Beach Boys In Zanzibar
Beach Boy Answer to Poverty
Beach Boys are a pain in the arse. They don’t want to work because they can get more money wearing flip-flops. smoking hash and hustling tourists, the smart young woman behind the reception desk of the hotel says. They aren’t selling anything-just want to hook you up with a taxi, hotel, or a tour and then they get a commission. Or the most frustrating thing-they come up to you with a “Good morning, how are you?” If they get eye contact and an answer they know they have have you. (You don’t want to be the stone-faced unkind westerner.) Then they introduce themselves to you and ask your name. Then they ask you where you come from. They will want to know where in the US you live. They will give you advice, give you directions, explain the history of the area and tell you how to keep yourself safe and all of this distracts you from what you are doing and keeps your attention on them.
It is also a misuse of the African custom of exchange by which a person, after giving you something (in this instance information) expects something back (in this instance money). So we have figured two answers to this problem. One goes like this: Bob hired a motor scooter from George who seemed to be pretty straight. So on the last day in Stonetown we paid him 3000 shillings, or about $3 to take us around to the optical shop, barber shops and to drive us to the ferry at noon. Not one tout bothered us as long as we were with George and George was very happy. So from now on I think we will try to find a guy we are comfortable with and just pay him to go around with us. The second answer is to be blind and mute-don’t give them eye contact and don’t answer them-which is hard for me because my nature is to connect with others.
Tags: African Continent, Culture, Tanzania, Travel Tips, Zanzibar
Zoe