A Summer Holiday Encounter Leads to an Unexpected Friendship with My German Teacher

One morning this summer holiday, I was running on the road when I saw an elderly foreign lady waving her phone at me, speaking to me in' foreign language. Obviously, she didn't speak English at all. When I listened to her more carefully, I found she was speaking German. She was clearly lost and trying to walk to the house where she lived. She showed me screen shots of maps on her phone as if she wanted me to help her find her way home. Actually, I learned some German in my spare time because our school will have German classes the next term. However, I was so poor at it that it was almost useless in practice. I studied nearby and I knew my classmate, Lisa, who was good at speaking German. So I decided to telephone her. 'Hi, Lisa. I came across a German lady. Do you have time to come and act as a translator now?' I said and then sent her my location. Unfortunately, Lisa answered, 'Sorry, Belle. I'm shopping now. I can reach your place in about half an hour.' Hearing that, I had to tell her that I could manage myself.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind. I downloaded a translation app and used the voice function to translate what the lady said into English. Just in this way, I learned that she came here to visit her daughter who was new to the city to teach. And I also determined the address she needed to get to. It was not far from here to her house, so I offered to walk with her to her destination. She was greatly grateful to me and kept saying sorry for taking my time.

When we got to the house, her daughter just came back. She was as touched by my kindness as her mother. I kept reminding her that it was no trouble for me, and that I only intended to make sure her mother got there safely.

Walking with the lady was more rewarding than running alone. Despite having to rely on technology to communicate due to the language barrier, I felt lucky to have been able to help her. When I left, I couldn't wait to share the wonderful experience with Lisa.

No sooner had I picked up my phone than Lisa called me.

While I was talking to the German lady, I felt like I had heard the dialect in her accent before, but I couldn’t quite place it. As I was deep in thought, Lisa’s voice interrupted my musings.

'Hey Belle, I’m on my way now. Where are you guys?'

I quickly explained the situation to Lisa, informing her that we had already arrived at the lady’s daughter’s house. She expressed her relief and inquired about how everything went.

'Surprisingly, yes,' I replied. 'Using a translation app, I managed to understand her and guide her to the correct location. It turned out to be quite an adventure!'

Lisa chuckled on the other end of the line. 'You never cease to amaze me, Belle. Your determination and resourcefulness always shine through. I’m glad everything turned out well.'

When the German teacher entered the classroom in the new term, I felt like I had seen her somewhere before. Her face seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. As she started introducing herself and talking about her background, I realized why she looked so familiar. She was the daughter of the elderly German lady I had helped during the summer holiday!

I couldn't believe the coincidence. It was a wonderful surprise to see the teacher's gratitude in her eyes when she recognized me. She approached me after class and thanked me once again for helping her mother find her way home that day.

We chatted for a while, and she expressed her appreciation for my kindness and resourcefulness. She mentioned that her mother had shared the story with her and how grateful she was that I had been there to assist.

It was a heartwarming moment, and I felt a sense of fulfillment knowing that my small act of kindness had made a positive impact not only on the elderly lady but also on her daughter. From that day forward, the teacher and I developed a special bond, and she often offered me extra help with my German studies.

I couldn't have imagined that a chance encounter during my summer holiday would lead to such a meaningful connection. It just goes to show that sometimes, the smallest acts of kindness can create unexpected and beautiful relationships.