What Traveling Taught Me About Being a Kinder Human

What Traveling Taught Me About Being a Kinder Human

Table of Contents

The Time I Accidentally Cut in Line in Tokyo (And Learned a Lesson About Patience)

How Getting Lost in Lisbon Taught Me to Ask for Help (and Not Die of Embarrassment)

Oh, That One Time I Shared Snacks with a Stranger in Peru

When Travel Breaks Your Ego in the Best Way Possible

Why Being Kinder Isn’t Just for “Instagram Inspo Quotes”

Small Travel Moments That Changed How I See People Forever

Links to More Adventures (And My Other Random Travel Rants)

 

So, picture this: me, standing in the middle of Narita Airport, holding a crumpled boarding pass in one hand and—somehow—a half-eaten onigiri in the other. I didn’t realize I’d walked straight into the priority boarding line (because, you know, I thought all lines were created equal) until a sweet older Japanese woman gently tapped my arm, smiled, and pointed. She didn’t scold me, didn’t roll her eyes—just… kindness. And in that weird, jet-lagged moment, I felt so small and so seen at the same time.

I wish I could say that was the first and last time I made an idiot of myself while traveling. (Spoiler: it’s not.)

1. The Time I Accidentally Cut in Line in Tokyo (And Learned a Lesson About Patience)

You ever notice how airports have this magical ability to make you forget every single life skill you’ve ever learned? Like, basic queuing etiquette? Yeah. That day, I was the human embodiment of chaos.

But what stuck with me wasn’t my mistake—it was her reaction. I braced for irritation, but got understanding instead.

And it hit me: patience is underrated. Travel has this sneaky way of slowing you down—whether you like it or not. Missed flights, endless security lines, baggage claim purgatory. You either rage against it or… learn to breathe through it. (Okay, full disclosure: I still rage sometimes. But, um, slightly less?)

2. How Getting Lost in Lisbon Taught Me to Ask for Help (and Not Die of Embarrassment)

I’m not great at asking for help. (Understatement of the decade.) But one evening in Lisbon, I wandered off from the touristy bit, phone at 3% battery, maps not loading. Panic creeping in.

Enter João—yes, that João, the random local who spoke about five words of English but somehow walked me three blocks out of his way to point me toward my guesthouse. No eye-rolls, no judgment, just… generosity.

It made me wonder—how often do we assume people will be annoyed, when really they’re happy to lend a hand?

Oh, and side tangent: why is it always my phone that dies right when I need it? (Apple conspiracy? Nah, don’t answer that. I’ll just carry an extra charger next time—probably.)

3. Oh, That One Time I Shared Snacks with a Stranger in Peru

I had these terrible, overly sweet cookies I’d picked up in Cusco—don’t judge, they looked way better in the wrapper—and the guy sitting next to me on the bus clearly hadn’t eaten all day. So I offered him one.

He smiled, took two, and then pulled his snack (some roasted corn thing that put my sad cookies to shame) and shared it back. That tiny exchange? Weirdly profound.

Kindness is contagious. Also, snacks are a universal love language.

4. When Travel Breaks Your Ego in the Best Way Possible

I think travel has a way of humbling you. You mispronounce a word and accidentally order ten dumplings instead of two. You get laughed at by a cab driver because you handed him a bill that’s basically Monopoly money in that country. You realize you’re not the center of the universe—and it’s freeing.

It forces you to listen more, to notice people. Which, in turn, makes you… nicer? Or at least less of a jerk.

Oh, and don’t get me started on people who aggressively shove their way onto trains. (Looking at you, guy in Rome with the massive backpack who nearly decapitated me.)

5. Why Being Kinder Isn’t Just for “Instagram Inspo Quotes”

It’s easy to treat kindness like a hashtag. But when you’re traveling, kindness is survival. You rely on strangers for directions, translators, even just a smile when you feel completely out of place.

Travel taught me that people everywhere are more alike than different. Cheesy? Yep. True? Also yep. Whether it’s sharing tea with a family in rural Nepal or awkwardly miming “bathroom” in a Paris café, you learn to connect without words.

6. Small Travel Moments That Changed How I See People Forever

Let’s make this quick (because I know your attention span is probably already wandering):

  1. A bus driver in Morocco who refused to take money from a lost kid.

  2. A street vendor in Hanoi who saw me drenched in rain and handed me an umbrella—on the house.

  3. Maria (hi Maria!) in Barcelona, who didn’t just give me directions but walked me halfway there because “it’s on my way” (it absolutely wasn’t).

These aren’t big “movie scene” moments. They’re small reminders that people are good. And, maybe, I should try harder to be good back.

7. Links to More Adventures (And My Other Random Travel Rants)

Travel’s messy. It burns you out sometimes (see Travel Burnout Is Real — Here’s How to Travel Slower and Better), it makes you say emotional goodbyes (ugh, The Emotional Rollercoaster of Airport Goodbyes), and it definitely tests your solo courage (Why Everyone Should Travel Solo at Least Once).

But it also makes you softer. Kinder. More human.

So, yeah. Next time you’re on the road—or stuck in a layover (maybe read The Layover Diaries while you’re at it)—try smiling at a stranger. Offer your terrible cookies. Let someone cut in line on purpose.

 

Personal Reflection:
If I had to sum up what travel taught me? It’s that I’m not as patient, or as brave, or as kind as I thought I was. But I’m working on it. And that feels… pretty good, actually.

What about you? Ever had one of those moments abroad that made you rethink how you treat people?

If you liked this rambling mess, maybe check out my other stuff? No pressure though. Just, you know, mildly pressuring.

 

Author Profile:

Hi, I’m Florian Werner, the founder of FLOWZOOM. The idea for FLOWZOOM started during an unforgettable trip around the world. After spending what felt like forever on long flights, I noticed just how tough it is to stay comfortable while traveling.

I tried every travel pillow I could find, hoping for some relief—but nothing worked the way I needed it to. That’s when I decided to create my own. At FLOWZOOM, we focus on designing pillows that actually do what they’re supposed to: keep you comfortable and supported while you travel.

I’ve spent years figuring out what makes a great travel pillow. My goal is to make every trip easier for people who, like me, want to enjoy their journey without the aches and pains. I’m proud to share what I’ve learned through FLOWZOOM’s products and tips for better travel.

Here’s to making every trip a little more comfortable!

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