I‘ve heard that public institutions abroad(not in Japan) are child-friendly.
Although I’ve never been to that country before, I got to experience it for the first time on that day.
I returned from my hometown airport to Tokyo on a budget flight. Since it was a low-cost option, I was taken to a terminal that resembled a warehouse. After the long journey, I was exhausted, but I had a chance encounter with a wonderful foreigner on a complimentary shuttle bus within the airport.
A foreign young woman, probably a college student, with an adorable outfit sat next to me. In no time, the remaining seats were also filled. Following her, a little girl boarded the shuttle. Unable to find a seat, she held onto the handrail, trying to steady herself. After a long flight, we were now making a long-distance journey within the airport premises.
At that moment, the foreign woman next to us gave the little girl’s shoulder a gentle tap and gestured, “Would you like to sit on my lap?”
I couldn’t determine whether she was from Taiwan, China, or South Korea, but her kind offer was heartwarming.
The Japanese little girl, unaccustomed to the kindness of sitting on a stranger’s lap, seemed puzzled. However, her mother conveyed the message, “Say thank you and go ahead, you can sit.” With her mother’s encouragement, the girl timidly accepted the offer, not on the woman’s lap but in a small space beside her.
Being equally unfamiliar with such situations, I wanted to convey to this foreign woman that I thought she was doing something wonderful. So, with a smile, I shifted my belongings and although I didn’t have any practical way to assist, I expressed my desire to help through my demeanor.
While I had never been to that country before, I got to experience it for the first time on that day.