u/Material-Working-845

As people following this subreddit know I’ve now traveled from Northern Canada down to the very tip of South America, where I have to stop as a trip to Antarctica isn’t on the cards for this time of year!

I know you guys are the courageous ones as you often have to tackle challenges that aren’t in my wheelhouse as a nomad like over zealous law enforcement, staying warm enough in cold weather and so on, for which you have my admiration!

The only thing we seem to share is our love of being transient, but I’ve now been offered a way to stop: I have a new passport due to gaining citizenship in a European country.

So if I wanted I could go back to it all: heating bills, cleaning out the stove, house parties, waking up in the same bed day after day.

I know many of you have chosen this lifestyle and some of you were nudged into it by circumstances, but if you could be both financially stable and housed would you take the opportunity?

I'm a 6ft4 guy. As a digital nomad, I've been staying in Buenos Aires these past few months. I have had a few run-ins with aggressive homeless guys but until now nothing serious. I saw a lady post in here earlier about how she wants to do some of the things that men might take for granted, like getting into a car with someone they don't know and it made me wonder if this kind of feeling of being unsafe is something women think about a lot.

As I said, I'm a big guy. Only once has anyone tried to mug me. I challenged him to a fight and he backed down. But yesterday I was waiting outside my apartment building for an Uber to take me to the airport when a guy on a motorbike drove past and snatched my iPhone.

I suppose you can't even really call it a mugging. I shouted and ran after him but there wasn't much I could do. The Uber driver was kind enough to call the police for me and I've postponed my flight by a few days while I try to get my life back in order. So far I've managed to lock the phone, change passwords, and get back into my online banking...

Sure, I could have been more vigilant but the truth is I was scared by what happened. I don't think I can protect myself from this kind of thing. Even though the guy didn't hurt me, even though I chased after him, I was frightened about what happened and am scared of it happening again.

As a man I'd always been superficially aware that I enjoy many privileges. I doubt, for instance, if I'd walked down a street late at night that anyone would bother trying to SA me. When panhandlers approach me for spare change, I don't have to worry about them acting aggressively if I reject them.

This was the first time I've ever really felt unsafe and made me wonder. Given the dangers women face, do you feel this way all the time? If so, I am so so sorry. I'm still shaking 24 hours, I can't work, I'm barely sleeping and have had to take some time off over something that, let's face of it, could have been a lot worse.

In any case, if something like this or worse has happened to anyone else here, I'm really sorry, and the one consolation I take from it, is that perhaps it's given me a very small insight into what women have to face day to day.

I'll preface this story by saying I know I'm a fraud. While I'm technically homeless I'm a freelancer so just live in a series of AirBNBs. Still, I really love hearing all you guys' stories and admire your bravery, I could have used it today!

I was standing outside my apartment building where I'm staying in Buenos Aires waiting for an Uber to take me to the airport. I was looking at my phone when this man on a motorbike came up and snatched it out of my hand.

I yelled, "Stop, thief!" (Not very original I know) and ran after him as fast as I could but he easil outpaced me on the bike. It was an iPhone 14 with a broken USB port but I was more worried about getting access to the photos I'd taken in my travels and online banking.

Anyway, my AirBNB host let me stay a couple of extra days at my original place. He's called the police but I've not heard a thing out of them. Poverty and homelesness are on the rise here, so I understand these types of crimes are becoming more common.

I did place the phone in 'Lost Mode', but the bad guys somehow managed to disable 'Find My', so they'll likely be able to reset and sell the device FWIW from June 7th onwards. I called Apple and they can't work it out either. One of life's mysteries.

I'm a big guy (6ft4) and never had to worry too much about being mugged or assaulted, but this has made me realize how scary it is out there. I've been very blessed to have help from friends and family. I also have an emergency fund for situations like these to get a replacement cellphone (SIM card is proving much more problematic!)

Anyway, please stay safe out there guys, and once I again I apologize, as I know I don't really count as one of you. This has just been a hard day and I wanted to share my story with someone.