Something a bit more serious...

Here in our chic dormitory, in the chic suburb on the chic beach promenade of Summerstrand, it is easy to forget which country you are in. It is partly very European here, the only thing that is different are the high fences and walls, the barbed wire, the secured entrance gates. In this environment, you could quickly forget your own caution if almost everyone you speak to doesn't advise you to be cautious. 'Be careful around here. It's not safe', is something that you feel like you hear from every second local. Whether it's a fellow student, an Uber driver, or a café waitress. We should avoid Central PE as much as possible, and only leave the protective walls when the Uber stops at our dormitory. Walk home alone from the university? Definitely not! That may seem exaggerated, because in the seven weeks that we have been here, nothing very bad has happened to anyone. Getting your phone stolen in front of a club - that has happened before. But no one has been robbed or injured. However, one should not completely rely on the deceptive sense of security. Because things happen. A few weeks ago, we suddenly learned about an incident, a girl was allegedly raped in her dormitory on campus. Then on Monday came the news, all classes are canceled for the day, there are protests on campus. Against gender-related violence. Against violence against women. Because it's not really something drastic here for the locals. A rape is not much more than a brief footnote in the newspaper, almost normal. During the protests, we as international students were repeatedly told to stay at home, not to get involved, it's too dangerous. Car tires were set on fire, students were arrested. Then the news came: the girl withdrew her complaint, the alleged rapist was her boyfriend. Rape in a relationship - of course possible. But no one can say what really happened anymore.

But the incident is a reason for unrest that continues on campus in the days and weeks that follow. On the way to one of my lecture halls, I discovered this: