04/02/2019
Ulfat shared this amazing airport story! It is encounters like this that prove the need for a service like Airportpros - please share here if you have similar stories!
Enjoy the read and thank you Ulfat for sharing:
“I’m east African, in my 20s. When exiting a landed flight from Ethiopia to Toronto, an old African couple sitting two aisles away, kept probing other passengers to get my attention. It was loud and there was a lot of movement. When I finally caught their eyes, the woman was speaking but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. I assumed it was just a greeting; out of courtesy, I smiled and waved, then turned back to my phone, waiting to walk out of the plane. Again, the person behind me tapped my shoulder "do you know them?" I looked to see the woman still trying to communicate.
I made sure to meet her right outside the plane so I could hear her out. That’s when she greeted me in my foreign language "Habari yako?" I was surprised! How could she tell I understood swahili? She proceeded to ask for my assistance around the airport, through customs, because she couldn’t write or read english and her husband was on a wheelchair. Seeing as I had reached my destination, I understood how intimidating Toronto’s airport could be for them. I was more than happy to help them maneuver the airport and fill out their forms!
Although there were assistants at the airport, I realized it was much easier for the old Kenyan couple to communicate and connect with a stranger from a familiar background.”
