A 23-year-old traveler and two newly acquainted companions found unexpected kindness during their recent road trip to Vancouver, where they aimed to experience the final days of the city’s 1986 World Expo. The trio’s first stop was a major reception center, where they faced a staggering scene. It was filled with other people who were diving on the ground trying to find cover.
Picture this – our young traveller recently came to Canada from the US with their mom and her sister. They had been planning to share the Expo experience with their family. Their friends were scheduled to depart on vacation the following day. This would leave the traveler in the care of two new strangers they had just encountered. As evening drew closer, the need for respite became all the more pressing, especially as the reception center was close to closing its doors for the night.
As soon as we arrived, the shelter was filled to capacity with people trying to get an emergency home. The mood was fearful as the delegation weighed their next move. At one point, they even thought about sleeping in their vehicle. That notion really freaked me out. At that time, in the middle of that circle, an African American woman from the center stood up. She produced a map showing her fellow Vancouver (un)licensed emergency accommodation providers. This list really became the shot of hope in an otherwise very dark storm.
With only moments to spare before the center would no longer be open to the invited public, our traveler and fellow explorers rushed into judgment about their new surroundings. The very real possibility of sleeping in their vehicle had been hanging over them, but that woman’s idea changed everything. Feeling a sense of both anxiety and excitement, they made their move. From there, they contacted one of the registered residents on offer their stay.
In a lucky one, they got good responses from the local homeowners who were willing to host them. This spontaneous kindness allowed them to book a hotel room for the night. It alleviated their fears of needing to sleep in their car that night.
The traveler’s first circle of friends likely returned back home for their holiday. Still, this unexpected connection with other travelers offered solace in uncertain times. Warm welcomes from unfamiliar friends provided cover in an extraordinary moment of solidarity in Vancouver’s history. As serendipitous as this introduction was, it had a lasting impact of creating new friendships.