The Safe Streets of Chennai...

So, I’ve complained about how scary the traffic is over here but I think other than that, I am safer here than I ever was living in DC. For the first couple weeks here I was a little scared to be out at night, especially after midnight. The streets are all poorly lit, most areas look really run-down and there are groups of men huddled in circles here and there. These are all signs to get moving- quickly- if I was back in any city in the US. However, I’ve learned that’s not how things are over here. Muggings and violent crime have lower rates than about anywhere in the world, especially for foreigners. I have kept my wits and street smarts about me but I do find it incredible how safe Chennai is, especially with how many disenfranchised people and how much poverty there is here. I’ve asked everyone what the make of it, both locals and foreigners and no one has a good answer, although everyone seems to agree it’s true. It makes me think it's a cultural thing on some level but, as many things here in India, I have no clue. It’s really nice though; it’s one of the best parts of being here and a way that Chennai is way better than any major city in the US. One local put it to me like this “Here in Chennai, there are a lot of mosquitoes, but not many snakes. In the US, there aren’t many mosquitoes but there are more snakes”. What he meant is that when it comes to people, there are a lot of minor annoyances here- I could name a bunch- but they are relatively harmless at the end of the day. In the US there are less minor annoyances but there are more dangerous people. I kinda like the analogy. OK, don’t worry, I’m not getting cocky or anything- I’m still staying smart and safe, just an observation, that’s all.