Last September we were just a few weeks into our trip and were staying with Christina’s friend in Berlin. One morning, we were taking a walk and ran into a couple she knew. We stopped to talk and the subject of our trip came up. After discussing our itinerary and future plans for a few minutes, the woman said something that has stuck with us to this day. She didn’t muse about the incredible places we were going to see, meals we were going to eat or experiences we were going to share. Instead, she said “You’re so lucky to be taking this trip because you are going to find out that the world is full of incredibly nice people.” This was a contrast with a lot of what we had been hearing back home before we left. We would hear things like “Be careful you don’t get pickpocketed” or “Aren’t you worried about the political climate in certain countries you’re visiting?” and “Try not to stand out because tourists are always a target.” Her message was one of hope and optimism. And you know what? She was right.
Bath time at ENP
Happy elephants
Looking for a snack
With few exceptions, we experienced warmth and welcoming almost everywhere we went. From the Filipino trike drivers who helped us unlock our scooter when our key wasn’t working to the German woman who helped translate for us when we needed to get vaccines at a public clinic in Naples to the little Italian lady in Bari who, when we asked for directions, insisted on personally escorting us to where we needed to go. We got a flat tire in Winnipeg and a nice man there stopped to help us and provide directions to the nearest auto repair shop. We kind of already knew how friendly Canadians were, but it was still much appreciated! And don’t even get us started on how friendly the Sri Lankans are! We felt embraced by pretty much every person we met in that country, even if our encounters with them were brief.
Christina and Bowie at BARC – Bali’s dog rescue
Sweet Ray Charles who was recovering from a skin condition at BARC
We were also fortunate enough to participate in a few programs with charitable organizations and witness firsthand some of the good work that is being done around the world. There’s BARC, a dog rescue in Indonesia founded by an Australian woman with a passion for helping Bali’s street dogs. You might have read our post about Elephant Nature Park, the elephant sanctuary where we worked in Chiang Mai that is home to 70 elephants and countless other animals. We have also written about our time in India, where we taught English and Math to street children in Jaipur. Most recently, we got a chance to help out with Habitat for Humanity in Kauai where they are in the process of building over 100 homes for families on the island. On a smaller scale, we’ve participated in a few, single-day projects like Bologna Bunch at Christina’s church in Virginia where the group makes sandwiches for a local, DC food kitchen and we worked on a landscape clean-up for a teen homeless shelter in Virginia as well. It has been so encouraging to see how many opportunities there are to give back.
Landscape project – before picture
…and after
View from the Habitat for Humanity build site
The family of 6 moving into this Habitat home had previously been living in a small, 2-bedroom apartment. We were lucky enough to meet the future owner who was so grateful for the Habitat program and their incredible work!
Doing a little caulking under the roof
Like so many Americans, we’ve been feeling the emotional roller-coaster that has been this election season. It’s tempting to cocoon yourself and shut out everyone, including your neighbors and the outside world. But if we give into those fears and frustrations, we would be missing out on the best things that travel (and life) has to offer. That woman in Germany was right. The world is full of nice people and it’s our job to do our part too!
The students at our school in Jaipur
Christina’s class
Chris’s class, trying to bargain for more recess time
To learn more about the organizations where we volunteered or to donate, visit the links below.
-The Morts
Bonjour
Merci pour votre super blog, vraiment très intéressant et de très belles photos.