Donne Moi Argent

Give me money, I get asked this question or a give me this or that type question at least once every two days. To which I flatly answer No. and here is where the fun begins, the person responds by complimenting me on something like, you have such a nice bike, or, you have such nice clothes and you are able to buy nice faberic here in Benin, which is followed by, if you have such nice things you should give me something because I have nothing. Most times this person is wearing a nice outfit and has their hair all done, a cell phone, nicer shoes than what I normally wear, and its quite possible they have a moto, a TV, DVD player, and I wouldnt be surprised if they had running water at their house. And they are asking me for money!! Cute. I explain that Peace Corps, my employer gives me enough money to live on and that the reason I have a nice bolt of faberic is because I budgeted my money accordingly and didnt feel the need to text all 500 of my friends and that maybe if they keep a better eye on their money they too can buy a bolt of faberic exactly like mine. How exciting. Now this person generally sticks out their lower lip wines and pouts, and tells me they have no money wine wine wine pout pout pout... to which i respond I have no sympathy, quit begging, if you have something to sell me maybe we can talk, if not than find some other white person you think is equally rich and bug them.
So there is a point to this story. Here is it, everyone thinks Im rich. Of course this is far from the truth I actually, like most recent college grads, have more money in the hole than I do in the bank. I once calcuated out the amount of loans that I have in CFA and the person who i was doing this for laughed and said that one person couldnt spend that much money on school. Because the exchange rate is about 500 CFA to the dollar right now, it seems like I am rich. I could eat at less than a dollar a day and be quite content with my situation, in fact most weeks I spend 8 dollars on food. Life is cheap, sort of. Peace Corps gives me enough money to live comfortably, but am I rich, no. I have to budget my money just like everyone eles does. But because Im an American people seem to think Im rich, thats the steryotype. Every white tourist who finds themself in Benin, regardless of nationality, drops lots and lots of money here. And if they see a child without pants who holds out their hand and gives them the puppy dog eyes they might give them money or food because they feel sorry for all the poor Beninese children without realizing this child just ate, and has clothes but just doesnt feel like wearing them. I end up looking like an asshole sometimes because people here think live in collectivist society, not individualist like the States so people are more inclined to 'share the wealth' so to speak. And because they think I have millions and millions of dollars stashed away in some American bank I can give hand outs, donations, throw large parties for the goat holiday. But I cant. Its like if Bill Gates said, Im going to live in a very poor area of the United States and pretend to live at the same level of the people, help them with development projects but NOT give them any money when for example little Joey or Sue live in a house that the roof leaks and there is no heat in the dead of winter. Bill Gates now seems like an ass. Oh and Bill Gates also drives an Audi around town and claims that he is not actually rich.