Even though I was fully aware of the high risk of theft and remained extremely cautious while outside, I let my guard down as soon as I returned to the hotel. After chatting with someone, I absentmindedly held my phone in my hand and sat near the entrance. Suddenly, a blur rushed past me, snatching my phone before speeding away on a motorcycle.
Within moments, a group of police officers arrived—but instead of pursuing the thief, they casually announced there was nothing they could do and proceeded to have lunch right at the hotel entrance.
It took an agonizing six hours to finally complete the police report, which involved filling out between 10 to 20 forms—not once, but 10 to 20 times! On top of that, I had to write seven or eight short essays detailing the incident. To make matters worse, you needed a local ID to successfully file the report. As of now, over 45,000 similar cases have been reported in 2024 alone.
When the police finally showed up, they repeatedly apologized through Google Translate, explaining that these criminals were tarnishing the reputation of their country. Yet, beyond offering apologies, they admitted there was little they could do. For the first time, I truly understood the existence of the underworld—and this realization hit home when my colleague was severely injured trying to chase after the thief.
In that moment, if I’d had the chance, I might have considered responding to violence with violence. But my colleagues simply advised me to take it all in stride. Getting angry about such occurrences here is just a waste of energy.
Yes, all I could do was console myself by thinking that this experience added depth to my life. Despite everything, this is still a beautiful city, and I need to focus on appreciating its positive aspects, including experiencing our own products properly. Life is full of surprises—both pleasant and unpleasant—and learning to accept them gracefully is part of the journey.
