In case you didn’t already know this, Jesse possesses some interesting qualities inherited directly from the people who spawned him…he makes new friends wherever we go, exactly like his Grandma Ellen on his mom’s side, and his Grandpa Coyne on his dad’s. These two have perfected the art of being interested in everyone, and finding something in common with people who live completely different lives.
During our travels Jesse has made friends with waitresses, people on buses, lost backpackers, strangers on the street, Irish lads in a hostel, cab drivers, Chinese tour guides and anyone who speaks English–even a little. Two days ago he helped a lost family of very tall blond people from Colorado on the streets of Xi’an and invited them to find Indian food with us. They happily agreed and together we discovered we had lots in common and shared a great dinner and evening traipsing through the city.
World Expo in Shanghai was crowded, hot, confusing, and a bit discouraging until Jesse went up to the guard at the VIP entrance of Finland’s building, and asked him to call a girl we’d casually met on a boat a few days before. We knew her first name only, and couldn’t locate her hastily scrawled phone number. In a few moments a charming girl who had only been told that a tall boy who looked like a Viking was asking for her came out to meet us. She took us on a private tour complete with interesting details and inside info.
There are countless more examples of how Jesse’s innate friendliness has made this trip more fun and further spread the truth that Americans are not ugly or egocentric, but helpful and interested in other’s lives. He asks questions, making them feel he genuinely wants to know about them–which he does. Take him with you if you are planning a trip. He reads maps, navigates new territory with his iPhone and carries bags too!
#1 written by Dennis June 24th, 2010 at 23:56
I’m not willing to discuss that hat–racist.
Heart
Dennis