The Kindness of Strangers

A trip to Baku and Sumgayit reminded me of how helpful many people are to me. It started when I flagged down a bus on the highway near my house with the word BAKU in the window. There weren't any seats available on the bus, so the driver had a man who wasn't traveling far give up his seat for me. Then the driver pulled out a stool and let the man sit in the aisle on that. Meanwhile I had a comfy seat.

After the bus stopped for tea and a restroom break, a young man seated ahead of me struck up a conversation in halting English. From there he took me under his wing helping me transfer in Baku to the Sumgayit bus, then carried my backpack as we took another bus to the Sumgayit bazar. He insisted on helping me buy some fresh fruit for my former host family, and then he got on the same bus that I was taking to visit them. Did I mention he also paid the bus fares? I got his nickname as Shaggy and he did give me his email address. Now I need to find that piece of paper for an email thank you to him.

Visiting former host family and granddaughter Aylin

Statue of Nazami on Sumgayit Plaza

The next day, I was headed to a Baku metro station but wasn't sure of the location of the entrance. So a young woman with a child guided me to the steps and down into the station. I was unsure of where to buy a pass card for the metro subway, so another young man made sure I got it, then helped me operate the machine to put money on it. Next I asked an older gentleman for directions to the Sahil metro stop. That requires a train change at one of the stations, so this stranger indicated he was traveling there too. He made sure that I changed to the train that stopped at the Sahill station. All to get to beautiful Baku to buy some English books.

Waiting in a touristy carpet shop in Baku

On Sunday morning, I met up with friend Amil and he also took care of getting me on the right bus, and even bought paklava for me to take back to Digah for my host family. On my return ride to Digah, a woman on the marsrutka made sure I knew where the restroom was at the rest stop, and then finagled a better seat for me for the rest of the trip. These many kindnesses made up for the cool and rainy day.

I think it's a combination of my age, gender, and being a foreigner. There are times however, when I simply wish they would extend these kindnesses to their countrymen.