Gal Markovitz

People you meet

I used to travel a lot across the world. It was mine as I traveled alone. The only problem was that I am from Israel. I don’t think it’s really an issue for everyone, but you hear enough scary stories, and you know your status. Being a Jew sucks, and being from Israel makes it even harder. You think that somebody in London speaks Arabic? Don’t tell him you’re from Israel. Someone in Hong Kong is looking funny at your passport? That’s probably because you’re from Israel. Don’t speak Hebrew. Don’t put any sign of who you are. Don’t make the unspeakable happen.

But life is not always as scary as they seem. And if somebody in Tokyo enters the train with a big bag, it is not a bomb.  When a nice man tells you he is from Lebanon, and that he once was in Tel Aviv, you are not supposed to run, but to talk to him. Things are never black and white. Know the people around you and listen to them. They might surprise you.