Stay Curious - Where is Africa?
The morning I flew to Costa Rica I jumped into an Uber at 4.30 am, sleepy but feeling eager, an unexpected joy-filled encounter was waiting. Even when sleepy and a little in my head, muttering – passport check, phone check, adapter check - I can pick up on others’ magnetic energy. My long day of travelling was to start with a smiley greeting from a super friendly driver.
Fifteen mins later, as we headed towards Glasgow Bus Station, the driver shared he was born in Sudan, having arrived in Glasgow when he was much younger to study and, now qualified as a pharmacist, works for Boots the chemist during the week and Uber at weekends to make all the money to eventually travel.
It was quite a story. When he explained he was a chemist, I felt a sense of confusion rise inside me. We all assume chemists are well paid, and therefore wouldn’t require a second job to fund future travels. It sounded like his day job was filled with corporate bureaucracy, and his uber job allowed him the freedom to maximise his downtime to support his future. He certainly seemed a man with a plan, and nodded when I encouraged him to make life work for him.
He continued to share his future travel plans outlining he was travelling to Africa soon, like it was a country. To which I replied, “It's a pretty big continent, where in Africa are you visiting?”. He smiled as he explained most people just nod when he tells them he's from or travelling to Africa, and that he forgot he was chatting to someone who knew a bit more about the world. And he went on to tell me a little bit more about life in Sudan. I giggled when he smiled as she shared that family members shout that he has got fat in Scotland whenever he video calls them.
As we parked up at the Bus Station, the conversation soon turned to me. When I shared my destination, he asked if I was from Costa Rica. We giggled when I replied, "Nope, just a girl from Kilmarnock who likes to travel far and wide".
As I jumped out of the Uber he shouted to stay safe as he heard South America was dangerous. I told him Costa Rica is in Central America, and I'm sure no more dangerous than Glasgow. To which he nodded, recalling a story about some drug users and an arrest warrant when he worked Southside.
As I jumped on the bus to Edinburgh airport, I pondered on our light-hearted but deep chat. Our minds are filled with wild misconceptions of the world and others. We tip-toe around people from different countries and cultures, a little clueless about who they are, their values, and dreams.
The conversation lit me up and I felt excitement rise for the characters I would meet as I traveled to Costa Rica. Along the way, you have encounters, some fleeting, others life-changing. Some are short, others mesmerizing. Exchanging glances, smiles, nods, stories, and moments.
And the beauty is, you don't need to travel far and wide to have the most amazing wee moments in life. All you need to be is open, with a beginner’s mind and willingness to listen, learn, share, and even giggle with whoever crosses your path.
To all the strangers I meet in the world, I'm always ready to learn a wee bit more so share away.
And what would I leave for you to ponder - Stay curious! And Google Africa – it is a big continent filled with some amazing treasures waiting for those that are courageous.