I was talking to my young friend Sabrina this morning and she mentioned how bules need to be careful about being charged a higher price for items, even at seemingly trustworthy establishments. Her friend, she said, had been charged 100.000 Rupiah for an umbrella at the minimart which should have gone for about 27.000. He was also ripped off at a national name pharmacy, Kimia.
It's true, sadly enough, and happens regularly to tourists who are unfamiliar with the money or with what things ought to cost. It happens even to those of us who have been around for a while. Even when you've been here seven years, as I have, you have to remain aware and watchful. When I was at the gas station the other day, I gave the attendant Rupiah 100.000 for about 30.000 worth of gas. I was aware that he asked me whether I didn't have smaller money, but assumed, unwisely, that he was just trying to make his job easier or didn't want to give out his smaller bills. Obviously, I should have counted the money he returned as change, but I was kind of just on automatic pilot, pocketed the change, and went my way. Later on, I realized that the man had kept 50.000 for himself. Too late to go back, of course, because he would merely claim that I was mistaken. It is unfortunate to have to slow up the line while one counts his money, but there you have it. Take care, or take a loss.
I remember the pharmacist at one Kimia outlet giving this sort of thievery a shot perhaps a year ago, asking nearly double the correct price for a medication. I was aware of the proper price because I had often bought the same medication at another Kimia store. I pointed this out to him, but he stuck to his guns. "No, that the price here."
"You mean this Kimia has different prices the other Kimias?"
No comment. Blank stare.
"Right. Not likely, man. I'll just buy it at my regular store."
Balinese are generally very honest people. But in these sorts of 'transactions', I think the act is reasoned away as a sort of on-the-spot tax collection from a customer who is a foreigner and therefore surely wealthy. What is 100.000 Rupiah to him? After all, he has traveled around the world to play in my country, so … well, pay to play, right? He's already paying exorbitant prices at his hotel and his salon and his fancy restaurant, so what the hell. I may as well get a piece of the action, too.
The moral of the story: Bule beware!
It's true, sadly enough, and happens regularly to tourists who are unfamiliar with the money or with what things ought to cost. It happens even to those of us who have been around for a while. Even when you've been here seven years, as I have, you have to remain aware and watchful. When I was at the gas station the other day, I gave the attendant Rupiah 100.000 for about 30.000 worth of gas. I was aware that he asked me whether I didn't have smaller money, but assumed, unwisely, that he was just trying to make his job easier or didn't want to give out his smaller bills. Obviously, I should have counted the money he returned as change, but I was kind of just on automatic pilot, pocketed the change, and went my way. Later on, I realized that the man had kept 50.000 for himself. Too late to go back, of course, because he would merely claim that I was mistaken. It is unfortunate to have to slow up the line while one counts his money, but there you have it. Take care, or take a loss.
I remember the pharmacist at one Kimia outlet giving this sort of thievery a shot perhaps a year ago, asking nearly double the correct price for a medication. I was aware of the proper price because I had often bought the same medication at another Kimia store. I pointed this out to him, but he stuck to his guns. "No, that the price here."
"You mean this Kimia has different prices the other Kimias?"
No comment. Blank stare.
"Right. Not likely, man. I'll just buy it at my regular store."
Balinese are generally very honest people. But in these sorts of 'transactions', I think the act is reasoned away as a sort of on-the-spot tax collection from a customer who is a foreigner and therefore surely wealthy. What is 100.000 Rupiah to him? After all, he has traveled around the world to play in my country, so … well, pay to play, right? He's already paying exorbitant prices at his hotel and his salon and his fancy restaurant, so what the hell. I may as well get a piece of the action, too.
The moral of the story: Bule beware!
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