We have all experienced it, those ignorant people that you wish you could have just slapped in the face and told them to shove it… but we don’t because we have dignity and respect.
This is what I experienced today while walking the streets in Freiburg, Germany.
Today’s post is going to be a bit unusual and out of sorts compared to my usual posts. For those of you who know me, you probably know I don’t mind going through furniture junk and other people’s used goods. I am a queen for ‘thrifting’ and I can always spot the good deals! Gladly accepted and understood, many other people also love a little bargain hunting along the sides of streets. I decided to join a family of Slovenian’s while rummaging through another person’s junk (my treasures). After a nice table find, a few baskets and wooden hangers, I found something of particular interest to me… 4 classic Walt Disney German VHS movies. Again, perhaps your junk, my treasure. I knew I loved classic Walt Disney films, and I also knew I wanted to learn German… what could be more perfect? SCORE!
You know what this family had the nerve to say to me?
As I am proudly holding up my new used VHS movies to a friend, they take them from me. Yes, the father said some broken sentences in German (the only part I understood was ‘that’s mine’) and took the movies out of my hands. My heart broke a little inside because I immediately knew I would get better use out of them than anyone else. My second thought was that I don’t really NEED these but that was rather rude of him. My third thought was ‘what an asshole, who does that?’ And my final thought as I walked away was ‘why did I not just take back what was rightfully mine and slap that man in the face?’
As always, I shy away from confrontation and never stand up for myself. These are those moments in my life where I wish I had a little more of a backbone. I don’t care where you are from, who you were raised by or how old you are, you should always have respect for other people.
For everyone reading this, here are a few helpful tips while traveling:
- Always respect other cultures
- Always be polite when speaking to people
- Always avoid risk and dangerous situations at all costs
- Always ask questions if you don’t understand
- Follow tips 1 through 4 unless you are faced with an ignorant selfish person, which in that case… grow a backbone, stand up for yourself and then walk away with confidence.
Of course I wasn’t going to slap someone in the face, I wasn’t raised that way. However, I do still wish that I had of politely taken the films back from him and walked away with pride.
Is it too much to ask for people in this world to treat each other with a little respect?
Share your stories below in the comments section!
If you’re looking for some more travel tips, take a look at these 10 Inspirational Books to Inspire Sustainable Travel.
