So What is Random Act of Kindness?
A random act of kindness is an unprompted and selfless deed done for the benefit of another person. It could be as simple as holding the door open for a stranger or as grand as paying for their coffee out of the goodness of your heart. The defining characteristic of a random act of kindness is that it is performed for no other reason than the pure joy of helping another person. These good deeds, it is thought, create a domino effect on the community, prompting others to follow suit and increasing the overall level of optimism. The goal of RAK is to improve the world via random acts of kindness.
In August 2022, I landed in Malaysia via Philippine Airlines and had a hassle-free flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur. From the airport, I booked a Grab ride straight to the hotel that my company arranged for me in Brickfields, KL (Scotts Hotel) for a two-week stay.
After checking in around lunchtime, I ventured outside to find a place to eat. I was delighted to discover that the area where I was staying was an Indian-Malaysian community, and as someone who loves Indian and Malaysian cuisine, I was excited to explore the local food scene. I noticed numerous vegetarian and banana leaf restaurants serving a variety of delicious curries, biryanis, rotis, and tandooris.
I walked into a banana leaf restaurant to decide what to order, and a friendly guy struck up a conversation with me. As someone who easily strikes up conversations, I was happy to chat with him. We both ordered our food, and to my surprise, he paid for my meal at the counter.
We had a pleasant conversation while enjoying our lunch, and I learned that he was knowledgeable about other countries’ histories, like me. Although he introduced himself, I unfortunately forgot his name, and I was unable to take a photo with him as he was a bit shy.
On my first day in Malaysia, I experienced a kind gesture from a stranger, which was a warm welcome for me and one of my most memorable experiences in a foreign country.
And because of that, I will always have good memories with Malaysia.
Terima Kasih Malaysia!
