Kindness we receive abroad feels more genuine

8/November/2024 in Kraków

Kindness that we receive in a foreign country

It feels very genuine


I think 2 reasons

1: No expectations

Being in a foreign country
We do know we have to compromise so many things

In a sense, we become humble
Sometimes, too humble

Or, even we feel "inferior"
comparing to the local people

We don't have much expectations
or suppress expectations
from others, from locals


2: Distance & Unity

We are aware
many types of "Distance" exist between us & locals

regarding culture, customs, habits, ethnicity, even the way we feel

Yet
if they show emotions directly or through their actions, this is the moment we realise;

"They feel the same type of emotions as I do"

In other words
we realise;

"They are the same as me. I am the same as them"

This sense of "Unity" feels extremely pleasant & delightful

It reminds us of
"I am not alone"


This morning

I went to a garbage room in my hotel

For some reason
I couldn't open the door

Then, an old guy came to me


He was a cleaner in the garden
He was gathering leaves
He was around 30 meters away from me

I didn't notice he was coming
since I was listening to music

But he came and opened the door
without saying anything


That moment
strangely vividly
I felt "kindness"

of him
of others
of humans

I am much younger than him
I am not be able to speak his language
I am not Polish

Beyond all these "distances" between us
he came up to me all the way
& helped me


Kindness that we receive in a foreign country

It feels very genuine