Continuing from my blog on kindness - part 1, want to share few experiences from Lagos in this blog.
You landed in a completely new country first time. You don't have the local currency. You don't have a phone that works. You need to pay for the trolley at the airport to handle your heavy bags. You don't know the address of the place where you have to go. What will you do ?
Kindness. You survive such situations because people are kind in general wherever you go.
I faced the situation when I landed in Lagos. The person who was supposed to receive me at immigration counter did not come due to a communication gap. Luckily, a friend of mine was kind enough to come to airport to ensure that I will not have any difficulty. But, he was standing outside. I had no clue what to do. I requested a lady for the phone. But, there was no charge. Her husband was kind to put a sim with some money left into another phone and gave me. Thanks to these 2 strangers, I could call my friend who managed to come inside and rescue me. Ofcourse, I cannot imagine what would have happened, if my friend did not come to Airport.
I was fortunate in Nigeria to notice this wherever I go. 3 weeks later, I was down with fever. I thought it's a normal fever that comes with throat infection. One of the friends I met here..an XLer, forced me to visit doctor and got me Malaria treatment. He called me everyday to enquire what food I was eating..got nutritious food cooked specially for me at home to ensure that I recover quickly. He & his wife have been taking care of me & my family since then as an elder brother. My son's face lits up whenever he hears their voice in phone or when they ask him to come to their place.
4 months later, I decided to take my family. I had some 9-10 bags to take and called Lagos to ensure that vehicle will be there at the airport. One of the colleagues overheard my conversation and sent me a message saying he would send his vehicle also. He felt that carrying 9-10 bags in a single car would be difficult. We could comfortably get all the luggage in 2 cars when we came to Lagos. We were taken to a new house. The other colleagues who were living in the same complex arranged food, water ...whatever we need. And, they never met me before !
We travelled to various manufacturing locations in our car despite friendly warnings to avoid long distance travelling in a car. We stopped at many places for directions. You see people helping you with a wide smile on their faces..they wish you safe and good journey. We stopped on the way at a gas station to use a rest room. There was no water. A boy quickly came, took a bucket and got the water from a nearby well and brought us water and went back running. We did not even ask him !
What is incredible is...people you hardly know sense & provide what you might need before you even ask them. Though we hear only cruel acts as news in media, the world is full of kind souls. Helping others is an inherent nature of human beings everywhere in the world. I am lucky to be a recipient of this kindness wherever I go.
Happy Weekend !
You landed in a completely new country first time. You don't have the local currency. You don't have a phone that works. You need to pay for the trolley at the airport to handle your heavy bags. You don't know the address of the place where you have to go. What will you do ?
Kindness. You survive such situations because people are kind in general wherever you go.
I faced the situation when I landed in Lagos. The person who was supposed to receive me at immigration counter did not come due to a communication gap. Luckily, a friend of mine was kind enough to come to airport to ensure that I will not have any difficulty. But, he was standing outside. I had no clue what to do. I requested a lady for the phone. But, there was no charge. Her husband was kind to put a sim with some money left into another phone and gave me. Thanks to these 2 strangers, I could call my friend who managed to come inside and rescue me. Ofcourse, I cannot imagine what would have happened, if my friend did not come to Airport.
I was fortunate in Nigeria to notice this wherever I go. 3 weeks later, I was down with fever. I thought it's a normal fever that comes with throat infection. One of the friends I met here..an XLer, forced me to visit doctor and got me Malaria treatment. He called me everyday to enquire what food I was eating..got nutritious food cooked specially for me at home to ensure that I recover quickly. He & his wife have been taking care of me & my family since then as an elder brother. My son's face lits up whenever he hears their voice in phone or when they ask him to come to their place.
4 months later, I decided to take my family. I had some 9-10 bags to take and called Lagos to ensure that vehicle will be there at the airport. One of the colleagues overheard my conversation and sent me a message saying he would send his vehicle also. He felt that carrying 9-10 bags in a single car would be difficult. We could comfortably get all the luggage in 2 cars when we came to Lagos. We were taken to a new house. The other colleagues who were living in the same complex arranged food, water ...whatever we need. And, they never met me before !
We travelled to various manufacturing locations in our car despite friendly warnings to avoid long distance travelling in a car. We stopped at many places for directions. You see people helping you with a wide smile on their faces..they wish you safe and good journey. We stopped on the way at a gas station to use a rest room. There was no water. A boy quickly came, took a bucket and got the water from a nearby well and brought us water and went back running. We did not even ask him !
What is incredible is...people you hardly know sense & provide what you might need before you even ask them. Though we hear only cruel acts as news in media, the world is full of kind souls. Helping others is an inherent nature of human beings everywhere in the world. I am lucky to be a recipient of this kindness wherever I go.
Happy Weekend !
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