The Kindness of Slovaks

After having blasted the culture for the cold exterior, I have had some wonderful experiences with the local folks.
A few months ago, while taking a trip into Central Slovakia, I realized I had lost my little money pouch. It included my credit card, so it was a true crisis! I was almost sure I had lost it at a Tesco store, where we stopped to get snacks and drinks, so we had to drive back the 1/2 hour we had just traveled when I realized I was missing something important. Doug and I asked the security guard if anyone spoke English. She pointed to a young lady at a T-Mobile store near the entrance. We told her our situation and she said she would be happy to help us. She closed her store and took us over to the information counter. The information counter was less than helpful, but this young lady persisted and asked them to call the register where we had checked out. They had my pouch! Oh that was a happy time. I even cried with joy. We thanked this young lady profusely, who closed her store to help us. She replied "I like to help people". And we were off.

Next crisis for me was going to the post office to mail packages..... I handed over the packages - there were 3 - and she gave me the total. I had spent most of my cash, so didn't have enough to pay for them. Now what? She told me, with the help of the gentleman at the next window, that I could leave them here and come back. Very nice gesture, but I was downtown and the thought of going all the way back home to get more cash was daunting and time consuming. So I left the packages with her and began to walk and think. This is progress for me, because I didn't just start crying (what a wimp). I walked back to the last store I had patronized and asked them if I could return this item because I shorted myself on cash and needed to get my stuff on its way to the US. The lovely, slender and red-haired young lady said SURE! She would even keep my item behind the counter for me until I could return. What lovely Slovak people! So, I walked back to the Posta, paid for my packages and walked to fetch Justin from choir practice.

In all our journeys on the bus I see people giving their seats to pensioners (senior citizens), and helping women with their cumbersome baby carriages on and off the bus. If anyone has read all this to the end, I would encourage trying to notice the little kindnesses that come your way each day through others.