Recently there was a bit of controversy over the safeness of Acapulco as far as expats are concerned. When I came here it was not with safety in mind but with freedom. I intended to start a new life, immerse myself in a new culture and all that comes with it.

Now I've talked a bit on the safety here in the past, citing things like my ability to travel freely at all hours without really worrying to be bothered. I've never been robbed or had anyone attempt to rob me even in situations where they could. That's not to say that this isn't a big populated city with a lot of people in it. Anything can happen and sometimes things do, as they do in cities all around the world.

To be clear Acapulco is no where near as dangerous as the media plays it up to be. Even with it's sketchy past the current reality of the city spells a completely different picture. There's violence but in this day and age where there are people there is violence.

I don't think our goals in a place to live or even visit should necessarily be safety, as it's a bit of an illusion at the end of the day. Take a critical look at the idea of safety and you'll understand that obsessing over a thing is a bit pointless. I wanted to find freedom when I came here and I did, but it's not handed to you when you get here on a silver platter.

The freedom we experience here is because we are willing to take it. Having the ability to say no and actually doing it are two very different things. The fact that we won't stop for cops or check our bag at the grocery store (suggested policy that the security are generally pretty pushy about, even though there's no law saying you have to leave it. There's also a notice saying they're not responsible for anything stolen, something I always refer to if they hassle me a lot.

To live a life here the way we do it's not enough to just come here and live, you've got to live fully. I often say "I didn't come all this way to be told what to do" and I stand by that.

So no, Acapulco isn't safe and it doesn't need to be. What we need in this world is more aware people so bad things don't happen to good people.

But Acapulco is free in many ways and it's filled with good hard working people that'll be good to you if you're good to them. That's what I came here for.