Stuck In Montevideo!

[cwo4uscgret]

I'm sorry if I don't share any empathy for the original poster. I grew up not knowing just how close to poor my family was; both my mother and father did a hell of a job hiding the "payday to payday" existence while working hard and instilling good moral values in my 2 brothers and I.

I remember what it was like myself, early in my military career that abetted by my alcoholism, the coffers were very empty and sometimes it required a loan, until payday, from a parent, to buy (at times) diapers and baby formula. But I worked hard, got promoted, sobered up, and while not getting rich in retirement, my wife and I can afford to live comfortably within our means.

So playing violin in the Subte for two years - well I guess that's better then listening to a seemingly healthy mother with child reciting what seems to be a prepared speech, begging for money. Looking closely at the child(ren) and mother, they were clean and well groomed, and certainly didn't look the part of being destitute.

I just think something about the tenor of the OP's post is lacking any genuine need. I have a gut feeling that he is a professional "beggar" (no offense to the really destitute that do it to survive) and relishes suckling off the teats of other people who work for what they have.

I would like to share a story about "Gerald the Wharf Rat" a fairly well educated white adult male (clean, well groomed, dressed in the fashion of the day) who's daily "job" was to "Spare Change" the tourists At Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA during the early 1970s. I knew him, and passed a pipe on more then one or two times with him...when I asked him why he didn't have a "straight job" he chuckled and said he averaged $400 - $500 a week so why work a real job! That's around $23K net a year, 41 years ago...

 

[Girino]

I just think something about the tenor of the OP's post is lacking any genuine need. I have a gut feeling that he is a professional "beggar" (no offense to the really destitute that do it to survive) and relishes suckling off the teats of other people who work for what they have.

If you read the OP profile on his blog you can see he lost a sister to suicide (after a long depression). Things like these, you cannot predict of they will impact on the family. Some are stronger, some are weaker, some will put everything in discussion and will start looking for answers elsewhere, some will blame it on themselves and get depressed or self-inflicting. I think the OP is doing what he has been doing to gain back a little faith in the human kind. You can or cannot agree with this choice, but making comparison with your situation or the Villa 31 kids' situation doesn't feel appropriate to me. Give the guy some respect, he is a little lost.

 

[ghost]

Someone who negotiated and did not buy a car is not a moocher, it's called a bad business. To generalize and accuse an entire culture of people is a moocher , is racism. (Which century do you live in now ? when do you see all the Chinese go to a car dealer place and not buying a car ? Chinese bought 20 millions of cars in 2013 ) Someone who stayed at your house for 3 months is a moocher.

You are just soooooo PC. My, my my

 

[EricLovesBA]

I find it strange, a little surprising that people do not make a distinction between begging and busking. I guess in our culture of addiction to stimulation where people spend vast amounts of time glued to the television, computer, or hand held devices, appreciation for the discipline of the artist or the art itself fades into the background. For many of you he's just a glorified beggar, and the music lacks the production of the elevator music you've grown to expect.

I've never tried it, but to me busking looks like a great deal of work, offering something of real value to brighten people's day or expand their idea of what life can be, something more or different than being a cog in a machine or a drone in a cubicle. If he could live by his hands and the music in his heart for a couple years then my hat is off to him. He's got my respect and a slight bit of jealousy for his courage, and nothing of the disdain or pity that many of you are extending.

Here is a cool site about busking which I ran across recently: http://www.buskercentral.com/video.php
Just try to imagine yourself in his shoes, putting together a show, keeping your energy up, promoting yourself, etc, all while under the stress of not knowing if you'll have money for housing or food the next day if you fail. If that is not real work I don't know what is.

 

[glasgowjohn]

I find it strange, a little surprising that people do not make a distinction between begging and busking. I guess in our culture of addiction to stimulation where people spend vast amounts of time glued to the television, computer, or hand held devices, appreciation for the discipline of the artist or the art itself fades into the background. For many of you he's just a glorified beggar, and the music lacks the production of the elevator music you've grown to expect.

I've never tried it, but to me busking looks like a great deal of work, offering something of real value to brighten people's day or expand their idea of what life can be, something more or different than being a cog in a machine or a drone in a cubicle. If he could live by his hands and the music in his heart for a couple years then my hat is off to him. He's got my respect and a slight bit of jealousy for his courage, and nothing of the disdain or pity that many of you are extending.

Here is a cool site about busking which I ran across recently: http://www.buskercentral.com/video.php
Just try to imagine yourself in his shoes, putting together a show, keeping your energy up, promoting yourself, etc, all while under the stress of not knowing if you'll have money for housing or food the next day if you fail. If that is not real work I don't know what is.

and try busking on the BA subte . there is a nice little mafia undergound which you have to deal with !!

 

[pitipur]

I'm sorry if I don't share any empathy for the original poster. I grew up not knowing just how close to poor my family was; both my mother and father did a hell of a job hiding the "payday to payday" existence while working hard and instilling good moral values in my 2 brothers and I.

I remember what it was like myself, early in my military career that abetted by my alcoholism, the coffers were very empty and sometimes it required a loan, until payday, from a parent, to buy (at times) diapers and baby formula. But I worked hard, got promoted, sobered up, and while not getting rich in retirement, my wife and I can afford to live comfortably within our means.

So playing violin in the Subte for two years - well I guess that's better then listening to a seemingly healthy mother with child reciting what seems to be a prepared speech, begging for money. Looking closely at the child(ren) and mother, they were clean and well groomed, and certainly didn't look the part of being destitute.

I just think something about the tenor of the OP's post is lacking any genuine need. I have a gut feeling that he is a professional "beggar" (no offense to the really destitute that do it to survive) and relishes suckling off the teats of other people who work for what they have.

It's always interesting to see how much people love to judge the lifestyles of others just because they don't fit into the perfect little mold that they are used to. It's also funny how people take their gut feelings and hunches as facts, and can tell someone's full life history based on 3 sentences that they wrote in a message board.

That's great that you turned things around for you and your family, I'm not sure what that has to do with the OP though.

 

[mmoon]

It's always interesting to see how much people love to judge the lifestyles of others just because they don't fit into the perfect little mold that they are used to. It's also funny how people take their gut feelings and hunches as facts, and can tell someone's full life history based on 3 sentences that they wrote in a message board.

That's great that you turned things around for you and your family, I'm not sure what that has to do with the OP though.

Agreed. I'd like to think that BAexpats is also a resource for people who have landed (around) here for different reasons and are doing what they can to make it work. The OP obviously has a destination of Brazil, is willing to sell his iPad, and survived for two years doing something on the subtle besides stealing or begging. I don't have any reason or proof to doubt him at his word. Whether you think that is admirable or pathetic has nothing to do with what he is asking. If you have a personal experience with the OPer being a moocher, that's one thing, but passing judgement on him off the cuff is ungenerous. Not everyone is on BAexpats just looking for the best restaurants, cheap Spanish tutors, or a lawyer to help with their DNI and I'm glad for it.

 

[sesamosinsal]

On that Friday in January, those private questions would be answered in an unusually public way. No one knew it, but the fiddler standing against a bare wall outside the Metro in an indoor arcade at the top of the escalators was one of the finest classical musicians in the world, playing some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made. His performance was arranged by The Washington Post as an experiment in context, perception and priorities -- as well as an unblinking assessment of public taste: In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?

http://www.washingto...1e5f_story.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM21gPmkDpI

 

[lucha54]

have you all ever heard of couchsurfing? there are entire communities out there for people doing exactly this sort of thing, traveling and relying on the kindness of others to house them. it's really not all that crazy.

Actually I'm an active member.. but when I go somewhere looking for a free place to stay I tend to arrange it in advance, use the CS website instead of this one to network and find hosts, and also bring some backup money in case I am not lucky!

 

[Noruega]

have you all ever heard of couchsurfing? there are entire communities out there for people doing exactly this sort of thing, traveling and relying on the kindness of others to house them. it's really not all that crazy.

Actually I'm an active member.. but when I go somewhere looking for a free place to stay I tend to arrange it in advance, use the CS website instead of this one to network and find hosts, and also bring some backup money in case I am not lucky!

Lucha, didn't know you were CS, cool! I am an active member too, I have hosted about 30 people or a little more over the last four years or so. I agree with you. None of the ones I have hosted have ever expected anything else than a place to sleep. I always offer breakfast (and tell them they can eat whatever they want). and some are even reulctant to accept that! Even the most frugal ones, who don't eat out, only hitchhike etc., have always wanted to cook a meal to share, or brought wine, and always bring or buy their own food. (Hosting Italians and Taiwanese have always been fantastic! Delicious homemade food in my own kitchen but cooked by someone else...)