Do your friends pay for your expenses when you tour them around the country?
By zorlone
@zorlone (411)
Philippines
January 30, 2009 12:13pm CST
When your friends from other countries visit you, do you let them pay for all the expenses (including your own) when you show them around your country?
Here in the Philippines, we are known as one of the countries who export manpower all over the world. When these tired workers come home for the holidays, they don't just take their relatives with them. Sometimes they bring their foreign friends was well, to show around the tourist attractions that our country can offer. With that, as a local, are you willing to be the tour guide of these people? if so, should they pay for your expenses or should you shoulder yours?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
4 Feb 09
It would depend on the circumstances of course. We do not have people from overseas coming to visit us but often we get visitors from other parts of Australia who want to see our part of the country. These visitors are often friends we have not seen for some years so they will be staying with us and yes, we do show them the highlights of the district where we live. As we live in a fairly sarsely populated area, it will also entail driving some distances to see someof the exciting places.
There have also been times when people that our children have met have come to our district to have a look around. Usually these visitors would be foreign/overseas backpackers who have a very limited budget. Four years ago 4 of them came to visit on their way through to another area, and when we had showed them around, they got out into our garden and weeded the vegetables. They refused to take any money for it because they said we had given them a free bed, good food and showed them things they would not otherwise have seen. My partner still exchanges emails with them now in fact. 
We would not think of charging them at all but perhaps it is a case that we are talking different things, including the different lifestyle standards. Often when we have visitors they will want to take us out to dinner or something like that as a 'thank you'. That is always nice of course. But we think that the more people who visit our district and see what is here, the more they will talk about it and encourage other people to come here too. So more tourists, more money coming into the district and the more jobs that will be available here in our town. 
We would not think of charging them at all but perhaps it is a case that we are talking different things, including the different lifestyle standards. Often when we have visitors they will want to take us out to dinner or something like that as a 'thank you'. That is always nice of course. But we think that the more people who visit our district and see what is here, the more they will talk about it and encourage other people to come here too. So more tourists, more money coming into the district and the more jobs that will be available here in our town. @zorlone (411)
• Philippines
4 Feb 09
Great example! Now i know what to do in case I visit your part of Australia! Will definitely give a try at weeding. Two birds with one stone! Learn about organic garden and a tour from you! ;)
Also, I could share my expertise as a physician! But, only if you want.
@oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
5 Feb 09
Yes it was a wonderful gesture. We never even thought about them doing the weeding because we simply could not afford to pay anyone as money was very tight at that time. Besides they were visitors and we had invited them to stay with us for a few days, thinking that we might be able to get them some casual work elsewhere with another farmer. In fact we did do that so when they left our place, they had work for about a month on a couple of different farms. They later told us that weeding and picking fruit "was a new and different experience".
I think that helping each other when and where we can makes for a much better world and also gives us a better understanding of other people. They could speak some English and in fact was the only common launguage between them but before they arrived at our place, they had already learnt some Assie slang plus a few swear words.
I think that helping each other when and where we can makes for a much better world and also gives us a better understanding of other people. They could speak some English and in fact was the only common launguage between them but before they arrived at our place, they had already learnt some Assie slang plus a few swear words. @oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
15 Feb 09
Thanks for giving me best response for your discussion. We had a very hectic few days on our farm as the heat was so bad that all the fruit was ripening much earlier than we expected. So it was all hands on deck to get as much off and into the cool rooms before we lost it. I even took a few days off work in fact and due to the heat we worked early morning and in the evening, with only a short time during the daylight hours.
@Jenaisle (14078)
• Philippines
30 Jan 09
They should pay for yours because you would be taking time off from work to tour them around. But if they're your relatives then, of course you don't have to charge them but being relatives, they'll include you in their budget. It's fun being a tourist guide even if you have been to places several times already. Good luck and happy mylotting.
@zorlone (411)
• Philippines
30 Jan 09
I agree with you 100% Been a tour guide for the longest time. I had to take a leave of absence from work or prioritize their trips. Plus they do earn more than I do when it comes to the exchange rate. Am as poor as a beggar. anyway, thanks for your time! Am enjoying this mylot. Thanks!
