As soon as you steo into the bazaar area young Afghan boys will attempt you trying to sell Afghanis, Iraqi money, hand necklaces, you name it. "Mister, mister, please stop." They also say that the price they are giving you is a "special" price..."special price for you...please Mister stop", with very sad face, what else is there to do? but...keep walking. Sorry...we do stop at times, but there is only so much Afghani (local money) that one can buy.
Given that the money here has changed ever decade with each new government, Taliban money, Afghani, etc , etc. After a while, it is impossible to know how bad of a "special" price it is. Nevertheless, week after week we visit the Bazaar in search of something interesting. It is possible to find all kinds of things for dirt cheap, but the trick is knowing how to haggle down to a good price.
If you stop by a booth, you will buy something, yes yes you will. If you look too long you will buy something, if you talk it is a bought item in the making. The best thing to do is offer a very low price, "I will give you $5.00 for that rugs!", this is normally followed by a pause, "you can have that one for $10.00 it is a very special price, just for you, Mister" (it is a very small version of the rug or item that you initially wanted). I guess if you are going to take advantage of someone, going into it with "Mister", is an excellent start. However if you start to walk away without the rug, "the price is extremely special, lol!". This is how it goes in Kandahar, Afghanistan at the bazaar.
I think that Soldiers get as much fun out of it as the locals, haggling is a cultural thing here, some Americans are better at it then others.
3 comments:
Hello Robert!
Very interesting about money, the bazaar, and sad faces...very difficult to say :"no, thank you".
I'm sure it 's a game to give or to have a special price!
Maybe you'll find Alladin's lamp! Don't negociate, buy it and make wishes!
Bisous
Magali
Wow,
I would rack up. Bargain shopping at its finest!!! Keep posting the awesome pics. -Nina
Robert, do some of the women there dress head to toe in the black outfits with only eyes showing? If so, borrow a page from the book "Black Like Me": buy such an outfit, with traditional footwear, for your "girlfriend back home". Then, later wear it to the bazaar. Be very sure you're familiar with how an Afghan woman behaves in public - mannerisms, behaviors, responses, everything. Be sure a buddy is shadowing but not interacting with you.
Hey, you said you enjoy learning different cultures and perspectives!
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