Day 142

She went 142 days without being robbed. But they got her.





...Yes. Robbery number two in one week.



Caroline, Jake, and I left from my apartment to go take pictures. I had my camera and camera bag on me. Jake still had his bag in my apartment. Caroline had the Wal-Mart bag (my mom sent us each as a joke) filled with her stuff, as she was leaving really soon.


The second after leaving the apartment we decided to take pictures right there at the crosswalk.


Right. Outside. My place.


The bag was put down right next to the road. After taking some pictures from different angles, we turned to leave and head out to another part of the city.


The bag. Was. Gone.

Who had even walked by? There were no people/cars/NOTHING!

...How did they do it?

Shoes
Scarf
Walk-Mart bag
Gloves
Hat
Book
Phone
iPod
Sunglasses
Abono (B3!) (train/bus/metro pass w/ID card)
Camera

Gone.


It was then that we searched the street, up and down. And? Nothing.

As people from the top apartment floor saw us looking, they came down to ask what had happened. After we told the story, they looked at me and asked (in Spanish),

"Do you know what part of town you're in?! Do you know what street you live on?! You live in a bad area of town. You don't have a chance. There are robbers and gypsies everywhere. Walk down this street a little further and there you have it. They will take anything."

Sure, a big city, a lot of people, things get taken. But my street? Why didn't someone tell me?

But it all makes sense now. The beat up cars. The not so pretty buildings. I guess I ignored the fact of being in a not-so-safe place simply by making myself believe it was just the "big city."

I can say this. I am alarmed and angry no one had warned me of my surroundings. Sure, I can't blame it all on the other, but seriously. What is going on?

I am confused, and lost, and would like a very, very good talk with some specific people.

------(JANUARY 23RD, 2011)



This was the entry I wrote down in my notebook one day at school before leaving Madrid. Flipping back through the pages, this is just the start of the random stories I have yet had time to write about. To this exact day I do not know the people who live a bit further down that street- but right now it doesn't make a difference. I wasn't in the slums of Madrid by any means, but the alarm of Caroline being robbed right outside my apartment was ironically "too close to home." For me it was a setback, something to get me thinking. We never found anything of the bag. We sent text messages offering awards, etc, but in this situation there is not really hope. The police suggested to search the trash cans the next day, but there was nothing.

The picture of the car passing was one of the only cars that went by. No car stopped, and we only saw one person on the street who we watched carefuly.





...The things Madrid has taught me is incredible.

-mb