One thing I love about travel is talking to the local people.
These are some of the warmest, friendliest exchanges you can possibly have and it helps to give you a deeper understanding of the cultures and local customs.
This is important as it helps to build tolerance, compassion and acceptance. It also helps you to see that despite the obvious differences in skin color and language we are really very similar.
Same hopes, same dreams, same emotions.
Even if you don’t speak the language you can converse through smiles, laughter, small conversation and hand gestures.
Photo: Mario Kaoru Mevy
I was excited to sit in the front with the local taxi driver in Kuala Lumpur as we made our way home from Zouk nightclub in the early hours of the morning.
It was a 40 minute drive and you could tell he was unsure of where to go, but as it was a good fare for him, he nodded his head, “No problem” and even allowed five of us to crowd in.
He never lost his smile, even when we had to pass through a police roadblock. He explained to me in broken English that it was to catch “the alcohol”.
“Won’t you get in trouble for having so many of us in here?”
‘No problem, no problem”
God I love Asia . Liz popped herself down in the leg space in the back just in case.
He was on and off the phone to his friends getting directions back to the Marriott.
“S’Okay. I know where it is,” he constantly reassured us.
We chatted and he told me where he was from, about the busyness of Kuala Lumpur, and that we had come from one of the biggest nightclubs in the city, if we hadn’t already noticed from the Ferrari’s and porches parked out front we were hoping to get rides home in.
He asked me what we were doing.
“Do you know blogging?”
“Yes. I know”
“We are bloggers and we are here for a big event at the Marriott.
“ahh.”
We passed by some cats to the delight of Liz, a huge cat lover to rival my American friend who has 12 of them.
“In Malaysia, cats are everywhere.”
“No dogs?” I chuckled remembering the feral mangy dogs waiting on street corners in Thailand ready to bite your arse and infect it with rabies.
He was not married.
“Must save money before I have a wife.”
A touch of sadness entered my heart. This kind, gentle man was denying himself love because he felt he could not offer enough. Sometimes we forget how easy we have it in life.
It’s conversations like these in taxi cabs that help remind us.
What conversations have you had around the world that have helped you to understand the local people?…
