In which Noelle says "yes" where she would've said "no" in the past

So, today I was at Kyobo Bookstore. I had just finished purchasing another 3 books to add to my ridiculously large library in Korea. (How can I possibly justify lugging around 50+ books around the world?) I was walking out of the store when a man approached me and asked if I was an English teacher. I said I was and he asked if I'd be kind enough to help him with a VISA application. Now, normally people would apologize and say they didn't have time. I was about to explain how I was really sorry, but busy. However, I caught myself. His demeanor implied a normal guy who honestly needed help. I thought about how brave he was to ask for help from a foreigner in the first place. He must have gone to Kyobo in hopes of finding a person willing to help out a stranger. Having just read Yes Man by Danny Wallace, I made the decision to do just that.

I edited and helped format his cover letter, while he explained how he wanted to go to New Zealand for a 4-week language program. After the program, he told me, he is going to go back to his native Pakistan and open an English language institute in his hometown. So, we sat there for about an hour, fixing his application materials, and he offered to buy me dinner. We went to Itaewon where there happened to be a damn good Pakistani restaurant and ate to our hearts' content. I have the leftovers in my fridge. At the end of the meal we drank real chai tea. *Sigh. It was fantastic.

Khan, as he calls himself, gave me his contact information in Pakistan, you know, just in case I found my way there. I happily took it because, you know, I might find my way there. I have a tendency of making friends in foreign countries and taking them up in their offers of hospitality.

I'm happy I said, "yes," when I normally would've said, "no." Khan was "praying for an angel" to help him out, and I was happy to oblige...though I'm no angel. It just goes to show that most people in this world aren't creeps; they just want to work things out and live contentedly. This includes myself. Tonight, I'll sleep well with good food in my belly and an addition to my "if I ever feel the need to go somewhere new" address book.