As someone who’s done a lot of solo travel + as an independent girly as is day to day, I often notice how easily an individual can become a target. If a stranger comes up to you, remember that you don’t owe them ANYTHING, especially at the cost of your safety. You can absolutely RESPOND but you don’t need to ANSWER. In the example here, a stranger is asking if you’re from around the area: - Saying yes — you’re allowing follow up questions. - Saying no — you’ve given away that you’re not familiar with the area AND you’re allowing follow up questions. When you hit them with a question back, they are put in a position to answer to YOU. And from there, trust your gut. Attackers can get a sense for how much information you’re willing to give up within the first 10 seconds of your conversation. I’m someone who believes everyone is a good person until proven otherwise. But when it comes to safety, security and privacy, I’m happy to be skeptical and assume every stranger is ill intended until proven not. Situational awareness is KEY. *This applies to traveling AND in your own communities. #travelsafety #safetywhiletraveling #traveltip #safetytip #travelsafetytip