Musket 33,
Dear boy....I have been taken in places all over the world....including Bangkok.....at least there you feel good about being taken unlike some other places.
The trick old chum is live in a neighborhood where there are plenty of guys with guns.....that all dress the same and use Kodiak....listen to Toby Keith and make animal sounds like "OOHRAH!", which they use as a universal greeting, sign of affirmation, endearment, and victory chant after whacking some bad guy in a most permanent way.
A lot of people in this world may not care for such company....but I find the rent much more agreeable in those neighborhoods. A case of beer or a bottle of Scotland's finest goes a long way towards improving the security aspect. Living out on the economy is not one of the choices.
Your current employer would have you doing your own shopping and living in the Osama bin Zarqawi housing estate maybe.....assuming that was the cheapest digs around....but maybe not these new outfits.