Sharing the love in Bali

Give back in Bali, share the love

Now what do I possibly mean by share the love in Bali? No don't hook up with any of the local surfers or the good looking tourists. 
I'm talking about giving back in a small way, and showing the locals you do care.

When you walk down the street (especially in Kuta) you are bombarded by many people selling things like anklets. Some of the parents get their children to beg, assuming that the tourists will give in easier to the kids. Jake and I always thought it was a good idea to offer them a meal instead of buying off of them. 
On many separate occasions we would take the begging kids into the local Mini mart or special K, and tell them to choose a drink, snack, icy pole & whatever it was that they wanted. 
When you're first telling them that they can pick anything that they want they are a little confused and get shy. But after you purchase a little something for them, they run off down the street and show all of there friends and family with a big smile on there face. 

This isn't a huge deal, but something so small can mean so much to these people. They are so thankful when you do something like this, they honestly appreciate it so much. 

On another occasion, we were getting our henna done by a man we've been to before on the beach in Kuta. He was quite a nice man and would always give us reasonable prices. One night we even met his wife, and we had a lovely chat to the couple. 
Anyway on this one day at the beach when he was doing our henna, we were bombarded with about 6 locals trying to sell us stuff. From pants, drinks, anklets.. EVERYTHING. After telling them no for a long time this one lady did not stop. I said look, I will not buy off of you but if your hungry I will shout you and the rest of these guys lunch. 
She sort of didn't believe me and kept persisting me to buy... 
I asked what was there favourite pizza flavour and they all sort of laughed and told us BBQ chicken. I said okay I will be back with you BBQ chicken pizza. They all laughed and thought yeah right, you won't come back. Tourists often use excuses and always say they'll be back, but never are..

SO we went across to Pizza hut and what did we do, we brought a family size BBQ chicken pizza, for all of these locals to gather around and eat. 
When we delivered it to them, they were over the moon. They were so happy that we came back for something to eat for them.

You have to remember that Bali is a very poor country. An instead of giving people tips or buying off of them I always like to buy THEM something such as food. Its something so small but it makes them very happy. The meals that they eat are always so simple that when you offer them something different they love it. 
Here are some photos of the locals eating pizza on the beach, and a little girl I fell in love with on the street & offered to buy food. 

Share the love, give back. Even if its as small as spending $5, you will make a locals day.