Then there were the tales of “death by taxi,” whereby apparently anyone climbing into one wouldn’t be driven to their destination but to an ATM and would be ordered to empty their account under armed threat.

But adopting normal, sensible precautions proved to be sufficient to ensure we had a beautiful, welcoming, friendly, and very safe time.

You know, things like not wandering the streets drunk at night with your iPhone light on and waving bundles of cash around.

Climate You Don't Want to Change

We hit Colombia first. Bogotá (below), then the coffee plantations further south, before spending Christmas on the Caribbean coast – a stunning ecolodge on the beach, the same price as a Travelodge anywhere else in the Western world.

Some things were very easy to get used to in Colombia, like $2 beers, a climate tagged “eternal spring” (because of its near-equator locale), and reggaeton music bursting out of every doorway and on every bus.

Medellín, the murder capital of the world in the 1980s and 90s, was the biggest surprise. Suffering as it did under the reigns of terror inflicted by the drug traffickers, state-backed right-wing paramilitaries, and left-wing revolutionaries, its positive transformation is nothing short of staggering.

Fruits of Inclusion

Take Comuna 13 (pictured below), for instance – once the most dangerous neighborhood in the world’s most dangerous city.

Now it’s firmly on the tourist trail, drawing thousands of visitors every year with its legendary graffiti, street dance, lively bars, and breathtaking views across the Andean metropolis.

Money poured into the area in the form of transport links, in particular a cable car and escalator, which connected the previously forgotten people to the city below.

Now Comuna 13 needs tourist guides instead of guards, and they are all local; they have a stake in its future and a love for their reborn city. Theirs is a story of resilience and the fruits of inclusion.

Adapt or Fly

Soon after, we headed south to Peru to take in the majesty of Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and the capital, Lima, before a week on the shores of the Pacific in a Northern surf town. Suitably enough, everything was going, as we say in England, “swimmingly.”

After this detour, I was planning to book our bus back to Bogotá, through Ecuador, to catch our return flight home.

The bus route went through a place called Guayaquil. Unfortunately, that same day, armed drug gangs invaded a TV studio in Guayaquil, sparking an orgy of arson attacks, car bombings, shootings, and prison riots. Within hours, Ecuador’s president declared a state of “internal armed conflict.”

Ecuador was all of a sudden a “no-go zone.” But the cost of flying back from Northern Peru was north of $1,000 for us and our considerable backpacks.

There must be another way.

Problems Can Be Opportunities in Disguise

There was.

We could fly instead into the Amazon jungle for a fraction of the price and take a long boat trip downriver to where Peru, Brazil and Colombia meet.

From there, in Leticia, Colombia, a flight back to Bogotá was just $100. Problem solved. And the Amazon (below) was amazing, crazy and beautiful. We even walked into Brazil for lunch on our last day!

A problem had turned into an opportunity to experience the Amazon. As an old photographer friend of mine once said, “Life is about ways of seeing; a matter of perspective.”

What's Next?

No matter how well you plan, everything in life, in business, and at work is at the mercy of events. We’ve all seen those messages, “Due to unforeseen circumstances…”

What you can do is be adaptable, flexible, prepared, and ready to challenge your assumptions.

The world is ever changing and always will be. Here are some great Mind Tools resources to help you to navigate an uncertain future.

Find out how to futureproof your career in a constantly uncertain environment with our Book Insight, Work Disrupted: Opportunity, Resilience, and Growth in the Accelerated Future of Work.

The ability to change and adapt your behavior and ways of working can help you to deal with change more easily – and exploit the benefits it can offer. Find out how in our article Being Flexible and Adaptable.

And finally, in our article Developing Resilience, discover 10 key things you can do to develop your ability to bounce back when things don't go as planned.

Tip of the Week

How Can You Ask for Help?

By Matthew Hughes, Mind Tools Senior Editor

Resourcefulness and planning can see you navigate the Amazon in a tight spot. But sometimes you can’t do everything on your own.

I’ve recently stepped up to the role of Senior Editor here at Mind Tools, and the last few weeks have been, well, intense...

At some point, the work was piling up worryingly high. But prioritization, planning, and good old elbow grease weren’t going to cut it – I needed support.

Asking for help can make you feel inadequate or like a burden. But as we say in our article on the subject, “seeking support isn't a weakness. In fact, it's often the difference between failure and success.”

The key is to be confident (be clear in what you want and why), use the right channel (is face-to-face, email, or instant messaging better for the situation?), and show appreciation (a simple “thank you” can go a long way).

A good team will have each other's backs, so don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Flagging a problem early will catch it before it gets out of hand, which is better for everyone.

So help and be helped. That’s the difference between a burden and a good team member.

Pain Points Podcast

Don't miss the latest episode of our “Pain Points” podcast!

This week, Jonathan Hancock and guests discuss building trust at work – how can you do it, and what does it look like when you get it right?

Jonathan is joined by a special guest for this one, our in-house Agile Champion, Simon Deeley, who shares his unique take and insight on building trust.

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News Roundup

This Week's Global Workplace Insights

Are You Living in the Shadows?

Have you been encouraged to return to the office (RTO) or place of work but noticed that not everyone else is there?

Dubbed “shadow policies,” some managers have agreed (behind closed doors) to alternative working patterns for some employees – even if it clashes with official company policy. And it’s causing resentment.

Why is this happening? Managers want to keep good employees happy – if they demand an RTO, due to an arbitrary directive from above, their people might start to look elsewhere.

But the benefits need to be balanced against the risk of conflict. Employees who aren’t graced with an exception could become increasingly disgruntled.

For example, if you live closer to the office, you might be expected to show your face more than someone who lives a lot further away. Or perhaps your manager only comes to the office when it suits. These sorts of situations can seem deeply unfair to those who’ve returned, and undermine any of the benefits of bringing people together again.

How to Talk to the Powerful

Whether it’s a hiring manager or CEO, sometimes you have to talk to people in positions of authority. This can be a daunting prospect, but the following 6 steps can help you to sound confident in your encounter:

1. Do your research.
2. Show respect.
3. Get to the point.
4. Drive your point home.
5. Use strong words (“I know,” “I will,” etc.).
6. Look them in the eye.

These tips were shared in a recent piece by Judith Humphrey for Fast Company. By following this advice, Humphrey claims you will “convey that level of confidence—and demonstrate an approach that will work wonders for your career.”

For more tips on actually improving confidence (not just seeming confident), see our article How to Build Self-Confidence.

See you next week for more member-exclusive content and insight from the Mind Tools team!