In Reply to: Gift posted by Sandy on Wednesday, 9. March 2011 at 06:39 Bali Time:
Balinese love "Oleh Oleh's (gifts). It is part of their whole culture, if someone is gone from home for even a few days etc, as soon as they return everyone in the family will ask if they brought gifts. Gifts are given to the gods every day, it is a HUGE part of their world, do a little more research into the history of the GIFT in the Balinese culture and you will find that you are mistaken. We would never give money, that is not a GIFT, that is money, VERY different, a gift can be very small and cheap, its about the fact that you thought of them when you were gone. Take a group of Balinese on a holiday and forget happy snaps, they will buy small gifts for family and friends at every chance they get, they wont look at scenery, they will be straight in a shop buying tacky little things that break in 2 minutes but no-one cares because it is just that you bring home a gift.