In Reply to: Beach Bums. posted by tingtang on Friday, 20. March 2009 at 03:50 Bali Time:
Have to agree with filo here when you are travelling to bali you must get to know a little about the place you are visiting before you go.Firstly these people are trying to survive the only way they know, yes they are persistant, yes they can be annoying ,yes they sometimes dont give up but why??To keep their families alive to feed,school them,to try and better their lives.They arnt out to buy the luxurys we go out and buy everyday they dont have help from their government free medical free schooling etc. what they earn is what gets them by everyday.Some are disrespectful why? have you seen the way some tourists react to them and treat them?In aus if we tryed to talk to someone everyday and they ignored us or swore at us or acted like we didnt exist how would we feel?Try to put yourself in their lifes for a day the hot beach,the hungry state they feel,the depression of not knowing when or how you will make enough money to feed your children and then you can be more compassionate to the way they try and sell you things(look not trying to say they all the same but majority are).Some good advise was learn a little bahasa indonesian,or say hello no thankyou or have a chat and learn about their lives but never ignore,abuse,or take them for granted they arnt begging out there they are genuinely trying to sell things thats called working! a lot more effort than some aussies in australia do for free money.I dont know what Id do if my child was sick or hungry or uneducated maybe I would be out there asking you to buy too!This is bali you must get to know it and understand it before casting judgement thats all I ask?