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Is this photo-op worth a dollar?
by Mike
We took a horse-drawn cart to tour old temples in the arid Bagan surrounds. The driver took us to a little village – smaller than a village, even, maybe just a collection of homes – where we finally found a bite of something to eat. Rice, veggies, an egg. Pretty much all you can expect there.
Anyway, without asking, this young lady started to take us on a tour of her village. She showed us the loom, their cotton products and so on. At the end of it she asked us for some money and we refused out of principle: she hadn’t asked us if we wanted a tour, she just started towing us around. In retrospect I can’t believe we didn’t just give her a dollar or something, it would have been a lot for her, but it goes to show how money can warp your mind in a place like this. I think we sometimes treat beggars like they’re pets to be trained, and we forget that – hey – how about sharing something we have enough of?
Yeah, so I nailed this picture. Won’t it be ironic when I profit off of it?
Tags: bagan, begging, loom, money, travel ethics, weaving
Posted in Myanmar and Photography and Retrospect and Southeast Asia and Travel
at 10:26 pm.
5 comments
Beautiful picture!
You raise a very important question here, Mike. I too have principles of my own while traveling, but I usually end up handing out small amounts of money from my meager pocket in similar situations during my travels. The great irony is that I’m a strong believer in that Chinese proverb.. “Give a man a fish; feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; feed him for a lifetime”.. but I often do not spend long enough time at my destinations to be able to do anything worthwhile for those people & communities. So I end up giving out a few dollars every now and then. While this probably spares me the kind of outright repent (right word?) you talk about in the story above, it never gives me the satisfaction of having done the right thing!
anyway, yours is a great blog. enjoyed reading :)
-Nick
Hey Mike,
I selected this picture from Gadling.com’s Flickr Pool for our Photo of the Day. Just thought I should let you know!
http://www.gadling.com/2010/05/04/photo-of-the-day-5-4-10/
Great job overall – your blog is great.
Nick – I’m with you. It’s impossible to develop a philosophy about giving to beggars (or those in need who don’t beg) that’s applicable in all situations, all over the world. So now my rules are to give money when I’m moved to do so, to not give when I don’t feel like it, and never give anything to children except food.
I have a friend who’s into microlending, and if you trust the organization then I think that’s a great way to go. It’s like “teaching someone to fish” except you’re buying them the fishing pole and they figure it out themselves, then pay you back in fish, or something like that.
The value, ultimately, in travel is making some connection, no matter how small, that emphasizes the similarities between the traveler and the local. It’s important for us, too, to feel like we’re humans, not wallets.
Stephen – Thanks for the pick!
Mike & Azure,
I have enjoyed traveling with you again this year, at least in spirit. I really enjoy the blog and your pictures are wonderful.
I am looking forward to next year’s travels where ever that is. .
Where to next year? Let’s go to Tuscany, I’ve never been there.but would love to see it through your eyes.
I am looking forward to seeing you in Alaska next month.
All the best,
Fred
I’ll see if we can get us to Tuscany, Fred. Thanks for the note.