Richmond. Am I dead man walking?

Hello, duders, this is my first real blog post apart from the very first one which I used to get the quest. This one is going to be serious because I have a couple of questions to ask.

Anyway, I got an opportunity for the W&T paid summer job abroad. I knew that it's gonna be a shitty job, probably underpaid, but this gives me a chance to live in another country for four or five month. In 14 weeks precisely I thought that I'm gonna be chilling out in San Francisco or having a mazel tov at Brighton Beach. The only thing people, who gave me the internship, had not said is that I'm gonna be working at MacDonald's, what is pretty fucked up already, and that I will have to move to Richmond. I'm ok with hamburgers, but the Richmond part freaks me out big time.

I've heard and read a lot of controversial thoughts on Richmond, VA and it is pretty fucked up place, flooded with crime and violence. I've never lived in a city like that, my home city in Ukraine is twice the size of Richmond and in population (500,000 ppl to 200,000 in Richmond), but it is a quiet place to live. Surely sometimes crime pops on TV, but nothing major.

I'm gonna be working at 18th Broad Street which is fairly close to Church Hill Dist. and Shockoe Bottom Dist. which are, from what I've read are not a great areas to hang out. My apartment will be at or near The Fan Dist.

I'm not physically intimidating, I mean I go to the gym three times a week, but I don't eat sport nutrition to get bigger so I look fairly normal. My question is following: is it as bad in Richmond as people say or these opinions are just non-sense? Should I buy myself a bulletproof vest or am I thinking about this stuff too much?

Hello, duders, this is my first real blog post apart from the very first one which I used to get the quest. This one is going to be serious because I have a couple of questions to ask.

Anyway, I got an opportunity for the W&T paid summer job abroad. I knew that it's gonna be a shitty job, probably underpaid, but this gives me a chance to live in another country for four or five month. In 14 weeks precisely I thought that I'm gonna be chilling out in San Francisco or having a mazel tov at Brighton Beach. The only thing people, who gave me the internship, had not said is that I'm gonna be working at MacDonald's, what is pretty fucked up already, and that I will have to move to Richmond. I'm ok with hamburgers, but the Richmond part freaks me out big time.

I've heard and read a lot of controversial thoughts on Richmond, VA and it is pretty fucked up place, flooded with crime and violence. I've never lived in a city like that, my home city in Ukraine is twice the size of Richmond and in population (500,000 ppl to 200,000 in Richmond), but it is a quiet place to live. Surely sometimes crime pops on TV, but nothing major.

I'm gonna be working at 18th Broad Street which is fairly close to Church Hill Dist. and Shockoe Bottom Dist. which are, from what I've read are not a great areas to hang out. My apartment will be at or near The Fan Dist.

I'm not physically intimidating, I mean I go to the gym three times a week, but I don't eat sport nutrition to get bigger so I look fairly normal. My question is following: is it as bad in Richmond as people say or these opinions are just non-sense? Should I buy myself a bulletproof vest or am I thinking about this stuff too much?

Dude it ain't that bad.

I live in Richmond. You'll be fine. Just use your head, and don't be walking around past 12 am.

Some parts of Church Hill are sketch, but that's about it.

Also, paid internship at McDonalds, what?

I don't know much about Richmond, but if you're worried, carry mace intended for use on a bear. Anyone messes with you, make em blind.

I was in Richmond a few months ago and the place looked like trash. I don't think you'll need to worry about getting a bulletproof vest or carrying a gun everywhere you go, but I wouldn't want to live there.

Dude, don't take any heed of crap you hear about crime in a city. Apparently I'm living in the 1920's version of Chicago here in Malmö, Sweden because some douche bags have killed each other lately. Yet not once have I been the victim of any crime greater than having the saddle cover on my bike stolen.

People have a tendency to blow crime statistics out their ass.

Just make sure to find the biggest baddest mofo on the block and knife him in the gut to assert your dominance right when you get there, and everyone will leave you be.

@Vodun said:

Dude, don't take any heed of crap you hear about crime in a city. Apparently I'm living in the 1920's version of Chicago here in Malmö, Sweden because some douche bags have killed each other lately. Yet not once have I been the victim of any crime greater than having the saddle cover on my bike stolen.

People have a tendency to blow crime statistics out their ass.

People have a tendency to blow crime statistics out of proportion almost everywhere.

Hello, duders, this is my first real blog post apart from the very first one which I used to get the quest. This one is going to be serious because I have a couple of questions to ask.

Anyway, I got an opportunity for the paid internship abroad. I knew that it's gonna be a shitty job, probably underpaid, but this gives me a chance to live in another country for four or five month. In 14 weeks precisely I thought that I'm gonna be chilling out in San Francisco or having a mazel tov at Brighton Beach. The only thing people, who gave me the internship, had not said is that I'm gonna be working at MacDonald's, what is pretty fucked up already, and that I will have to move to Richmond. I'm ok with hamburgers, but the Richmond part freaks me out big time.

I've heard and read a lot of controversial thoughts on Richmond, VA and it is pretty fucked up place, flooded with crime and violence. I've never lived in a city like that, my home city in Ukraine is twice the size of Richmond and in population (500,000 ppl to 200,000 in Richmond), but it is a quiet place to live. Surely sometimes crime pops on TV, but nothing major.

I'm gonna be working at 18th Broad Street which is fairly close to Church Hill Dist. and Shockoe Bottom Dist. which are, from what I've read are not a great areas to hang out. My apartment will be at or near The Fan Dist.

I'm not physically intimidating, I mean I go to the gym three times a week, but I don't eat sport nutrition to get bigger so I look fairly normal. My question is following: is it as bad in Richmond as people say or these opinions are just non-sense? Should I buy myself a bulletproof vest or am I thinking about this stuff too much?

@Brendan said:

@Vodun said:

Dude, don't take any heed of crap you hear about crime in a city. Apparently I'm living in the 1920's version of Chicago here in Malmö, Sweden because some douche bags have killed each other lately. Yet not once have I been the victim of any crime greater than having the saddle cover on my bike stolen.

People have a tendency to blow crime statistics out their ass.

People have a tendency to blow crime statistics out of proportion almost everywhere.

You're probably right. Glad to hear everything you've said. That really calms me down.

This is an awesome thread.  I really want to tell you that every American city is like this, and that not only should you buy a bulletproof vest, you should also carry a gun, and then a back-up gun just in case.
 
 
But really, just keep your door locked and don't go wandering around in the middle of the night. 
 
 
Edit:  My younger brother goes to VCU, and he has not yet gotten stabbed. 

You'll be fine.

I'm more concerned about the internship. You will be, um, working at McDonald's? That's not an internship, that's... shit for teenagers to do. Where and what is the internship for? And in a shady part of a city?

Please elaborate on these circumstances.

As for the city itself? Lock your doors, lock your car, don't walk around like an idiot at 2AM, and be a decent person. This is good advice anywhere you go.

You literally could not pay me enough to move to Virginia.

Yeah, I don't know if it's a language difference, but working at McDonald's is not really what anyone would term an 'internship'.  That's the part I'd be more upset about.

We don't go to Richmond

@SpaceRunaway:

It's called "Work & Travel" and basically it's a student exchange program, sorry for misleading you, guys. And it is language difference, it's called internship here and I see where you coming from by saying that internship is not a right word to define such... phenomenon.

@Brendan said:

@Vodun said:

Dude, don't take any heed of crap you hear about crime in a city. Apparently I'm living in the 1920's version of Chicago here in Malmö, Sweden because some douche bags have killed each other lately. Yet not once have I been the victim of any crime greater than having the saddle cover on my bike stolen.

People have a tendency to blow crime statistics out their ass.

People have a tendency to blow crime statistics out of proportion almost everywhere.

Unless you live in Steelport....

@mfpantst: Nothing, I can travel without restraints, I just have to attend my job, otherwise I will be deported back to the MOTHEЯ LЛND. People who left their job and broke the contract with CHI (Cultural Homestay International) told me that everything was fine, but I don't want to take my chances.

...you're interning at McDonalds?

What in the fuck.

@mfpantst: That sounds suspicious :D I'm 19 btw. and this is probably the most weird part about America - you can't drink a bottle of beer, but you can shoot guns and kill people in army.

But seeing some sights would be pretty cool.

@mfpantst: Thanks, duder, will remember that.

Richmond California is where you get murdered, not Richmond VA

JS.

@Sooty: They call it internship here, but it's a summer job, my mistake.

I'm just joking by the way but I couldn't resist poking fun a little.

You Ukrainian? Bring your AK, it'll be fine

@evilrazer said:

you can't drink a bottle of beer, but you can shoot guns and kill people in army.

Sounds about right

If you can survive working at a McDonalds for a summer, I'm pretty sure you can survive just about anywhere.

At first I thought you were talking about Richmond, CA. You'll be fine in Virginia.

@Loyal_Dragoon:

Haha, that is orobably the most challenging part about my trip.

The reviews make it sound like your in for a treat.

Come to Canada! It's nice here. At least in the east.

Just carry a sweet Katana around all the time and no one will mess with you. You may also want to learn Ninjitsu.

Richmond California is where you get murdered, not Richmond VA

At first I thought you were talking about Richmond, CA. You'll be fine in Virginia.

Last time I was in Richmond it was nice, clean, and the people were nice as they left me alone. Guess times have changed now.

Makes me glad to know that I don't live no where near Richmond.