One of the first things I wrote down in my notes during the pre-departure orientation for my study abroad program in Mexico: “Bring long skirts and dresses and pants.” This note came as our advisor reminded us about the Machismo that has a strong presence in Mexico and that catcalling is very common. Happy to take all the advice I could get, I adjusted my suitcase accordingly, only bringing some longer shorts and skirts while focusing on bringing lots of pants. However, the differences between walking down the street in Chicago and walking down the street in Mexico City seemed very small. I never experienced anyone catcalling me or being aggressive. In addition, people in my group had only experienced that once walking back to the hotel from a restaurant around 11 pm, late at night. While this doesn’t speak for everyone in Mexico City who gets catcalled, it made me realize that I readily believed in any cultural differences about Mexico when they implied that Mexico was much more dangerous than Chicago or anywhere in the United States. Yes, real dangers in Mexico City exist, and all travelers should be aware of them. However, navigating these dangers is very similar to navigating the risks any large city holds. For example, making sure to walk in a group, not walking at night, and not being distracted by your phone are all pieces of advice I follow when I’m in Chicago, and they were all recommendations to help stay safe in Mexico City. Living in Mexico City for six weeks was life-changing and allowed me to experience a culture very different from where I grew up. Nonetheless, the differences I experienced did not stem from a constant fear of strangers I passed when walking throughout the city.