I’ve met many travelers while staying at hostels but it has not been the case every single time. Often times, I don’t get to meet a single person in one of the busiest hostels. I assume many factors are involved: my mood at the time, other people’s moods, the dynamic of the room, and the hostel’s vibe, etc.
But when I met these friends, it took us one second to start a conversation. Because the moment when I entered the room, Valeria, as she was coming out of the room, asked whether I was traveling alone, and suggested to hang out with them. Looking back, she might have thought that I was a poor lonely traveler, but even so, it was a great excuse for getting to meet them.
Sometimes, I sensed a slight language barrier among us, but I enjoyed the communication more thanks to the barrier – it felt good to be reminded that the quality of communication depends more on the genuine interests in and kindness to one another, but less on the technical means to it.
I also enjoyed learning more about their country, Belarus, where I had visited twice for work, before embarking on this travel. I hope the requirements for visiting Belarus gets more generous soon, so that I am more likely to meet you in your country the next time!
Valeria, Olga (Belarus)
@Copenhagen, Denmark, September 16, 2018
Photo credit: Olga
