A local in Medellin told me my work setup was making me a target

I was working from a cafe in El Poblado last week, with my laptop and a second screen out on the table. A Colombian guy at the next table leaned over and quietly said, 'You look like a walking ATM.' He explained that my shiny gear in that busy spot basically painted a bullseye on my back for thieves. I packed up right away and moved to a more low-key spot. Has anyone else gotten a blunt reality check like that about their setup?

2 comments

2 Comments

rosed321mo ago

Maybe you just looked like a rich jerk who needed to be taken down a peg.

alex_taylor101mo ago

My cousin in Bogota got his phone snatched right out of his hand while checking a map on a busy street. He said he felt like a total tourist idiot for not paying better attention. I mean, it's easy to forget how you look to other people when you're just trying to get some work done. That guy did you a solid by speaking up, even if it was a bit blunt.