I’ve been fortunate enough to never have my wallet stolen. Three times however, it appeared as if it this had indeed happened to me, and each time a simple act of kindness proved me wrong.
Samsun, Turkey: I stopped by the store on my way home after going to the gym, rummaged through my bag and realized my wallet wasn’t there. I backtracked and tried to see if I’d accidentally dropped it somewhere and even walked into a restaurant to see if anyone had picked it up, but couldn’t find it. I was absolutely convinced it had been stolen and this is what I told friend and colleagues. I turned out to be wrong. When I went back to the gym a few days later, an employee reached over the desk and handed me my bright red wallet with everything still inside. I had apparently left it in the locker room by accident and someone had picked it up and given it to the gym staff who recognized me from my driver’s license inside of it.
Nantong, China: I was in a hospital with some Chinese colleagues getting examined for what I eventually learned was a bacterial infection in my stomach. Since I kept having to take out cash to pay for the various procedures, I stopped putting my wallet back in my purse and started carrying it around in my hand. When I sat down and waited after a blood test, I set my wallet down next to me. Sick and distracted as I was, when I got up and walked away to see the results, I left my wallet on the chair. When I realized my mistake, I quickly went back for it, but it was gone. My Chinese friends even took me back to the security office to see if the “thief” had been caught on camera, but no cameras were pointed towards that spot. Based on my experience in Turkey, I insisted on leaving my phone number with the information desk should my wallet be found, even though the Chinese teachers with me were absolutely convinced it had been stolen and said there was no point.
The next morning, as I was sitting and waiting for the results of yet another test, I received a phone call. The person tentatively said she was calling on behalf of someone who had found my wallet but couldn’t speak English. I remained where I was while my colleague went and recovered my wallet, explaining that someone had picked it up with the intention of keeping it safe from thieves until they could return it. Again, I got it back with cash, cards and everything.
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: This time, I didn’t even have time to realize I had lost my wallet before it was returned to me. I had paid for a guided tour and was driven out to the river and back again in a small van. I arrived back from the tour a bit late as we had stayed out long enough to see the fireflies. I took a shower and was sitting on my laptop in my night clothes when I heard an insistent knock on my door. I was slightly irritated as I was drowsy from the long day and the person kept knocking again and again. I relented and opened the door to be met by the hostel owner and the van driver. The driver handed me my bright red wallet. The hostel owner, who spoke good English, explained I had dropped my wallet on the floor of the van. The driver had recognized my picture on the license and had driven back to the hostel where he had dropped me off to return it.
Once again, it was returned to me with everything still inside.
What I learned from this: Going abroad is often accompanied by all manner of precautions. It is viewed as something full of risk that is meant for the bold and courageous. However, I was left to question this seriously after losing my wallet three times in three different countries. In the city in the USA where I went to college, I knew people who stopped carrying their wallet on their person because it was stolen so many times. In the dormitory where I was living, only accessible with a student ID card, I had property stolen from me at least 3 times.
And yet in three different countries, with three very distinctive and unique cultures, my wallet was returned to me with a large amount of cash still inside and my bank cards untouched.
The outside world is a far less scary and threatening place than we often make it out to be. In fact, you may find a lot of people far more anxious to give you their care and protection by virtue of the fact that you are a stranger in a strange land, not in spite of it.
Autobiography
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These are some really great stories of people’s kindness. While travellers (and students!) should exercise caution while abroad, especially in terms of keeping money and ID safe, it is good to be reminded that not everyone is out to get you.
I really like your last line: You may find a lot of people far more anxious to give you their care and protection by virtue of the fact that you are a stranger in a strange land, not in spite of it.
Let’s all live that way, can we?
These are great stories. Thank you for the reminder that their are still good people on this messed up earth