My Cab Adventure

So far, in all the countries I have lived and worked, I was always privileged to be taken and dropped from office to work. Taking cabs was only during personal trips to the supermarket or dining out or occasional visits to bars. Though on some occasions, I still have the privilege to be driven by friends except in VietNam where hailing a taxi was not difficult (apart from the reason that this was not part of the benefits from my giant organization), but hold on I was not spared from an interesting cab experience there.

The shopaholic in me motivated me to visit ‘Leader’, the biggest supermarket in town where you can find most items for individual's basic needs. The main reason for going there was to buy a water dispenser which I will be using for cooking because I don’t like the smell of the water coming from the tap. Also, to buy mop and broom to complete the stuff I basically need in the house I moved in 3 weeks ago.

Picking up from my very limited Tetun, I told the car driver where I will be going and the fare. We agreed on the price of 3USD to my place. Mid-way to my place, the cab driver asked how much I would be paying. I mentioned the amount agreed then, he reduced the accelerator as if stopping in the middle of the road and telling me, USD5. Instinct told me that he might harass and drop me off right there and so I told him that he just continues driving and I’ll pay him the amount he was demanding but behind my head, I knew that there would be people in our compound when I reach my place.

As I was getting off, the land-owner of my house who is a Timorese approached us while I was busy unloading my shopping bags, of course the driver did not help me. I took this opportunity and told the land-owner the demanded fare of the cab driver. I left the two of them arguing and I can figure out that because I cannot speak Tetun and I am a ‘Malay’, the driver was over-charging. Initially, the driver was insistent that he should be paid US$5 but the landowner also insisted maximum of US$3. I don’t want to put the landlord into trouble because of me. I told the taxi driver that I am willing to pay US$5 dollars but I will get his cab number. While I was writing the taxi number, he grabbed the US$3 from the landlord and drove away!

This experience is an addition to the list of my not-so-good-cab experience. Should I be taking public transport, buy a car?, because for some strange reasons I always have nightamarish experience with cabs wherever I live or, it’s just because I am a foreigner in their land and seeing me as a stupid bideshi, mzungu, người nước ngoài, malay who cannot speak their language would be a good victim of harassment and instant robbery. This is one of the things you have to bear when working away from home, maybe to be more specific, in the these typesof countries where I carry out my mission.