Part 2 - Extortion
How are you supposed to live everyday surrounded by people pretending to be your friend but are instead trying to squeeze as much money out of you as they can? I've gotta say, I took it really hard when I found out just how much my neighbors have been attempting to get out of me. I know this happens all around the world, but at least most people simply extort you without pretending to be your friend. At this point, you are probably a little confused, so I'll back up.
In order for a community to receive a Peace Corps volunteer, they must be willing to pay for the volunteers housing. It can be the school paying for it, the community paying for it, or as in my case, a group of wealthier people in my community who realize why I'm in Africa and who are 100% convinced my presence is helping their children paying for it. So, once the paying party decides on a house, Peace Corps comes by and either approves or disapproves the house. In my case, it took three houses before Peace Corps said yes. It turns out they were saving the best for last. Well for the last people who lived here (who was here simply to learn their language) they charged 30 000 GNF per month, meaning the standard rate for a Guinean is probably 15 000 GNF. It is typical that prices are doubled for white people (here in PC we call it the special foté price). I wish I was joking, but I've had shopkeepers give the real price to the people both before and after me, but demand that I pay a higher and completely made up price!
So anyway, after my moving here, all of my neighbors had a meeting and it turns out they are charging 150 000 GNF (that's five times the last price if you aren't good at math) for me to live here because they think I have money and should therefore have to pay that absurd amount. The group that pays for me tried to get them to lower it by explaining that I'm here of my own free will, as a volunteer, and that they couldn't even hope to pay me back for what I'm doing here. Again, they refused saying that because I'm white and have a few nice things, I need to pay 150 000. So then the group proceeds to tell them that I'm not even the one paying for my housing! ...and the neighbors still refused to lower the price they were demanding. Now these people are stuck wasting 120 000 GNF a month just to keep me here. Their rational is that it's worth it just to keep me here. And maybe it is, but it's still not right! It's not even like I go around flaunting my wealth. The guy before me made the house as first worth as possible and even had electricity every day. Here I am, not only without electricity, but I'm wearing their clothes and taking every opportunity to help their children. All in all, the situation has left me really angry with my neighbors who continue to “be-friend” me, looking for new ways to get money off me. Thank goodness my school board believes in me, or I'd already be on a plane back home. They truly understand that life here isn't easy and that I can call Conakry any time I want and leave for good the following day.
I just can't wrap my head around the fact that my neighbors are robbing these people using my skin color to excuse extortion, and all from people they've known their whole lives.
Christine,
ReplyDeleteIn most parts of the world, people are accustomed to haggling over price and enjoy it! There is no intrinsic price on anything. The price is whatever the seller and buyer can eventually come to agree on together. Your neighbors are not robbing anyone. They have successfully negotiated a better price than before. In general that is how the world operates. You need to get into the negotiation mode and show some enthusiasm for it so that it becomes an enjoyable experience for both parties to the exchange. Humor definitely helps the negotiation. And it is not because your are white that you preceive that you are being taken advantage of. It is because you are not yet participating in their form of negotiation. This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn to haggle and enjoy it. It comes in very handy wherever you travel. I wish you success in learning to bargain!
Love,
- Joe
So many things this teaches. First, I hope you can see how greatly those who are being extorted for you value your service. Your work really is appreciated by those who want to better the Guinean society and they are willing to take a hit to have you.
ReplyDeleteIn America, the courts of common law (as opposed to criminal law) are supposed to operate so as to protect against the abuse of those having no power to bargain. Yet they have become here the very weapon of irresistible force we wield against one another.
If you look through history, I fear that Guinea is far from unique in regards to neighbors living in covert war. It is almost unheard of that fellow citizens trust one another for good reason. Because I was raised in one of those cultures of exception, where doors were not locked, the authority of any elder was never questioned, the breach of a handshake was never feared, I probably wasn't the best person to prepare you for life in the bush. But at least you have living in downtown Atlanta under your belt. I know you will learn to balance charity and circumspection better than me and use it to do greater things than I have been able to.