I’m being shipped off to Peru to learn Spanish as my third language and of course, to see another part of the world!  For the past few months, my mind has been spinning with excitement and nerves.  I’ve heard stories that pickpocketing is not uncommon in South America and because it’s a third world country, it’s perhaps more dangerous.  So, do I choose to avoid going to Peru because of all the stories that I’ve been hearing or do I just go and have a great time?  Of course, I should go and have a great time and just be wise about safety.  I can’t live my life sitting and worrying like crazy.  Plus, every place in the world has its own share of problems.  The US has its own issues.  For instance, gun violence is an issue and taking the subway at night can often be dangerous.  So, really, when I’m going to Peru, it’s all about adapting myself to their safety issues and living differently.  A perfect analogy is that my friends in France think it’s not dangerous to take the subway at night because that’s the way it is in their own country, but unfortunately, taking the subway at night can be dangerous in the US, and thus, they have to adjust their lifestyle by not taking the subway at night.  So, my being in Peru, one of the ways I’ll have to adjust to a new lifestyle is wearing my backpack in front of me to protect it from thieves.  Anyways, I’m off to have a fabulous time, I hope!