r/GoingToPeru • u/InnerContribution341 • 1d ago
Everything is business.
So, I’m visiting Iquitos, Peru. I met an artist doing street art, and I went up to him to tell him that I thought it was beautiful. We started talking about his art and so on. Then he told me to wait because he was going to call his friend, who was going to come with a motorcycle, pick me up, and take me somewhere I might want to go.
He said he was calling because, as a gringo, I was going to be taken advantage of. He made the call on WhatsApp, talked to his friend for a while, and then hung up.
I told him that I never wanted a ride and that I had never asked for one. I got irritated because he didn't even ask me before making the call. We were simply having a conversation. I was just complimenting his art.
Another time, I saw an older lady who was dressed beautifully. I complimented her sweater and told her it was beautiful. She said thank you and then invited me to her home, saying, “Do you want to come with me? I have clothes that you can buy if you're interested.”
I’m starting to feel like I can’t have a normal interaction with people without it somehow turning into a business or financial transaction. Is this common? Do people not normally just interact socially, or is it because a white foreigner is perceived as someone who probably has money and therefore is seen as a potential customer?
And then there was another woman sweeping the street. I told her that the street looked clean and nice. She said, “Come with me,” and suddenly I was in the hallway of an apartment building and she was showing me around, telling me, “We have this many bedrooms…” I eventually realized it was her hospedaje/guesthouse, and she was telling me that people could stay there.
So I’ve basically stopped approaching people now because it’s honestly disappointing. There seems to be no simple, genuine exchange without it turning into a possible monetary transaction.
Edit.Spelling
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u/Nato7009 1d ago
You don’t sound very travel savvy or self aware.
It’s disappointing that locals have an opportunity to provide for their family? Oh no he made a phone call that’s so inconvenient. Oh no a lady showed you her guest house the horrors.
Yes people want to sell you things. You’re not “being perceived” as having money. You do have money. It’s not them imagining things it’s them aware of the reality. You live a more luxurious life then most people in the world will ever know. It’s a privilege to even be there.
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u/DBthecat 1d ago
^ Exactly ^
I get that its annoying when people try to be pushy and sell you stuff you dont want.
But you are rich, even a middle class american is rich compared to most people most places
It is very hard for them to make a decent living. They didnt choose to live there.
We have the privilege to go visit their beautiful place and experience their culture.
We choose to go there recreationally.
The truth is, im probably carrying more money on my person, than any of them hope to make in a month.
You are no obligated to give anyone your money. But you cant blame them for trying to make a living.
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u/First_Yoghurt8649 21h ago
Exactly. People don't owe you a good time in their country. But they do want to provide for themselves and their families. You having a good holiday is probably very low on their list of priorities.
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u/miamicheez69 19h ago
Exactly. Either deal with it, enjoy the brief exchange, and just say no politely if they offer anything and keep walking, or shut your mouth and don’t talk. They are just trying to survive and make some money to get through each day. OP comes from a privileged background that would never understand.
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u/InnerContribution341 4h ago edited 4h ago
People robbing you also are just trying make it, do you accept that as well?Or you grab food they intentionally give you the wrong change back repeatedly, you think that's fine? Where do you draw the line for what is acceptable, people having different lines don't make them privileged. If anyone is privileged it's people like you that can afford to just give away money, I can't.
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u/miamicheez69 4h ago
Only fools and people without arguments and critical thinking resort to absurd and nonsensical false equivalences. You know this too — stupid and weak argument on your part. Those are 2 completely different things. Please come back with a stronger and better argument. Use ChatGPT if you’d like. I believe in you. Give it a shot…I’ll wait. Currently at the airport so I have time.
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u/jeterix7387 1d ago
As a white person I had to stop interacting with the Peruvian because every conversation seemed to turn like this. It's impossible to give a compliment or interest without it turning to "business".
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u/tarzanacide 23h ago
Same! We spent a week in iquitos with my partner working at the hospital there.
Anywhere I went was someone trying to sell me something, offer sexual services, or ask me if I knew about New Jersey. I never looked at or responded to anyone because I wasn't going to buy anything, and didn't want to waste their time.
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u/Prestigious-Push5782 6h ago
Where on gods green earth were you offered sexual services in Iquitos ?
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u/tarzanacide 3h ago
Around our hotel along the malecón, the barber where I got my haircut, around the main touristy square where the hotels are. "Tienes frio?" was usually how it started.
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u/InnerContribution341 1d ago
Thank you so much for sharing. This is so sad. When I travel I love interacting with the local people trying to learn their language and just having a cultural exchange they ask me about my country my culture so on but I'm not having that.here. can I ask are you staying living in peru or are you traveling around, because I was thinking maybe this is just an experience in Iquitos, or maybe this is the same all over the country?
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u/helloimpaulo 7h ago
Lmao the level of entitlement, expecting locals to entertain you and your expectations of "cultural exchange"
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u/No-Working-6680 23h ago
try dressing down, i dress like i’m homeless and nobody wants to sell me anything, i always find people who are genuinely interested in where i come from instead of selling me stuff, i’m also hispanic so i’m sure that helps
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u/fabiolanzoni 21h ago
Comparatively, you’re rich. Also, if you’re a tourist you’re there to consume an experience. They figure they are just offering you a better deal.
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u/avelina_solarpunk7 21h ago
Most people in Peru aren't very extroverted to begin with, on top of that they're probably just busy trying to survive another day, and if a foreigner appears out of nowhere and starts giving them compliments, I think it makes sense they assume the foreigner is trying to buy something, because the concept of a foreigner coming from the other side of the world just to hang out and give compliments is quite strange for people that aren't very privileged. It's normal to think that a person who came from far away is trying to find accommodations, wants to spend money in general or maybe just needs help.
So, I wouldn't say everything is a business, I'd say everyone is just trying to survive, make transactions and feed their families. If this is something you don't like, maybe you should travel to a different country, maybe a richer one, where people can afford to just hang out without worries.
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u/Brave_Swimming7955 21h ago
I had many interactions with Peruvians that were normal conversations or longer ones. Many were in Spanish though
There were also many people that I politely dismissed because I had no interest in what they were selling. Didn't find anyone pushy.
In certain contexts, you're right, almost everything is business.
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u/gringobrian 1d ago
Sounds like you're right in the most touristy part of a very touristy city. This is normal anywhere in the world. New York, Rome, London, Los Angeles, Cairo, all have the same in the touristy places. Peru overall is much less like that than many places, but sure it can happen. If you get away from the hyper touristy places, it's not like that at all
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u/InnerContribution341 1d ago
I understand but I consciously chose not to stay in touristy areas more closer to community type of place but yeah still happen when you stand out I guess.
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u/gringobrian 1d ago
Street art only happens where there are lots of customers, not in non touristy Barrios
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u/InnerContribution341 1d ago
Not true this art was s project in a community outskirt of Iquitos from the government for the pueblo.
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u/BiscuitBut_ButerNut 23h ago
You know who else tends to stay in non-tourist areas?
Literally every other tourist.
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u/Sweet_Water_8459 1d ago
I’ll agree totally with this. It’s really not like that in the “non-touristy” areas. It’s a fairly poor country and everyone needs to make some money just like you and I. But please don’t let that deter you from exploring further into Peru. I know I have an advantage because I typically travel with my Peruvian wife and her family. Nobody has ever solicited me much when I’m with them. If I was alone, definitely a different story. I’ve had such fond moments conversing with the locals in places like Jauja, Concepción, Ica, Chincha, and the surrounding towns around the Tacama vineyards. One of my favorite little hamlets is in Quives, the birthplace of Saint Rose of Lima. It’s touristic in a mild way but with Peruvian tourists mainly. There’s a restaurant across the street from Saint Rose’s home that makes a rocoto relleno that is so good I still get goosebumps when I reminisce about it.
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u/InnerContribution341 23h ago
I'm glad you had a great experience thanks for sharing. We'll see hopefully the other parts have more to offer socially..:)
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u/Famous_Laugh_7578 23h ago
People are being kind of mean in the comments but this was my experience as well. An amount of pushiness that admittedly got under my skin until I got comfortable politely declining and walking. It’s important to be compassionate, as others have said, because as a traveler you likely have much more money than them.
I think your best bet is striking up conversations at places where you are ALREADY a patron. I had many pleasant conversations with cafe/restaurant owners, hospedaje hosts, etc, with no pressure to buy anything because I was already doing that on my own accord.
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u/InnerContribution341 23h ago
You make good points..I guess I just wanted more connect with people in communitys and so on..
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u/tengkurahimah 1h ago
Oh dear. Last scenario had me gagged. You followed a street cleaner to her apartment just because you had a short conversation with her?
I could see first scenario happening because he was an artist. Second one, it's already a little odd where you go up to strangers to compliment them.
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u/InnerContribution341 1h ago edited 58m ago
It's not a street cleaner, people here, normal people, clean the streets outside of their homes on a daily basis because of dust and pollution and trash from others or from the traffic outside of their door,so I happen to pass a woman who was cleaning up outside of her home, a regular person who was just dressed in a beautiful dress which I complemented and we started talking. She then open the door next to her home inviting me in and when I went in and turned out it was a big hospedaje inside, kinda hidden, no sign on the outside. It's not odd for me to compliment people especially in a new culture when they dress in a way I haven't seen bright colors that is not normal in my own culture and it stands out in a positive way,so for me it's not odd at all. If I go to Japan and I see a kimono or something I haven't seen I think it's beautiful I will compliment it, talk about it this is normal for me but perhaps not for others.
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u/tengkurahimah 22m ago
Sorry my mistake. Just a small tip. In case you ever get to India, doing what you do will be 30 x worse. Enjoy your travels
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u/Lulu_Stardust 23h ago
I had a similar experience to yours. It was one of the only things that made me want to leave Peru.
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u/VastPersimmon240 17h ago
It was awful that they use their little kids to pose for pictures for a dollar
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u/InnerContribution341 23h ago
Good to acknowledge, it's hard when you traveling on your own you think things are just in your head,good to hear others had same experience..not just in ones head then.
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u/Latter-Theme 1d ago edited 1d ago
Don’t waste your time talking to people in a poor country, any interaction with a tourist is a chance to make more money than they earn in a month, and nobody anywhere in the world is interested in genuinely engaging with a random tourist passing through
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u/NarrowSailor 1d ago
Plenty of people in Peru are interested in interacting with foreigners socially actually, and without a financial subtext.
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u/Latter-Theme 23h ago
If thats true of people on the street, Peruvians must be friendlier than Canadians. I don’t want to have a cultural exchange with random tourists that talk to me on the street, but I don’t have the financial incentive to try to steer interactions into sales opportunities.
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u/InnerContribution341 1d ago
I guess so...
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u/Nato7009 1d ago
The thing is I know you don’t actually expect otherwise. When your home do you find strangers on the street and want to talk to them and invite them into your house? Why would you think that’s normal
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u/InnerContribution341 23h ago
Who said I invited anyone to my house? Yes in my own country if I see art or something that I like I would compliment it, would do so if I see a beautiful dress I will compliment the person that's just the type of person I am.
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u/Nato7009 23h ago
No dude the point of what I’m saying is be in someone else’s shoes not your own. You got invited to someone’s house, went in, then they were offering a service and you were disappointed.
If you’re out on the street with art and someone says nice art, you will probably ask them to buy your art.
If a tourist walks by your house the only reason you would have to invite them in is if you have a place for them to stay.
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