• Home
  • App Features
  • Traveler Resources
  • MedVenturists
  • Blog
  • Advertise with Us
  • FAQ/ Contact Us
MEDVENTURE
  • Home
  • App Features
  • Traveler Resources
  • MedVenturists
  • Blog
  • Advertise with Us
  • FAQ/ Contact Us

Traveler Blog

Experiencing a Car Break-In as a Traveler

10/27/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

After a busy day of working as a travel physical therapist, I returned by foot to my parked car in the Bay Area. As I started to approach, I noticed some glass on the floor, so imagine my shock as I got closer and saw the window smashed in. Sadly, working as a travel physical therapist in this area, I know that these incidents happen all too frequently. In fact, The San Francisco Chronicle reported an increase of a whopping 753% for car break-ins within the Central District from May 2020 to May 2021.
As well as the frustration of a damaged car, when I started to look around, I realized how many of my valuables had been stolen. I had my personal laptop, phone, passport, social security card, vaccination card, home health bag, and even my Brazilian jiu-jitsu gi taken from my car. As you probably know, this area is close to Silicon Valley, meaning the thieves use advanced technology to assist with their break-ins. Keep reading as I share my top tips for avoiding this type of incident when working as a travel healthcare worker.
Preventing a Car Break-In
There are many ways in which you can prevent a car break-in, and as a traveling healthcare worker, you may find that you are more of a target to thieves in the area. A huge issue in the Bay Area is that of drive-by break-ins. It takes just seconds for them to smash your window and take anything out of your car. Follow these tips to avoid experiencing the same situation that I did:
  • Don’t leave valuables in the car – Take any electronics or cash with you to your job, and leave anything else safely hidden from view in your trunk. Avoid opening your trunk in public so that no one can see what you have inside of it. Sadly, thieves in the local area use electronic devices to determine if there are electronics in the car, making it harder to prevent these issues from occurring. This is why electronics should never be left in your trunk and should always be taken with you once parked.
  • Check your doors and windows before heading to a job – Always double-check your doors and windows are closed and locked before heading to a job. Some people walk around to check for open car doors, which are an easy target for break-ins. Some drivers opt to leave their doors open to prevent their windows from being smashed. However, this can be a risky move if you have anything of value that could be taken from the car.
  • An out-of-state license plate makes you a target – As a traveling physical therapist, I realized that my out-of-state license plate would make me a target. Be careful about where you are parking when visiting another state, as tourists are often the most common victims of car break-ins. Rental cars are another common target, and paired with the out-of-state license, your chance of a break-in increases significantly.​
What To Do If Sensitive Information is Stolen After a Car Break-In
One of the biggest concerns for me was that my sensitive information could be stolen after the break-in. Fortunately, my friend worked in cyber security for the FBI and shared some top tips with me. The first step you need to take is to contact your credit card company, banks and block your credit or debit cards. If someone did take your cards, then they won’t be able to use your card. You will also want to consider a credit freeze. This can stop someone from opening a new account in your name, preventing fraud to some extent. I also recommend paying for a service called LifeLock that can track your identity online and credit inquires online. It is an online security monitoring service that provides insurance if any money is lost due to someone using your identity. 

If you lost an electronic device during the break-in, when you are able to get online, log out of all of your social media accounts and email accounts. Change all of your passwords with a password app like Dashlane or keep them written down on paper in a secret location. As for the password you select, I recommend mixing things up with a 16 digit password containing lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, and symbols. At this time, you’ll also want to contact your insurance provider or pay for a service that can assist with tracking your stolen items.

After dealing with the electronics, contact department of the state to notify if passport stolen and apply for a new passport. Of course, all of these tips will depend on your personal situation and what was lost in the break-in, but it’s always better to act with caution during a situation like this. Ultimately, if you only lost material items in the break-in, try to count your blessings. 

While I lost a good number of possessions during my incident, I am healthy and live to tell another day. I decided to share my story because if it helps to prevent just one break-in within the local area, it was well worth it. By following these top tips shared above, you can help to prevent a break-in from occurring while working on the road this year. Safe travels!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yonas Tekeste is a travel physical therapist originally from Chicago, Illinois. He graduated with his DPT degree in May of 2018. He is currently working a home health contract in San Francisco, CA. In his free time, he likes to listen to podcasts, exercise, and hike. The best way to contact Yonas is through Facebook or email at yonastekeste24@gmail.com. A resource I wish would have been available to me beginning as a therapist is “Rate My Therapy Company” Facebook group. This community was created to make it easier for therapists to learn about companies before applying. This group allows therapists to rate companies and provide valuable information on factors such as pay, productivity, and company culture. 

Picture
0 Comments

Maintaining Relationships While on Assignment

10/20/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
“What’s your dating life like?” “Don’t you miss your family?” “Is it hard being so far from everyone?” Questions we’re all too familiar with answering and concepts that can be difficult for people to understand when they don’t live it. The simple answer, “we make it work.” Let’’ be honest though, there’s really a lot more to it. Some of the biggest hesitations described to me when I recommend someone look into travel nursing are these concerns. Truthfully, it can be difficult at times. My advice - don’t let hurdles stop you from pursuing something you want, especially if that’s happiness or self-fulfillment.

When my journey began into travel nursing I frankly had no idea what I was getting into. I had never met another traveler or had any insight into the community; I simply took a leap into something in search of escaping the burnout feeling I had as a staff nurse. I was engaged at the time when I decided to solo travel and leave our home in Charlotte, NC to head up to Boston, MA. It was a very hard decision to leave behind my relationship and my beloved pets. Ultimately, it fell apart. One take away I am grateful for though was learning from my mistakes and reflecting on things like “what could I have done differently?”

  • Be careful of becoming too involved in adventuring at your new assignment and not giving attention to those you’ve left at home. It’s important to balance the two in order to make both aspects of your life successful.
  • Communication and trust are key. Distance relationships are not going to be for every type of couple, but make sure you have a good foundation and equal support before choosing to commit to traveling.
  • Make the time. Remember that all types of relationships require effort and you get out what you put into it. So prioritize that family member, friend or partner by staying in some type of communication with them.

On the other hand, travel nursing actually brought me closer to a lot of my family and friends be it through sharing my experiences or during phone call marathons on those multi-day drives. You do have to get creative sometimes though to maintain those relationships while apart, whether it is with family, friends or partners. Here are some tips for strengthening your relationships while apart!

  • Schedule time-off into your contract before you start (and get it in writing!) Use this time to visit family/friends at home or plan a visit for them to come explore your new assignment location with you. It’s a blast showing off all your new favorite spots.
  • Weekly calls or video chats – this one can be tough to make time for believe or not, but try and make it a priority even if its just a quick 5 minute check-in.
  • Social media – share your adventures on your social media if that’s your style. It’s kept me close with a lot of people by talking about regional foods I’ve tried or hiking trails I’ve explored. A bonus – helps you connect with other travelers and get great recommendations!
  • Virtual experiences – try playing app games like “words with friends”/”trivia crack”, doing virtual dinner dates where you both cook the same thing, or join a streaming service like Hulu for a watch party to keep up with your favorite shows and movies.
  • Care packages – not just for special occasions! Send trinkets special to your current location to share with them or receive comforting treats for spots back at home

Networking within your new city is hugely valuable for sure, but sometimes assignments can get lonely. So there are moments where it’s really comforting to have those people you can reach out to for support. Like calling your mom from the side of the road when you blow a tire in the middle of a Colorado snowstorm, ha! So stay connected and remember they miss you too while you’re away!

Written by Deanna Lamberson- Traveler alum, OR Nurse, and MedVenturist




Picture
0 Comments

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
MedVenture for Travelers LLC | Cookie Policy | ​Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions  | Disclaimer 
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • App Features
  • Traveler Resources
  • MedVenturists
  • Blog
  • Advertise with Us
  • FAQ/ Contact Us