In Reply to: Left Hand posted by Kermy on Wednesday, 12. July 2006 at 09:58 Bali Time:
As a leftie myself, before I go to Bali, for a good couple of weeks I make a point of trying to do things right-handed. I find holding my purse in my left hand ensures I hand over money only with my right. Eating with my right hand I find is an excellent diet tip - you don't get a chance to scoff too much before your tum tells your brain you have eaten enough! Strangely enough, I find once I get back to NZ it takes a while to realise I am still handling food and money with my right hand.
Some of the other cultural things are easier to adapt to as in NZ our Maori/Pacific Island culture also has taboos against things like sitting on pillows, touching heads (seems to be okay with children though), stepping over seated people - and we also try to scrunch down smaller when passing those seated already.
As in the Balinese culture there is the emphasis on the head being the holiest part of the body (you don't put your bottom where your head might lie, or on surfaces where food is prepared or served), the feet (which tread on soil) the least sacred part of the body. This helps me to remember not to point at goods with my feet or sit with the soles of my feet pointing at people. (I haven't worked out how lying for a massage with my feet on full 'display' to passers-by works with that, though).
One thing that it took us a little time to adjust to in Bali is silence as an expression of disagreement or avoidance of conflict. I remember reading that displays of anger and aggressive body language, such as standing hands on hips or pointing to emphasise speech, are interpreted as a lack of self control of the person carrying on; a weakness of character. And I think there is something in that too - when I see a fellow tourist ranting at a local or acting with aggressive body language I confess they do look a little foolish and 'out of control' It also means that if a Balinese goes silent on me I rethink what I have said or done that may have caused offence or is at odds with what they wanted to happen.