Not a Game

Jan 16, 2018

Today we visited Green Market, a large outdoor market where hundreds of tented booths sell handmade goods to the rush of tourists that pass each day. We were reminded before being set loose into the market frenzy to negotiate prices with the locals. However one of the South African students brought up the point that “it is not a game.” Many of the sellers and craft-makers support their families off of the money they make at the market. That little reminder brought things into perspective for me. Despite being prepared to barter for the absolute lowest price possible, my mindset changed when I heard that. Instead of intending to find “a steal” I decided to go in with a mindset that I will find a price that both myself and the vendor deems acceptable. Although my change in perspective was small, it was a good reminder that life doesn’t always have to be a me vs. world scenario, but rather there are happy mediums where people can work in harmony.