Pay it forward... (ENG)

There is a common opinion among travelers. That the most powerful part of traveling are those little interpersonal moments, small talks and over-all positive encounters with strangers. Meeting people from different corners of the world and directly discovering their culture helps us to build really important values. Yes, it sounds bit cheesy, but I am talking about love, tolerance, respect, … pretty much the world peace. 

Foreign or unknown may bring in us bit of fear. We jump to conclusions and way too fast end up clouded with stereotypes and preconceptions about things and people we haven’t even met.

Travelers might seem like reckless adventurers with self-centered goals. To have fun and explore the world for their own enjoyment. Thankfully most of them love to share their stories. They tell us first-handed experiences thru books, social media or just verbally over the beer. 

Travelers sharing their journeys mean for me a chance to get closer to a distant places and different life philisophies. My multi-culti soul loves that!

For instance, I have learned from those I “follow”, that people living in great poverty are usually the most generous ones. That everyone in Bali is very laid back and cheerful. And the hosts in South America almost fight over English speaking Couchsurfer.

AndyJede “book”

In my eyes, United States are not only country, but most importantly individuals I have met. I am no expert in politics or history, but I of course feel not everything about US is perfect. Materialism, McDonaldization of society or all the wars for questionable reasons.

On daily basis I meet people with whom I share even just a couple nice minutes. I meet individuals, who help me keeping my faith “in the general goodness”. The faith, that the world and people are good.

If you tell someone you are going to travel solo and far away, their reactions can be divided mostly into these two categories:

   

A) Wow! That´s great! I´m so happy for you! Wish I could go with you! I would love to do the same! Enjoy! …

or

B) Are you sure?
What if…
- you get robbed? Or raped?!
- your car will break down?
- you get lost and end up all alone with nothing in there? …

It is not much of a science.

Positive attitude attracts positivity. Negativity attracts negativity.

I believe in that. And it works for me.

I wrote all of this in order to share with you few regular days I cherish very much. In my perspective, these encounters are not ordinary, but extraordinary!

Meeting friendly people in the end overshine all the highest mountains, the most sparkling lakes or the greatest buildings of human history. Maybe even the most gorgeous sunsets. (always sure with the buildings, not 100% sure for the sunsets, I mean... common man!)

Getting Kalashnikov as a gift

I was passing thru Wyoming and a guy at diner recommended me absolutely amazing place to check out. Mirror Lake has a crystal clear water and unbeatable cliffs rising all around. I decided for all day hike to enjoy the beauty of such a special place.

When I pulled into the trail parking lot, two men were standing and chatting on the last spot I would be able to park on. My parking skills are still of the same quality (low) and I almost ran them over. Ooops, sorry!

“Hi, how are you? What is your name? Where are you from? How long are you in US?” the usual conversation started.

The older man, Ron, was a marine veteran, as he showed me on his sweatshirt.

“I used to fight with lots of communist in Asia, but never got to Eastern Europe.” 

(I saved for myself that Czech Republic is Central Europe (!), because Prague is the heart of Europe (!!). If you ever tell this to a Czech, instead of placing us to Eastern Europe, his jaw will drop to the ground from your amazingness!) 

He came with his adult son to the area to pan the gold. Weekend hobby. We chatted for a while about the mountains, camping and my yapping puppy. Ron went to his car for a moment and came back:

“I have something for you. Since you are from the Czechoslovakia.” (It sounded like he felt sorry for me.)

He gave me “automat Kalashnikov” army knife (I thought AKs are only rifles, lol) as a gift. So it would keep me safe in the wilderness.

I tried to put the knife on my pocket, but end up looking like a dummy who can´t even tell the right way how to use the little clip thing. We laughed and Ron taught me “how to be a man”.

I am not a big fan of knifes in general. They are scary! I have strange picture in my head of someone being stabbed whilst the knife is scratching his ribs. Ew! It fills me up with the same feelings like nails scratching a blackboard.

My new knife is different. It is beautiful. 

Later, I hiked around the peaks of Medicine Bow above the lake and there was bunch of really big and hungry looking crows. I was ready to defend my tiny dog. With my new, sexy knife.

The hike went on longer than I planned, I ran out of water and when I got back to the car I was exhausted. But I remembered I have two oranges in my car! I definitively bonded with my gift while peeling the most delicious oranges in the world.

Marmalades and tennis balls

I am trying my best to be as generous and hearty as Americans are to me. I went to the laundromat with load of laundry and dirty dishes to wash. I have met very nice gentleman with border collie. I love border collies! We started talking about our dogs and love for them. I also found out that the man is living with his family above my favorite lake in Colorado. Lucky them!

We have spent together at least an hour and Baxter got a little tennis ball as a gift. Well, I confiscated it right away and put it into the dryer “for the better tumbling”. He is spoiled and has plenty of toys and tennis balls…. we found around. 

When washing my dishes in the sink, I found in the box little glass of homemade marmalade from my parents. I have met my dad in summer for short reunion and asked him, if he would bring us marmalade from home. He brought two glasses and the first one brightened our breakfasts.

I decided that the second marmalade would be a great gift for the pleasant companion I had during my chores. Why not, right?

What are the odds... Red currant marmalade, made by my stepmom, from her garden, in mid-size city Brno, in Czech Republic is now on breakfast toasts of American family in middle of Colorado!

Recently I found out, that some of our feelings and emotions that are hard to explain or describe actually have a name in English! These encounters reminded me of:

Sonder

n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.

  

There was also a guy washing the laundromat places´ windows that was willing to try our traditional Czech moonshine… but that is not that romantic!

Hopefully, my parents won´t mind I forwarded their marmalade to someone else. I will bribe them with American homemade marmalade for Christmas.

These stories are not unusual on my travels across US at all. They are one of the reason why I like it in here so much. I am always ready to argue with anyone who speaks in front of me about Americans in stereotypes. Not „every American is fat, dumb and fake“. How many have you met?

Being hypocrite…

I always feel that at home, in Czech Republic, people are not so friendly and I can´t find there, what I do in US. I am often very skeptical about Czechs and have made promise to myself to change it after coming back.

I have met very special person, an older gentleman Johnny, with whom I camped for couple days around Grand Teton NP. He didn´t believe me that Czech people are not friendly.

„I´ll bet - if I would travel to Czech Republic tomorrow without a single penny - I would find a place to rest overnight and would have a warm dinner in my stomach before the end of the day.”

I know he would. How? He believed in it!

And because he is extraordinarily cheerful and wise person. He taught me a lot in very short time. He is over 6´5´ feet tall and has white beard. Children were asking him in September for ponies and toys for Christmas.

I call him Johnny Ámos Komenský.

(He reminded me of great thinker and educator in European history, Jan/John Amos Comenius. Komenský is a big persona in Czech Republics´ culture and education system.)

"I can´t" doesn´t exist. You just haven´t tried yet. “, he lectured me nicely in my attempts to fill up air in my vans´ tires.

Sometimes the connections with someone are so deep, that are almost impossible to write about.

Thank you for reading! 🌻

A.