Heading out for your Spring Break vacation? It’s a cinch that you’ve been spending more time in classrooms at school than you have being a world traveler. Therefore, there might be some dangerous aspects of travel to which you’re not accustomed. No need to stay home, says Kathleen Crislip, writer about student travel on about .com, in her “Student Safety Overview” post. Just learn the rules about common sense safety, then go out and have fun on your timeshare rental Spring Break trip.
Kathleen Crislip says:
- If you’ve grown up in a small town and this is your first big trip, you may not be prepared for the fact that not everyone you meet in a big city has your best interests at heart.
- Not being able to speak the local language while traveling, for example to Mexico, could hinder you from getting help.
- Street crime takes forms in other countries that you may not have seen at home, even if you live in a large city.
- Scam artists and conmen may target you because of your youth, which they might equate with naiveté.
So what to do? Crislip offers these suggestions:
- Check U.S. government issued travel warnings and consider not choosing a destination that the State Department is advising Americans to avoid.
- Invest in a phrasebook and memorize some possibly helpful phrases before you leave home. For example, if you’re going to Mexico you might want to learn: “Socorro!” (Help), and “Llama a la policia!” (Call the police).
- Use the same safety precautions you would at home: avoid walking alone on deserted streets after dark, keep your travel cash stashed, and stay alert.
- Pay attention in taxis and on trains – you’re unlikely to get too far from your bags during air travel, but losing them during other transportation is easier than you might think.
- Watch the crowd – Many thieves prefer crowded areas. Stay alert in places like bus stations and during street celebrations, where you’re likely to be jostled – thieves use these circumstances to grab for your purse or to pick your pocket.
When planning your Spring Break trip, consider a timeshare rental at a luxury resort – you’ll find many that are budget friendly. And many of the resorts have their own on-site nightclubs and entertainment, as well as enough on-site amenities to keep you happily busy through your entire Spring Break vacation.