Most of the crime in Ilhéus and in Brazil in general doesn't make headlines because it isn't violent; the most common situation is a mugging involving a gun or a knife and nobody gets hurt if the victim easily surrenders the money, phone etc. These types of events are so commonplace here that they have risen to an odd level of acceptance and tolerance within the community. For example, most people I've talked to who have had their phones stolen told me that while they were being robbed they asked the thief if they could at least have their chip back (the card inside the phone with all of their contacts and information). Most of the time, the thieves are reasonable and give up the chips without a problem. What a deal.
The other common type of crime here is hijacking buses, particularly buses going to and from the university as people correctly assume that students are traveling loaded down with electronic gadgets. In this situation, two or three people with guns rush at a bus at an isolated stop and force all passengers to give up their money and valuables at gun point. This happened just last week on a city bus headed to UESC. One of my students was on it and lost his laptop and phone.
This is not to say that Bahians live in constant fear of being victims of crime. Instead, they dress down, don't carry anything valuable and travel in groups. For me, the violence and crime has added another factor of risk analysis to my daily life. Do I take money out of the ATM at school and carry it with me on the long commute home or do I walk the few blocks in the early evening to the ATM in my neighborhood? Do I hitch home not knowing the driver or do I wait at a bus stop alone in the dark for a bus that might be hijacked? Holland, Michigan, sometimes I miss you.
Greetings from Finland! Nice pictures from Cambodia, always wanted to visit Angkor Wat. Post more pictures from Brazil!