There are certain kind of safety measures I prefer to take, even though it’s generally safe in many parts of the world. One step I took was dying my hair jet black in order to keep a low profile and make myself less of a target. I was advised to do this, especially because the police force in Indonesia can be corrupt and might cause hiccups in my travel plans. I’m not exactly sure what to expect when traveling but I figured it’s better to try and blend in as much as I can. Besides, the maintenance for fun colored hair would have been inconvenient.

I chose black because it’s so permanent. If I went any lighter, the pink would have eventually shown through. It’s close enough to my natural hair color anyway, which is a very dark brown.

Another thing that was highly advised was to get fake wedding rings to decrease the chances of unwanted male attention. These are sterling silver rings with cubic zirconia. They look convincing enough.

So, if a man tries coming onto me, I could go, “go away, I’m married.” Unfortunately, a lot of men just won’t take no for an answer, so I have to have a backstory ready. A friend said that I should say something like, “My husband is in the military. He takes people out who are a problem. We’re so glad you’re not being a problem.”

I’ll probably just say that he’s fishing and I don’t like fishing.

I may go by a fake name and already have one picked out. It might even be a good idea to say I’m Canadian instead of American, because the rest of the world isn’t happy with our current administration right now. I’m not sure if I’ll go that far, but it gives a sense of anonymity. It just might be a little awkward when I make new friends.

Anyway, I still have yet to sew secret pockets to my clothes, because it’s a good idea to always keep the passport, payment cards, and IDs on oneself at all times–not in a bag that somebody can grab. A dummy wallet with a couple cancelled cards is also useful. That actually can go in the bag.

I am aware that I’m a tall woman, so there might be a few stares. Friends and family assure me that I’ll be fine as long as I stay aware and present. I sure hope so, because I never got around to doing self-defense courses. My bitchy-resting-face is on point, though.

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