Loading…
3
Rant: That cheap souvenir from my Bali trip is eating at me...
I was in Ubud last week and bought this carved wooden mask from a street vendor... it was beautiful and only cost a few dollars. The seller seemed nice, so I didn't think twice. But later, I read online that a lot of the wood for those carvings comes from protected forests, and the craftsmen might be paid almost nothing. Now the mask just hangs on my wall, and I keep staring at it... was my money helping someone or hurting the environment and people? I wanted a memory of the place, but this feels wrong. How do you make good choices when you're traveling and everything is so cheap? I wish I had asked more questions, but it's hard in the moment...
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
allen.kai7mo ago
Honestly, why beat yourself up over a few dollar souvenir? That money went directly to that vendor's family that day, which is way better than most big companies. If you start digging into where every single thing comes from, you'll never buy anything anywhere, even at home. The mask is a memory of a person and a place you liked, so just enjoy it. Next time you can look for a co-op or something, but don't let the internet ruin a simple good moment.
2
william8646mo ago
Used to overthink every purchase like that. Reading this actually makes me feel better about the little things I bought on my last trip. It was a real person right there.
7