Comments on: Beggars on a Train

By: beggars would ride

beggars would ride — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 22:14:01 +0000

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By: GotPassport

GotPassport — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:14:23 +0000

I have seen poverty in my days through travels as well as through my work. India I think has been the worst and the most painful to my heatt. We were told by the Burmese monks that accompanied us to NOT give-one Burmese monk has lived there for over 50 yrs. As heart breaking as it was for us, me and my mother, we had to turn the other way as well.

By: Trisha Miller

Trisha Miller — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:51:00 +0000

Wow – a really heartbreaking story. But I agree with everyone – you did the right thing. Often the people who are doing the actual begging are simply being exploited by someone else, who is reaping the rewards and is likely in perfect health and capable of working. The money you give to the beggar only lines someone else’s pockets. But that doesn’t make it any easier to say “no”, it still breaks your heart.
.-= Trisha Miller´s last blog ..Suzy: Week 20 Goals-Affiliate Advertising Reports =-.

By: brian

brian — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:08:35 +0000

Same thing in Cambodia. There you have many people who have been maimed by the land mines or kids with no shirts on.

We fed one kid who came to our table at a restaurant and begged for food. We could not turn him away.

Heartbreaking but you can’t give all your money.
.-= brian´s last blog ..Guest Post – I Love Japan but it is Time to Go =-.

By: Gourmantic

Gourmantic — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:12:25 +0000

Very difficult situation to be in when we're not used to see it in our own countries. I would have done the same as you, and probably felt the same way afterwards. It's part of our humanity, I feel. .-= Gourmantic´s last blog ..Milestones and Celebrations: Indulgent Afternoon Tea at Burj Al Arab =-.

By: davendeb

davendeb — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:05:40 +0000

@happytimeblog thank you for the comment. It was difficult for me. I tend to feel a little too much and it stays with me for a long time. You are right, I wish that there was a real solution. What can we do for a country with a billion people and a large percentage of it is living in poverty. You want to help but you just can’t help everyone.
It is strange too, whenever I have given something (only to handicapped people-I feel that they have very little hope), I feel even more empty, like I have just contributed to the problem and didn’t really help them at all.
It is a problem that every traveler faces.

By: davendeb

davendeb — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:01:27 +0000

Hi Candice. The 2 and 3 AC sleeper trains are quite nice, but really tran travel is not my favorite here in India. It is always stressful. The platforms are crowded, booking can be frustrating and if you happen to end up in non ac sleeper, it can be difficult. We spoke to one couple that completely missed their train. They were standing on the platform and when the train came the crowd pushed ahead. They couldn’t get on and the train left without them… They were happy to see that at least their entire party of 4 didn’t make it on. It would have been a nightmare is one or two got on and the others didn’t.
Dave and I have made a contingency plan just for that scenario. Sometimes the crowds are so big that one gets swept ahead. You just don’t know if the other made it on or not. However, it is not such a circus in the AC classes, less people.

By: davendeb

davendeb — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:53:01 +0000

Hi Flip, thanks for the comment. So true. sometimes it is just really hard to say no when you see people suffering. We are all only human and want to help.

By: flip

flip — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:54:55 +0000

i think you just did the right thing…

i never give out money to any beggars i see, but sometimes if i have food and water, i give it to them… im not sure if its wrong or right but sometimes it’s just hard to say no…

sigh!

flip is dreaming for a better world for all of us
.-= flip´s last blog ..Ten Travel Facts about Flip =-.

By: Candice

Candice — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:28:46 +0000

I find it nearly impossible to say "no", but you're right, you have to refuse. Also, those trains sound like a semi-nightmarish experiene. .-= Candice´s last blog ..Doing Canada: Where I’m Going and Where I’ve Been =-.

By: Happytimeblog

Happytimeblog — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:27:57 +0000

Sometimes in situations like that the hardest thing is saying no, but where does it end… I think that is a real dilemma that any traveller to India will experience at some point and probably on multiple occasions… You captured the moment beautifully!
It’s just a shame that there’s no real solution…
.-= Happytimeblog´s last blog ..January 2010 desktop wallpaper download… =-.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:56:56 +0000

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