The mean streets of Warsaw . . .

Sometimes I find myself wondering why more Americans don't take the opportunity to work or even just take a trip overseas at some point in their life. In fact, there is a widely published statistic that only 34% of Americans over the age of 18 own a passport.

I know that there are a number of obscure contributing factors at work here. These include, in no particular order:

*Proximity - North America is so huge that it would take a lifetime to see the diverse array of sights within its borders. There are so many different ecological and cultural zones in North America that contain even more variety than continental Europe.

*Cost - With the high cost of airfare, hotels, and the plummeting dollar, international travel is something that few can afford.

*Time - We all know how little vacation time American companies give their employees. Using all of those 2-3 weeks on one trip seems a bit wasteful. Europeans, conversely, receive more vacation time yet are paid less, thus take more time to go on holiday.

*Fear - The following piece appeared in the Chicago Tribune, on April 7th.

POLAND
The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw reported that crime throughout the country is declining but there are places in Warsaw known for criminal activity that are best avoided. Advice from the embassy includes: avoiding large parking lots near closed businesses, especially after 10 p.m. when police say crimes increase substantially; limiting activity in the vicinity of Wilanow Bus Stop; and evading groups of individuals who might approach you.

This was part of a regular World Watch column where various security updates from embassies around the world appear. I don't know why it was picked up by the Chicago Tribune since there aren't many people I know, except for a couple former Chicagoans I work with, who are regular visitors to this site. Should residents of Illinois be aware of this?

I wait for my bus in Wilanow (pronounced vee-LAH-noov) almost everyday. I don't hang out in large parking lots near closed businesses. Does anybody? And how can you have a group of "individuals"? If you are an individual, how can you be part of a group? I always stay away from individuals who have the audacity to form a group.

This alert came about because a couple American kids were mugged near that area. One actually had an iPod stolen. While I harbor sympathy for any victims of petty theft, one has to ask if it was really necessary to issue an official warning from the U.S. Embassy.

I have found Warsaw, and Poland as a whole, to be a place where one doesn't have to worry about walking down the street at night. You actually see woman stroll through parks by themselves long after the sun goes down. So to my visitors arriving in the next few months, please don't cancel those plane tickets. The reports of Warsaw being a haven for organized crime have been greatly exaggerated.