Generosity

I was in the outskirts of Medan, Indonesia, when I tried to make my way to my hotel by local transportation. They use these minivans and pack as many people into them, not unlike the micros in Nepal, and songthaews in Thailand.

I asked the driver in my slow ESL manner, “Medan downtown?” Confusion. “Medan center?” Nothing. Then the affirmative nod, “Medan, Medan!” OK, not too reassuring, but I think I’ll at least get closer to my destination. That’s why I allow for plenty of daylight to counter such uncertainties.

I hop aboard and interrogate the passengers, passing around the screenshot on my phone of the hotel and address. Some comments, some nods, some discussion. No English. I point toward my chest, then down toward the minivan transmission. “OK?”

One points yonder, “Taxi.”

I point to my pocket, “Expensive.” Yeah, but where’s the adventure in that? It would be the most direct, but my rule of thumb is private drivers usually cost at least 10x the public fare.

“Stay.” She uses the palm down, calm down gesture. All right I’m in good hands.

I receive some warm and knowing smiles during the ride. I’m guessing they’re wondering who the heck is this guy? They may have hypothesized poor Thai guy, looking down at my Thai massage school tote bag.

Suddenly, one of them said, “Come come!” Two university students in hijabs beckoned me to follow them off the bus. Ok ok. First rule of improv is to say yes.

I take out money and ask how much, but they proceed to pay for me. “No. No.” Smile. I’m exasperated. “How much? I pay!”

Ignoring me they quickly call over a tuk tuk from across the street. They haggle with the weathered driver, shove him some bills and tell me to get on. Wait! “How much? I pay. I pay!”

No. No. Smile.

I zoom off. It all happened too fast! I peer back to the smiling students. And they’re gone.

How generous they were to me. I reflected. If someone asked for directions in my country, I would help point out the way, tell them how much it would cost, but I wouldn’t go that far out of my way to pay for him!

Moments like these make me marvel at people’s generosity and how much I have yet to learn in this life.

Bukit Lawang, Indonesia

3 day jungle trek to see wild orangutans. Saw 8! Including this massive male. Stay back!

Guides:"Move move move!" "Relax relax relax" "Move move move!!"

My friendly trekking group from the Netherlands and Ireland.

A small exercise in gratitude

And keep on trucking!

As I embarrassingly scraped the cracked remnants of my half dozen eggs off the cold tiled floor under the unyielding glare of the clerks (no exchange policy FTW) at Canggu Deli, Bali, I felt pretty down. Small things like this can add up during travel. The mind seems to always need things to dwell on.

On the walk back to the apartment, I switched gears and started playing a game I like to call, “Complete the following: I am effing _______!!!”

-in Bali, Indonesia!!!
-surfing like a doggone n00b!!!
-on the effing internet!!!
-getting cash from a machine by shoving in a plastic card!!! And it works!!!
-using another plastic card to swipe for groceries!!! And it works yet again!!!
-using an effing kitchen to fire up a ribeye steak dinner!!! What what!?
-listening to a climbing podcast, Enormocast!!!
-walking around barefoot!!!
-wearing a skirt!!! (Refer back to “how to rock a skirt” entry and don’t look at me funny)
-reading from a rectangular device that holds over 300 books!!!
-writing blog posts on an effing cell phone!!!

Anyway, I could continue adding to this list of “mundane” miracles. I haven’t even mentioned the more substantial things like being thankful for health and loved ones, but you guys all know that 🙂

Cheers to the underappreciated little things.

PS read this awesome article that hits closer to home, literally.