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Do I Lack Compassion? Have I Forgotten What It’s Like To Be Alone In A Foreign Country?
It depends on who you ask
I recently wrote about an American tourist, Angela, who recorded a TikTok video about her unhappy experience in Lyon, France. I thought that she should have been more accepting of the uncertainties that come with foreign travel and suggested that she view obstacles as part of the adventure rather than cause for complaint.
Although most of the responses I received agreed with my take, others thought that I should have shown more compassion. Had I never known a bad day when everything went wrong and I just wanted to cry? Couldn’t I just see that Angela was young and inexperienced? And, ultimately, was I not just capitalising on her viral video by writing a critical article about her?
Ouch.
Time for a little introspection. In answer to those questions — yes, I’ve had more than a few bad days when everything went wrong and I just wanted to cry. Even after ten years in France, they still happen although, fortunately, less often.
I’ve written about a few of them. Like this excerpt from a piece about a particularly bad day shortly after I arrived.
At eight, I walk up to the butcher who also sells eggs. As I’m filling the paper bag, an…
