never carry more than you can afford to lose. In previous jobs, we have heard about students losing 500 euros ($900) when their wallet was stolen whilst they were sleeping on a train. That sucks. Don't let that be you!

The best travel insurance policies might cover loss of cash up to a few hundred dollars, but you'll need a police report and perhaps other evidence to substantiate your claim. Whilst it might be painful incurring bank fees for multiple withdrawals, that's definitely better than losing all your hard-earned coin.

Travellers Cheques - "Insured Money"
Travellers cheques are notes that you buy in Australia and then redeem overseas for foreign currency cash.

For example, if you buy 10 x 50 euros travellers cheques in Australia, you can then redeem those anywhere in Europe (either all at once or one by one) for 50 euros cash each.

The great benefit of travellers cheques is that each one has a unique number and your signature on it, so if they are lost or stolen you can have them cancelled and replaced with new ones. This is like being able to insure your money.

Banks, travel agents, post offices, foreign exchange bureaus (like Thomas Cook) and American Express in Australia are all capable of selling you travellers cheques. Normally you pay a commission or fee when you buy the travellers cheque in Australia - this can seem a bit steep but is worth it for the guarantee of knowing you can have them replaced if they are lost.

Normally you should be able to cash your travellers cheque overseas without having to pay a second commission or fee. You will usually have to show your passport and countersign the cheque in order to cash it - this is the vendor's way of ensuring that it is actually you who is cashing the cheque and not someone who found it or stole it from you.

Tip: Once you've bought your travellers cheque you should make a photocopy of it and record all the serial numbers and keep these in a safe place. In the event your TC is lost, you'll need those numbers in order to have the cheque replaced.

Credit/Debit Cards
Carrying an Australian credit/debit card overseas is an easy way to make purchases in shops around the world or to withdraw cash from foreign ATMs.

Before leaving for overseas, be sure to check with your bank how much they charge for you to use your card overseas. This ranges from $2 with some banks on particular account/card types up to $20 with others so it pays to check in advance!

Withdrawing cash from ATMs abroad using your credit card is useful because you can access your money almost everywhere and you usually receive the best possible currency conversion rate (which you don't get when, for example, changing cash at a money exchange booth at an airport). Once again, though, find out in advance what your card issuer charges for using your card either at an ATM, or in a store, overseas.

We discovered that if we used our card as a credit card in a shop or restaurant, instead of withdrawing cash from an ATM and paying cash, we were saving ourselves a $5 fee each time. Needless to say we use the credit card function and sign for our purchases when overseas!

Finally....
Finally, it's always good to check on Smarttraveller.gov.au before you head overseas. In the travel advisories section you will find information about any known threats/scams etc affecting tourists in particular countries - information that might be useful to you once abroad.

Travel Insurance

"If you can't afford travel insurance you can't afford to travel"

Fortunately, studying overseas doesn't come with the same level of risk as, for example, heli-skiing. But that's not the point.

Over the years we at AIM Overseas have had our share of bad luck whilst travelling: lost bags, travel delays, trips to doctors (but thankfully not hospital yet), stolen cameras, lost travellers cheques and more. We certainly wouldn't say that we've been unlucky 0n our travels - far from it - but it's just the reality of being out there in the wide open world is that things sometime do go wrong.

Fortunately we've also never had a major incident with a student on one of our programs, but in our past lives working in university student exchange programs we did come across broken legs, burst eardrums, stolen bags and cash, car crashes and other calamities.

And that's why comprensive travel insurance is absolutely crucial each and every time you go travelling. Because sometimes things do go wrong.

So here's a few words about travel insurance.

1. Travel Insurance: ALWAYS BUY IT ONLINE

The first thing we say is always buy your travel insurance online. Every travel agent, both ones sitting in an office or online sites, will always try to sell you an insurance policy. That's because travel insurance companies pay travel agents big premiums which push up the price of your policy.

You can buy the same policy online for as much as 40% less than what an agent will sell it for.

Travel insurance policies online are exactly the same as the ones as you'll get for an agent. You'll get the same service from an online site than you will from a travel agent - so be sure to buy it online and save yourself the money!

2. Good online travel insurance policies

Below are some links to various travel insurance policies that you can buy online. These are sites we have used before and trust to provide comprehensive policies at a great price.

• 1Cover
  
• Travelinsurancedirect
  
• World Nomads
  
• Insure4Less
  

Students on AIM Overseas programs are required to show proof of travel insurance once their final program fee has been paid.

3. What you should look for in a travel insurance policy

Travel insurance policies can be very similar, often the difference is just in the total amount of coverage provided.

Policies normally vary in terms of price and coverage depending on the region you are travelling to - Asia tends to be the least expensive, North America the most expensive.

Regardless, a comprehensive policy should include:

• Medical expenses - a great policy will include unlimited medical coverage
• Repatriation - this is to cover the cost of bringing you back to Australia if you get seriously sick or hurt overseas, or the repatriation of your remains in the event you died whilst abroad
  
• Travel expenses - things like lost/stolen luggage, travel delays, reimbursement of travel costs for cancelled travel etc. Minimum coverage for this should be around $5,000-10,000. A good policy will also pay for the loss of laptops and cameras up to a few thousand dollars. The best policies will coverage the loss of cash (up to a few hundred dollars)
• Legal liability - Up to a few million dollars worth of legal costs if you get yourself into real strife with the law, or get sued for something.

4. Final words

• Always read the Product Description Statement (PDS) so you know exactly what you're covered for before buying the policy.
• Check that the policy covers any pre-existing conditions you might have.
• Make sure your policy will cover you if you are intending to do any 'risk' sports or adventures - like skiing, climbing mountains, whitewater rafting etc
• Check the refund policy and make sure you're happy with it.
• Always carry a copy of the emergency contact card and your policy details with you when you travel.
• If something does happen to you overseas, make sure you keep as much documentation as you can about the incident - police reports, reports from airlines, doctors reports (including a description of what was wrong with you), tickets and booking confirmations etc. The more evidence you've got the better.
• If something major goes wrong, do not hesitate to contact the Emergency Contact number that every good travel insurance product will provide you with.