The Kindness of Strangers

The kindness of strangers we have experienced on this trip so far has blown me away.

Like the time the ATM didn’t work on our first day in Montenegro and, realising we had no clue where we were, the man who was queueing in front of us told us he would drive us to the nearest one (in his HUGE Mercedes, with his family and Chihuahua in tow, might I add).

Or the time on the remote Waiheke Island in New Zealand when we didn’t realise we had missed the last bus  and were stood with armfuls of food shopping a forty-five minute walk away from our hostel and a mother came over and offered us a ride home.

Or the time in Belgrade when we couldn’t find our apartment and the lady at the kiosk stand used her cell phone to call the owner and speak to them in Serbian and tell them where we were.

Then there’s always the countless times we have been given free food, whether we have been purchasing anything or not, mainly because the locals were so shocked and surprised to have foreigners in their town that they wanted to make a good impression.

There are the people who have personally walked us to where we needed to go, simply because we asked them for directions, the people who have bought us drinks, only so they could enjoy our conversation for longer, the people who have refused money for things simply because we have brought a smile to their faces or complemented their town, their establishment, etc.

And when I think of all these occasions, one thought always pops into my head: would people back home be this kind and generous with their time, their money, their hospitality?

I’m really not sure. 

I know that random acts of kindness occur all over the world and we all experience them at some point or another if we are facing a crisis. It is these kind of special moments that make the world go round. But as for generosity and warmth of spirit; is that something which is freely given?

I know that if I didn’t have enough money in the UK and had gotten off the bus at the wrong stop, the next bus driver would not let me on for free simply because he could tell I was lost. And yet, that would probably be the case in many of the foreign countries we have visited.

I know that a restaurant would not give out free food, simply because you spoke in a different language and had never tried that cuisine before.

So I have to ask myself: have we become so selfish and accustomed to foreign visitors in our big home cities that we simply don’t care about the kind of experience they have whilst they’re there, as long as we are gaining something from it in the long run?

If there is one thing that has humbled me most during this trip, it has been the people we have encountered. Now that I am used to living with so few possessions in relation to my lifestyle before, I realise how easy it is to share what you have with others and revel in seeing them take enjoyment out of it too. When you have nothing to lose, why do you care about giving what little you have away? This seems to be the philosophy of so many around the world, and they seem so much happier and content for it. I’m not saying that I’ll ever be able to fully replicate the generosity shown to us these past few months, I just hope to realise that spreading a little happiness can make such a difference to people and make you feel so much better about yourself.