In Reply to: Not a scamming family... posted by JoKetut on Friday, 21. October 2005 at 06:57 Bali Time:
I hope you're right, and i'm not suggesting THAT ALL Balinese are opportunists..
But some points ...heaps of money,.. well it depends on what standards,.. Balinese can have heaps of money by Balinese standards.."are very poor" now by what standards? do they look poor? do they say they're poor,.. by your standards are they poor...?
"These people had me in the home and took me to a ceremony in the big temple in their village in Singaraja"...
Just where do they live? and when you say they took you,....they drove you there? did you pay for the transport to take you all there? in that case you took them!
Now have you heard of people making an investment by offering hospitality in the hope of it being appreciated and some repayment gained at a later date?
You say they helped you with anything you needed and anywhere you wanted to go or get in Bali,.. did this include going with you at your expense,..did you pay for anything for including food and drink?..... did it include the purchase of items?
Now if the answer is yes,.. the possibility of what you purchased, the transport you used,... all in someway benefited your friend financially in some way.....commissions paid for the services you received or from the places of purchases,,,,or they may in someway be connected to your friend or family,.,.. and please don't tell me your friend actually bargained for you and got you discounts on anything!
Fact many do make friends in the specific aim to use that friendship to get offers of help..or to accompany you to places that they may get commission from
You also say your sponsoring him to come to Australia,... is that all at your expense?
I would say a little hospitality from your friend is paying very good dividends so far......
The true test comes if for some reason you stop sending money and just go to Bali and give him nothing just visit his house socially and see if the hospitality and friendships is that genuine it will stand regardless...
You can walk the streets of Kuta and a person strike up a conversation while walking with you, you can make a purchase at a shop while this person is standing with you or at the doorway,....this person you just met can then tell the shop keeper he advised you to visit his shop,.. he will return later for his commission on your purchase,... now that can happen...
Now the above's just some information and examples that may or mayn't apply ,........and doesn't mean your friend isn't genuine,.....but just think, and answer to yourself the questions i've poised about this friendship so far..
I wish you well.