Travel Story: "No Hablo Español"

The El Paso airport was teeming with life. Long security lines snaking through corridors, a few travelers upbeat about their impending adventures, while others weary from their long travels.

Airports are not my favorite places to grab a meal. But, on this particular Wednesday morning, I had no alternative. I pulled out a chair and set my heavy backpack on the floor at an unexciting breakfast joint.

Half heartedly, I ordered something off of the menu, hoping it would quiet the obnoxious growls from my stomach. While waiting for the food to arrive, I glanced around.

The restaurant was empty for the most part. The tall, heavy set woman two tables down from me caught my attention. Curly black hair slicked back in a ponytail and wearing a comfortable sweatshirt - M looked like any other traveler. She was forking her meal down with one hand and peering over her phone with the other.

The table next to her was occupied by a mother and her 2 teenage children. They were conversing in Spanish, and from the looks of it, having a hard time communicating with the server.

I could hear the server say, "No Hablo Español! " , "No Hablo Español! " repeatedly, to the frustrated family.

"No Hablo Español! " loosely translates to "I do not speak Spanish! "

Observing the struggle, M stepped in to help. The story would have ended here, if not for the fact that M did not speak Spanish herself. After a few futile attempts at interpreting the English menu for the family, she called a bilingual friend.

The three way communication between the family, the 'phone a friend' , and M is the essence of this story. In the ensuing conversation about burger and fries and how much this cost and that, I noted an ease in the demeanor of the family - an ebbing of built up tension, a smile on M's face, and the formation of an instant bond between strangers, who did not speak the same language.

In a world that is constantly telling us how different we are, it was a gentle reminder that human connection defies the preconceived notions and boundaries that we draw.

On my way out, I stopped by M's table to appreciate her for going the extra mile to assist the family. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I've been to over 30 countries. Travel has taught me that with genuine intent, connection simply follows. "

I could not have agreed more.