posted
i think baksheesh should be given. i mean i understand how annoying it can be, but many of these people are poor, and it really makes a difference for them and their families.
Posts: 4446 | From: Egyptian in Sydney | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Dont know about egypt, but if its similar to jakarta( which i think it may be) the " tea money" or " baksheesh" is necessary. No one pays proper tax, so how do you survive if you are poor when the richest are the worst corrupt? This is no social welfare country, charity only. Tea money is necessary in : traffic infringements and parking cars ( or else you will have a severly scratched body work) some bank loan transactions, gaining business deals etc etc. But on an everyday level it is good to tip in poor country for services you receive, because it will never be much and this is how these people survive in a system where the people at the top are just as bad, much worse in fact. I remember being at soekarno hatta airport and the person was flatly telling me my visa was invalid, when it clearly was not. What to do? Explode like an ugly australian, or just wait it out and get the " fixing price " down as much as I can.If I explode for sure the guy will make me miss my plane out of spite, if I show him I have only 10 US dollars and he umms and ahhs and finally agrees to " overlook" my " non valid visa" and agrees to " accept a tip " for his " trouble and concern Bapak ( sort of like sir)" then everyone is ok! But its not ideal. Actually this would never happen anymore I think, that was in the wild east days!!! I do know that my sister in laws entire class was failing in economics( highschool) and if you fail one subject you must repeat the whole year, this is paying up front in US dollars. So the WHOLE CLASS just gave teacher a finacial incentive to pass them . THATS economics at work eh!!!
Posts: 872 | From: Sydney | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
it is a bad habit like driving selling ,we should get rid of all these behaves..and when i speak about that i remember an accident happend here in egypt before 3 yrs,when a rich man from Saudia Arabia or other gulf country (i dont remember ) gave a service man in a hotel a big tips or baksheesh for cleaning his room in a hotel..what happend next is that they found that rich man killed in his room and all his money taken..and after two weeks of searching and investigating they found that service man who took that big tips who did it ..;(
Posts: 54 | From: cairo | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm used to give bakshish too. In Cairo, it doesn't bother me at all. I know people are poor, and I don't mind. It's only a few pounds anyway. But in Luxor and Aswan, I really got mad at all these guys asking for it...In Cairo, I'm the one who gives; there, I was asked all the time, and in a very aggressive way. Everytime, I had to make a fight. And my mother told me a few days ago (my parents came to visit me when I was there, and I offered them a trip to Luxor and Aswan, they had always dreamed about it -they went there alone, since I was working), that once, she was in a felouka with my dad, and the tourist guy asked my mother to give money to the felouka guy. He asked her in a very rude way. My mother, who is someone very kind and shy, dared to refuse, because she was really shocked by the way the guy asked. The tourist guide threatened my parents, saying they had to give money, otherwise...My parents were scared. My mom gave a few pounds only, and the guide said, how come, you only gave this??? My parents escaped, saying they didn't have any more money, which was true. I can tell you this fact wasted the end of their trip, they have been really shocked (and my mom only told me about that story a few days ago, she didn't want to bother me with that). My parents have very few money, they were so happy to visit Egypt, and they kept a bad taste in their mouth you know. So, once again, let's make a difference between Cairo/Alex and these towns.
Posts: 531 | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
Where does this stupid word Baksheesh come from anyway.. It's not Arabic.. And don't tell me it comes from the verb "bakshasha".
Posts: 8756 | From: Tax-Free Zone | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't mind it at all....I think it's a quaint custom....but of course I've only visited and never lived there....I don't know how annoying (?) it can get?
Here in the States, I hate a stingy tipper. Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I always tip. I tip the cab driver, the nannies that clean my classroom, waiters, ......... The only time I dont tip is when they ask for a tip.
Posts: 516 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
When you tip in Egypt...if you take a dip you tip, if you want a nice trip you tip, if you want hot, quick shie you make nice with your part of the pie, when your bawab brings you the eggs you shake a leg, you tip for a this you tip for a that, a clean window a nice parking place...a waiter who bring a tissue for your face!
Posts: 395 | From: Whereever I go | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
i had good and bad experiences with baksheesh..At the pyramids, I had the worst time with a carraige driver 'baksheeshing' and hitting on me..I got out of the carraige and walked away...I had two little boys in Cairo yell cuss words at me and follow me down the street because they asked for money for no reason..I turned around finally and chased them yelling imshi until a couple egyptian women started hitting them and helped me send them away...When in Minya and Luxor, I gave baksheesh freely to many people as they were all so kind and needed it...Except for Valley of the Kings where boys incessantly hounded me for 'favors' and wanted baksheesh for simply being there...I tip well here in the U.S. for good service and followed that philosophy in Egypt...
-------------------- life life long, for it is short...pandora Posts: 98 | From: california | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's a good thread! I was just about to start one like this one! I'd like to know how much of it should be given for the different services that one will get? Posts: 78 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic