Had a bit of an unpleasant moment at the dump today. The oldest man in the family group that asked for some booze a few days back was unhappy with me taking photos of them today. I could not understand his Burmese but the gist of it was something like this "if you not give us any whiskey then don't take any photos. Luckily I brought the beer back that I could not hand out yesterday and produced it at that time. When the older man saw the beer which I gave to a younger man in the group (asked for 2 days earlier) his eyes lit up and his whole personality changed in a second. Suddenly photos were allowed, everything was cool and we were all friends. At that point he started placing his order for tomorrow, first a big bottle of beer, when I said no to that he asked for a caffeine drink that they have here, I told him I would bring it tomorrow. An hour or so later he asked for a beer also, then 2. I told him I would bring 1 beer the next day.
I am not sure this is the right thing to do, I do not want to load these guys up on booze, the 2 men in the group who request alcohal already have the watery eyes of alcoholics and I do not want to have things get out of control. Tomorrow is my last day at the dump so I thought one more beer would not hurt, I might also get him the caffeine drink, sort of a going away present. I have been taking loads of shots of this group so I feel I owe them. In a patriarch (male dominated) culture like the Burmese its very important to keep the older males in any family group happy. The ironic thing, and something I already knew from past experience is that women are generally much more concerned with the good of the family first over their selfish needs, while the oldest man was asking me for beer the mother in the group was showing me rice and asking for rice. I will also take them a care package of rice tomorrow.
Addictions are always a problem, people put their own selfish needs over the needs of their family, the 2 men should have asking for rice or other essentials just like the mother was.
I am not sure this is the right thing to do, I do not want to load these guys up on booze, the 2 men in the group who request alcohal already have the watery eyes of alcoholics and I do not want to have things get out of control. Tomorrow is my last day at the dump so I thought one more beer would not hurt, I might also get him the caffeine drink, sort of a going away present. I have been taking loads of shots of this group so I feel I owe them. In a patriarch (male dominated) culture like the Burmese its very important to keep the older males in any family group happy. The ironic thing, and something I already knew from past experience is that women are generally much more concerned with the good of the family first over their selfish needs, while the oldest man was asking me for beer the mother in the group was showing me rice and asking for rice. I will also take them a care package of rice tomorrow.
Addictions are always a problem, people put their own selfish needs over the needs of their family, the 2 men should have asking for rice or other essentials just like the mother was.
