BootsnAll Travel Community

RE: http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/06-06/a-little-taste-...acapulco-mexico.html

Anna, the "taste" you had of the rich expatriates' lifestyle certainly sounded like a gourmet taste. But - just as with foie gras - a look behind the scenes, such as you expressed, can make "the finest delicacy" lose its savor.

I'm planning to retire to a sunny South American country in a few years myself. Right now, my different drum has a samba beat - but that's NOT because I could afford to be "Senhor R. B. Gotbucks" ("R.B." standing for "rich bastard") in Brazil's economy. It's because I'm charmed by Brazil, its music, its joie de vivre, and its people.

I sincerely hope I won't be the kind of snooty upper-clawss expat on which you've expatiated.

I enjoyed reading your article and recognise the scene my impression is that most very well off people are equally disgraceful in their behaviour. I live in Maun Botswana and I am originally from the uk. The ex-pat scene there is very much the same a very insular incestuous bunch of people. They have their own places to hang out charging more for beers to discourage locals from going. I do not like hanging out at these places as I don't want to get sucked in.I think people who don't integrate as ex-patriots are amoungst the worst people walking the earth. Please all try not to become one of them.

I really enjoyed reading your article. It was a great "slice-of-life" read, honest and very well-written. I think it's important for all of us to remember how easy it is to feel arrogance by falling into the trap of thinking in stereotypes.

Frankly, I was offended and embarrassed by the tone of your travel article. It seems hypocritical to enjoy the highlife of the 'expat wealthy' while finding fault with their hospitality. Your friend, Dave, got drunk to the point of disgusting and yet you continued taking advantage of your host. What's up with THAT?

You admit that you don't have the courage to discuss your objections with the others, yet you judge them mercilessly. You suggest that they MIGHT be charitable in their giving, but imply that they probably are not.

I think that you pretend to LOVE the different cultures, but if you can't see beyond your own prejudices you probably won't learn much in your travels.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but your facile judgements have offended me.

MOOSITA it seems you are very easily offended.

Thank you so much for this story. It is a rare glimpse into a lifestyle that many of us will never see. For people that have it, money seems so important for such opposite reasons that it is important for people that are poor, and people that are beyond poor to being excited by bananas. You were thankful to have the bananas to take with you, and then thankful to have the bananas to give to someone who needed them even more. Everyone should at some point understand that feeling of needing something and having someone give it to you because you need it more. What have those people ever needed that could give them that feeling. When one has the ability to pay for anything one needs, and worse, haggle for a ride off of a yacht while smoking a cigar and holding a drink, a little bit of one's soul is lost in the argument.

quote:

Originally posted by matengu:
MOOSITA it seems you are very easily offended.

I am new here... don't know if you will get this post.. but I'll try. I am not objecting to her opinion.. it might be apt... but to her hypocrisy. Do you understand that? She enjoyed the exposure to wealth. Why? She made judgements without testing her opinions on those TERRIBLE ex pats.. why? I suspect that she is feeling very morally superior and the ending is stupendous... she actually SHARED her bananas.. wow. What a sacrifice.

I'd like to discuss this with you.