Beggars

If you are an idealistic young person who wants to save the world, go to India. You'll learn fast that you can't help everyone. I once estimated that in 35 days, had I given everyone who asked for money just 1 rupee, it would have cost me between $10-$20. That's an average of about 10-20 people a day. And almost no one was asking for only 1 rupee.

Oddly, no one was able to guilt me into giving them money (I gave, buit guilt never played a role). The trip made me a little harder. I learned to walk past people with no legs begging for money and not give them a second glance. Sometimes I yelled at kids who wouldn't leave me alone. I tried to wave and smile after they got the picture. By the end, there was almost no one who I was going to give my money to.

Like everyone else in the world, I want to give my money to worthy people. I was very weary of being scammed. I was also told that even old people might be (unwillingly) working for gangs. So I've decided to find a charity working in India and donate a small amount. The only reason I'm saying this is for other people in a similar situation. It's easier not to feel guilty walking past a legless woman that might've had her leg cut off by some gang and all the money given to her might go to them, when you've made up your mind to give to a reputable charity.

But it gets the point where you start judging people's afflictions. "Oh you've got some spots on your stomach. C'mon man, everyone comes up to me. I've seen some shit. Spots on your stomach is nothing. Come back to me when you lose a couple of limbs." Turns out I'm not the savior for the poor in India.