Feel Safe While Dating Abroad
Dating abroad is similar to dating in your home town if you subtract language barrier, accents and a total lack of familiarity to place. It sounds scary, especially if you are not a confident dater to start, but there are many ways to make sure you are safe and have a great experience even if they are a total dud.
Research
Before you even agree to the date, if you met online, look them up. If you got their number while roaming the city, look them up. Check out their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn (if it comes to that). Who do they follow, is it something or someone you are strongly opposed to? What do they like on Facebook? How small do they keep their circle? Are their Instagram photos with friends or are they all of themselves in nondescript locations? Do their followers appear to be real accounts? This may seem intense but it is worth investigating to see if going on a date is even worth it and if you would feel safe with this individual.
Meeting/Location
Pick a very public indoor meeting location. Maybe it is Cafe Central in Vienna or the National Gallery in London. Make it touristy enough that you are surrounded by a good amount of people and someone would notice if you were in danger but don’t make it too touristy that you would get lost in the shuffle.
Pick somewhere near your hostel but don’t have them pick you up. Do not tell them where you live in the very rare case things take a turn for the worse. Or pick a location a block or two from where you know you can find the local authorities.
Backup
Call your friends. Tell them what you are doing, who you’ll be with and where you are going. Tell them you will call them at a certain time if things are going poorly and you need to fake an emergency or tell them you’ll text them after if it goes wonderfully. Give them your location and let them track you. It is reassuring to know that someone somewhere has your back.
Ordering
If going to bar or a restaurant with a date, do not let them buy your drink without you watching them buy it. Keep an eye on anything you are ingesting at all times. Take your drink to the bathroom, observe your plate before you leave it, or even tell your waiter to watch over your table if you are getting bad vibes.
Your Gut
Ultimately, you must trust your instincts. All of these tips are useless if you don’t follow your gut rather than your heart. Not every date in a foreign country will be your international love story. If something feels off to you, take a step back and remove yourself from the situation. You are never going to see this person again so you’d rather be safe than sorry.
