Costly Situations

[Indrajala]

Americans, Canadians, and Western Europeans have more money than locals, so they should pay more. Speaking Tibetan does not bring the costs down. AFAIK.

Funny my Indian friend said the same thing, and his yearly income is probably 25x more than mine.

Exactly! It should be the higher the income the more a person can donate and national origin/citizenship has nothing to do with it. Even when I'm well-paid I don't earn more than the head of Tata Group.

Kirt

In South Asia the running assumption is that if you're white (or Japanese, or clearly from a western country), then you have money. It isn't fair, but it seems hard wired into many locals. It even dictates policy decisions (for example foreigners pay more to get into museums, but Afghanis for example are exempt from the foreigner fees and pay local fees).

Funny though most of my Indian friends make more money than I ever will and they also own property. I don't own anything and by standards back home I'd be classified as low-income.

I don't think in my lifetime India or Nepal will come to institute fixed prices for one and all.

[Jikan]

what's the South Asian attitude toward nonwhite Westerners vis a vis cash expectations? or mixed race people?

[PadmaVonSamba]

I was actually getting ahead of myself, i should just stick to my basic meditation practices and when it is reasonable to go on retreat etc then i will. I guess it was the fact of death coming at any moment that I wanted to rush things as fast as possible.

Once I was eating a sub sandwich with a friend, and i was trying to "mindfully" savor each bite. he was gulping his down. I said to him, "you should slow down and enjoy it. You never know when you might die." He replied, "Well then, that's why I am eating mine so fast. You never know...i might not get to the last bite!" He now works as a dangerous stuntman in Hollywood.

Any genuine teacher will meet one to one with you if they are able, give you their full attention, and give you advice or guidance or instructions or answers or blessings or whatever, free of charge.

[Indrajala]

what's the South Asian attitude toward nonwhite Westerners vis a vis cash expectations? or mixed race people?

If you're clearly not from around that area of the world, you're payday. Japanese get the same treatment, sometimes worse. Some touts will even learn fluent Japanese and befriend some nice backpacker, who hasn't spoken his or her native language in weeks (or months), and is pleased to meet a local with an interest in Japan.

"Oh, and so terrible... I can't afford my textbooks for school this term! They cost 5000 rupees!"

Naturally the kind backpacker wants to help out and thinks in Japanese yen ... well that's only 10,000 yen give or take, so sure lemme help you out...

If you ever go to India grow a beard and wear a kurta (long sleeved Indian shirt). At a distance you'll look at best Pashtun. If you're really skilled you'll pass as a Sikh (this requires use of proper headgear). In Delhi I was getting starred at all the time wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, but then I got a kurta and turned invisible. It was great. The locals didn't notice me anymore. It didn't work though in Bihar or Nepal so much because most Sikh men wouldn't be visiting Bodhgaya by themselves.

[TheWay]

what's the South Asian attitude toward nonwhite Westerners vis a vis cash expectations? or mixed race people?

If you're clearly not from around that area of the world, you're payday. Japanese get the same treatment, sometimes worse. Some touts will even learn fluent Japanese and befriend some nice backpacker, who hasn't spoken his or her native language in weeks (or months), and is pleased to meet a local with an interest in Japan.

"Oh, and so terrible... I can't afford my textbooks for school this term! They cost 5000 rupees!"

Naturally the kind backpacker wants to help out and thinks in Japanese yen ... well that's only 10,000 yen give or take, so sure lemme help you out...

If you ever go to India grow a beard and wear a kurta (long sleeved Indian shirt). At a distance you'll look at best Pashtun. If you're really skilled you'll pass as a Sikh (this requires use of proper headgear). In Delhi I was getting starred at all the time wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, but then I got a kurta and turned invisible. It was great. The locals didn't notice me anymore. It didn't work though in Bihar or Nepal so much because most Sikh men wouldn't be visiting Bodhgaya by themselves.

cool, hmm i have jatas so maybe i can slide through unnoticed.....except of course until i open my mouth

[Jikan]

he he he... I imagine you're fine passing as a Sikh or a Sufi, until a Sikh or a Sufi chats you up

[TheWay]

he he he... I imagine you're fine passing as a Sikh or a Sufi, until a Sikh or a Sufi chats you up

i guess i could say namaste over and over until they walk off

[kirtu]

"Oh, and so terrible... I can't afford my textbooks for school this term! They cost 5000 rupees!"

INR 5000 = $108 so people asking for so much money clearly don't understand the situations of the people they are hitting up.

Not everyone is Warren Buffett.

Kirt

[Indrajala]

"Oh, and so terrible... I can't afford my textbooks for school this term! They cost 5000 rupees!"

INR 5000 = $108 so people asking for so much money clearly don't understand the situations of the people they are hitting up.

Not everyone is Warren Buffett.

Kirt

But your new best friend needs textbooks for school!

You underestimate the blind kindness of people, even backpackers with limited budgets. They only need to succeed once in awhile to make the whole venture worthwhile, especially in India where $100 goes a long way.

[Malcolm]

what's the South Asian attitude toward nonwhite Westerners vis a vis cash expectations? or mixed race people?

Tibetans are often pretty racist when it comes to black people (i.e. those of African descent)

N

[TheWay]

what's the South Asian attitude toward nonwhite Westerners vis a vis cash expectations? or mixed race people?

Tibetans are often pretty racist when it comes to black people (i.e. those of African descent)

N

pretty much everybody is
i wonder why you would say that though when the question was about cash expectations
have you personally seen there racism towards blacks ?

[TheWay]

what's the South Asian attitude toward nonwhite Westerners vis a vis cash expectations? or mixed race people?

Tibetans are often pretty racist when it comes to black people (i.e. those of African descent)

N

Good another oppurtunity for love and compassion

[Malcolm]

have you personally seen there racism towards blacks ?

Yes, I have. I have also seen Tibetan racism towards white people as well, though it is less intense. I am not saying that it should daunt you, just that Tibetans, like other people, have flaws, and since Tibetans have very little experience with black people, to some extent black people are often suprised when they receive a cool reception or rude reception from Tibetans. Of course, not all Tibetans are racists. But many are.

[TheWay]

have you personally seen there racism towards blacks ?

Yes, I have. I have also seen Tibetan racism towards white people as well, though it is less intense. I am not saying that it should daunt you, just that Tibetans, like other people, have flaws, and since Tibetans have very little experience with black people, to some extent black people are often suprised when they receive a cool reception or rude reception from Tibetans. Of course, not all Tibetans are racists. But many are.

Ahh, yes i don't find it daunting but inspiring if anything,maybe i can change that view with my loving kindness and presence, though it is a bit odd since there isn't that much experience between them as you say.but this is the way of the world this namarupa was born into.

[PadmaVonSamba]

Tibetans are often pretty racist when it comes to black people (i.e. those of African descent)

There's nothing like a broad generalization about an entire group of people when discussing racism.

Just to balance things a bit, The lamas I know in The United States have students who are of African descent, people I also know, and they would not stick around these lamas if they sensed there was any sort of prejudice or bigotry. As far as cultural stereotypes, preconceived notions, fears or whatever, that is something we all have to work on.

When I used to tutor English to Chinese speakers, and we got to be close friends, I invited them to ask me "any questions at all"...things they would have been afraid to ask about before. There were always questions about black people in America. One guy from Mainland China had never seen a black person "in person" until coming to the United States. There was nothing hostile or insulting. Usually, there were questions regarding rumors they'd heard concerning male anatomy!! Mostly they wanted to understand the social problems, why so many black people were in poor urban areas and so on. So there was simply this genuine curiosity often coupled with a lot of false information. It made me realize how little we all really know about each other, and about how we can't afford to be afraid of asking questions, even if it means we accidentally say the wrong thing or whatever. Ignorance is what seems to fuel samsara, and racism is just another product of that ignorance.

[xylem]

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