We learn so much from travel. From stepping out of our culture and being part of another one, even if temporarily. This is why we are drawn to travelling to different countries. We often come home with a slightly new slant on our lives. I am at the end of my second trip to Bali in as many years and last year was moved to write a blog on the way the traffic worked! Here I am again, struck by the uniqueness of the system in this crowded little centre surrounding the major tourist spots, but this time I see that the traffic becomes a symbol of something bigger than that and this is part of why I love this place and its people.
I’ve noticed that there are some unwritten rules in Bali as far as traffic is concerned. The aim of everyone on the road is one thing only – “to keep the traffic moving”. Now at home the main aim is usually “to get there first and in front of as many people as possible”. And this promotes road rage and high stress levels and does nothing for relationships. We use our traffic situation as a way of expressing any pent up anger we have about our lives in general but it also is a way of expressing our strong cultural values about success, about winning, about beating others. It’s not like that here. When you have families travelling on one bike (I mean, parent, three kids and the dog), people around are not interested in racing round them. There is a respect for others that is refreshing amidst the pollution, dirt and heat. When the lights change, traffic from two directions merges into one lane, which in Australia would cause chaos and numerous accidents. Not here. One day we observed a rather wild looking young man riding a bike all over the road with a video camera on his helmet. He looked at us, recognizing fellow Aussies and yelled, “this is insaaaannnnee!” whilst weaving in and out and putting people around him at risk. The funny thing was that he was the one who looked insane. The locals carried on in their organized way, with the silent unspoken hum of “keep the traffic moving”. I love it.
I also love the way the people accept things for what they are. We were served by so many delightful smiling faces who not only wanted to get to know us, but wanted us to “come back and stay here”, as if the big resort they were working in was their home. They are sad about the loss of the rice paddies, the simplicity and frequency of their ceremonies which has been eroded by the growth of tourism in certain areas, yet they still serve and showing affection for the people who are responsible – the tourists. Yes, we know that we pay the bills and bring a better (?) quality of life to many, but does that really qualify for that extra pat on the arm or hand holding by a lowly paid masseuse on the beach? I think not. You see they really do love people and seem to approach life with a natural positivity that assumes people are to be liked unless they prove otherwise.
So many of our problems in western society come from our fears of a) not being seen to be as good as everyone else and b) not being loved enough. A very simple view but I think with some truth. If we could take away those two fears imagine how much easier our lives would be. How could it affect our stress levels, our relationship with food and alcohol, our judgment of ourselves and others and consequently our lifestyle behaviours? I’d be out of a job that’s for sure. I don’t think I would get work in Bali but boy I’d like to spend more time here because it’s good for the soul.
