Traveling around the world is amazing! We get to see so much and discover more of what God has created. We get to dive into different cultures and start to understand them a little deeper. We are able to fellowship with many people and make connections wherever we go.
However, being an American with blonde hair and blue eyes, I tend to stand out a little more within these cultures. My complexion is like a beacon for everyone to see, and, since they do not see Americans like me every day, I become the next celebrity.
Now if you know me, I have never intended to be famous in any way. I like to work behind the scenes and let the real actors take the stage. However, here I am in multiple cultures taking pictures with too many people to count. I am honestly curious how many pictures of my face are now scattered all over this world.
Here are just a few of the MANY “famous” stories from Ethiopia, Oman, and Turkey:
ETHIOPIA:
On arrival at our new place, we all like to look around and see what’s all around the area. Well, near our house lies a two-story grocery store that Sarah and I went to explore. As Sarah was checking out, I decided to take a look up the stairs. Only when I started to go back down my foot slipped and I slid hitting the trashcans displayed on the side! I froze for a second thinking the crash wasn’t so loud, only to look up and see every eye staring up at me. I turned red in the face and gave a quick thumbs up to say I was okay. The guards at the door and the cashier were holding in their laughter as I left. And every time I came back to that store, the guard would laugh and point at the stairs!!
After lunch one day, I was washing my hands outside in the basin. Three schoolgirls came skipping by, so I smiled and waved at them as they passed. I watched as they kept walking, and then one of the girls broke away from the group to come back to me. She held out her arm as through she wanted a hug and she pulled me down to kiss me on the cheek! I was just traditionally greeted in Ethiopia, I felt so honored!!
As Saha and I were running the Great Ethiopian Race, a man ran next to us and told me that I am a good runner! For those who know me, I am not the best runner. I said thank you and watched him run ahead. I thought that would be the last time I saw him in the sea of green, yet again he reappeared. This time in the best African accent, he said, “I give you my liver!”
OMAN:
On the plane ride to Oman, a woman asked me for my aisle seat and, since it wasn’t going to be a long flight, I moved to the middle. This woman then proceeded to take pictures with me and rapping her arm around my shoulders. I wondered if this was the main reason why she took my seat. As we took flight, she proceeded to lift the armrest that was between us and bent over to rest her head on my knee for the rest of the flight! Like, what!?
We had our debrief in the middle of nowhere, but we were told there was a fruit stand not far. Well, as Bella and I set off one night in search for it, we were quite confused on where to go. We tried asking a woman walking by, but she didn’t understand and just kept going. Then we saw a man leaving Domino’s and decided to try asking him. He could speak English rather well and, after looking around the area, he told us to jump in his car where he would take us to the fruit store. At first, we were a little taken aback, but then saw his wife in the car and thought it would be alright. We hopped in and he started driving and talking to us about taking a taxi back. We wondered how far this fruit place really was! We had to laugh at what a predicament we had gotten ourselves in! We ended up not too far from our hotel thankfully and while walking back, we ran into the woman who we spoke to first.
As we were walking down some steep stairs to a sink hole, I stopped as someone was taking a picture. I waited, smiled at them, then proceeded to walk down the stairs. However, one of the people called me over to stand in the middle of their picture!
Kids played on the village streets all the time and they were brave to speak but timid to come near. One evening, I was trying to give a high five to some timid kids who were giggling while pushing their brothers in front of them towards me. From nearby, we heard a door creak open and a man walked out asking us to come in for tea and coffee. We said yes and stayed in a room full of people for hours!
Our Nepali Uncle invited us to his family’s house for lunch one day while we were in Muscat. We sat down as we talked to the many people in the room. They brought out a plate of chicken and a plate of veggies. We ate only to find out they would bring more and more and more! In total, we had 5 plates of each then they served us rice and dal! We were as full as can be!
TURKEY:
As Rebecca and I were walking home one night, we had our heads down and telling stories about our life. Ahead of us were two men walking away and, as I looked down at the ground then back up, there were two men coming toward us! They were two afghani men who had turned around to come talk to us. They proceeded in taking selfies with us, then began to walk away only to come back for another picture!
Stopping in a jewelry store with some friends, I had contracted a terrible disease of the hiccups. The owner of the store brings out a clear shot glass of what I think to be water. Surprisingly the hiccups were gone in minutes, maybe there was some unknown cure inside that glass.
Whiling waiting for our bus, some girls on my squad began to speak through a translator to some of the locals waiting in the warmth. One man spoke many languages except for English! After they had spoken to him, he got up and left only to return with a bag full of bread danishes. It didn’t stop there, he also pulled out all the fruit from his bag and handed it to us. We got a orange that was as sour as a lemon. It sure did make us pucker!
Being famous is not easy, and at times becomes a little taxing. However, we always chose to be interrupted and show a little kindness to someone. You never know, maybe this little interaction made that person’s day. Maybe when they look back at that moment, they see Jesus.
With Love from Your Traveling Celebrity,
Laura Leigh Armstrong
