My wife and I returned two weeks ago from traveling through the length of Portugal, southern Spain, and Tangier, Morocco. We are gregarious people, so as we traveled we met people from all over the world. We also encountered manners and consideration for others that ranged from very nice and thoughtful to aggressively rude.
While standing in a ten-plus line for a taxi in old town Grenada, Spain, two young English women about twenty-five drunkenly cut to the front of the line screaming curse words to everyone who objected. They jumped in the next taxi and left, the entire line made up of us and people from all over Europe just shook our heads at their rudeness and nerve.
In Seville, we were sitting at a table al fresco on a beautiful night drinking wine and sharing tapas when two middle-aged women with accents that sounded like Australian walked up and started asking us what we had ordered and how we liked it. They were happy and friendly and sat at the next table and ordered the same thing we had. They made our night.
In Germany, I always get mad because they don’t stay in line when the plane counter opens to board the plane. After the announcement, everyone just rushes the gate. It drives me crazy. But it’s just their way. As I stood on the curb watching those rude girls get in the cab, I stood next to a very nice German couple who felt as violated as I did.
We didn’t let any of the bad behavior ruin our trip. You have to be flexible and relaxed when you travel. In fact, We travel to see and meet people even more than seeing sights, so We’re ready to take whatever comes.
In Portugal, we met young Portuguese that spoke five, six, seven languages. I’d hear these friendly, kind young people speak four languages just waiting on tables around me. When most of them spoke English-their second or third language-they usually spoke with an American accent. That amazed us. They said it was television.
One thing this trip made me appreciate more were the kind and gracious people we met in Portugal, Spain, and Tangier. It made me want to improve my graciousness, too.
Anyone who knows me will laugh. Just not being an ass can be a day-to-day challenge for me. But I want to do better, be better. So, since I’ve returned, I work every day to be kinder to every person I encounter. I won’t report how I’m doing.
