It’s a Good Time to Talk About a Crucial Element of Travel Safety
By now you’ve probably heard at least something about Kim Kardashian West’s unfortunate run-in with robbers in Paris this past weekend.
To summarize: She was visiting for Paris Fashion Week and was alone in her room at the Hotel de Pourtalès in the 8th Arrondisement when masked assailants burst in, held her at
gunpoint, and made off with approximately $10 million in baubles before a bodyguard and police showed up.
Whatever you think about Kim (and the rest of the Kardashians), nobody should have to endure this kind of trauma. Thankfully, the reality television star was not harmed in the robbery.
Afterward, as USA Today reported, Kim cooperated with local police, then hightailed it out of France, hopping on a private plane back to New York and a veritable phalanx of armed
bodyguards.
Authorities (and gossip mags) are still investigating the incident. In the meantime, we figured now was a perfect time for a refresher on travel safety—especially regarding your personal
belongings and whereabouts—and to offer these three tips.
1. Be smart on social media
Kardashian West has become a celebrity largely thanks to her social media savvy. But whatever she shares, she shares with at least 84 million Instagram followers. We don’t know if her
assailants were among them, but we should all be conscientious about what we share and whom we share it with. And the consequences of revealing your location may affect more than
just you.
2. Use the safe
If you’ve ever poked around a fancy hotel room, you have probably noticed a safe in the closet or one of the nightstand drawers. These safes are there for a reason: to protect your
most valuable valuables. On your next trip, if you’ve got something you’d rather not lose—jewelry, iPad, passport—toss it in your safe when you don't need it and rest easy.
3. Pack wisely
Most of us don’t hit the road toting $10 million in jewelry. But the Kim K. heist should make us think long and hard about the expensive items we travel with. Unexpected things can
happen when you’re abroad, so leave the truly irreplaceable stuff at home. Yes, this means you may be photographed in your cubic zirconia “engagement ring” instead of your finest
diamonds, but it also means you never have to worry about losing anything too meaningful.
Vocabulary Words:
1. Run-in - (noun) a brief, hostile exposure to or contact with something such as danger or opposition
2. Assailant - (noun) a person who attacks somebody, especially physically
3. Bauble - (noun) a piece of jewellery that is cheap and has little artistic value
4. Veritable - (adj.) a word used to emphasize that somebody/something can be compared to somebody/something else that is more exciting, more impressive, etc.
5. Phalanx - (noun) a group of people or things standing very close together
6. Conscientious - (adj.) taking care to do things carefully and correctly
Discussion Questions:
1. Can you tell me about your worst travel experience?
2. Do you think traveling nowadays is unsafe? Why?
3. How do you keep yourself and your belongings safe when traveling?
4. What is more important to you when traveling, safety or convenience?
5. For you, what is the safest ｃountry to travel to and why?
