[merci]

The nicest, loveliest thing happened. Perhaps that is the wrong way to introduce what I am going to say. Was it the nicest thing ever? No. Loveliest? No. Surprising? Yes. Especially considering the country I am in.

The Swiss are great people, love them, but when it comes to helping someone with their own business and problems, the Swiss tend to keep to themselves.

I had just met up with Okan and we were going to catch the tram back to his place so I could drop off my belongings. Dragging around a suitcase all day is not much fun.

So it came time to pay but I had no coins, all I had was a 20 Frank note and a 200 Frank note. I also wasn’t sure how to use the machine that I needed to get my ticket. It wasn’t like the normal automats that you use to get a ticket. This machine gave tickets specifically for the city of Geneva and the surrounding region. Okan had a GA, a travel pass, so he had never needed to use the machine.

The tram was coming soon and I wasn’t sure what to do. The machine gave no change. I didn’t know what I needed. Then, an older woman next to it pushed a few buttons, put in her cash card, printed out a ticket and handed it to me. She then proceeded to take my 20 Frank note and counted change back into my hand in Italian.

She was quite the blessing to me right there and then at that moment.