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A Lost and Found Gift
While shopping some days ago, I noticed that the store was totally decorated for St. Valentine's Day. Hearts of all possible sizes, pink and red candies, romantic candles, gifts, and cards were everywhere. In combination with light music, it created a sweet atmosphere, and love was in the air. That reminded me of how we saved one couple’s love and faith in humanity in a little lost and found room in Kyiv.
It happened four years ago, just before February 14, when one of our passengers brought a gift to the lost and found room. Tamara, who was working there, took an item, filled out the special application, as required, and put the box on the shelf. Usually, all the things are waiting for their owners for 6 months, and if nobody comes, they need to be destroyed. A lot of people forget to call and ask about lost items, so many important things never get back to their owners. However, that box had another story.
Tamara called my department and reported on a special item. She told my assistant that the box was so nice and packed with love that if there was any possibility of finding an owner, she kindly asked us to use it.
Here it is important to add that I was head of the Marketing and Communication Department. We decided to write a post about the box on our social media. My assistant made some nice photos, we prepared a text, and I posted. “We believe in love as much as you do, our followers! Let’s find the owner of this present together! "It looks like someone prepared a special gift for a special day," was written there. The magic started then. People were reposting our text at the speed of light.
The next day, we received a message from a young man who was ensuring that he was the owner. On February 15, he came with his girlfriend. When he saw the box, his eyes started shining with happiness, and he told us a story. That young man had been working extra hours for some months to buy a wedding ring for his fiancée. A day before their special evening, he bought the best ring, packed it carefully in the box, and was going home. Unfortunately, he was so tired that he fell asleep on the metro train. Suddenly awakened at his stop, he ran out and forgot his gift. The special evening was spoiled, and he was just reading social media with his girlfriend instead of declaring love and starting a new period in their lives. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw our post reposted by one of his friends.
His faith in goodness and humanity was restored. Together, we opened the box in our tiny lost and found room at the metro station. The next moment, all my colleagues and I became the witnesses of the most heartfelt love declaration. She said, “Yes!”
Usually, in our everyday routine, we get cynical and close our hearts to goodness and faith. However, love is always in the air, and there is always someone who will help and support us if we believe. When I see the holiday decorations in the stores these days, I know that magic will happen if people are ready for it!
Written by: Nataliia Makohon
The Place I Will Never Forget
As a traveler, I have had the opportunity to visit many interesting and exciting places. However, there is one place that stands out as the most unforgettable. This place is Iran, a country that I visited with a friend for a personal photo project. My goal was to capture the essence of the Iranian people and their way of life.
We decided to travel to the deep east of Shiraz, a city that receives fewer tourists and is known for its natural beauty. However, finding a hotel and internet access proved to be a challenge. But I found a solution called Couchsurfing, an app that connects travelers with local hosts who provide a couch or bed for cultural exchange and to meet new people.
After some searching, I found a host who lived in a state park with his mother. They were kind enough to take us in, and we were the first Chinese guests they had ever had. To show our gratitude, we decided to share a special Chinese dish with them called hot pot. It's an extremely spicy soup with meat and vegetables. We set out to buy the ingredients to prepare the soup, and that's when we had the shock of our lives.
As we walked into the Iranian grocery store, we were greeted with a plethora of vegetables we had never seen before. Being a shopaholic, it was like a different kind of heaven I had never experienced. In an hour, we had already bought all the things we needed. And that's when we realized that we had spent more than $2,500,000 in local currency!
That's why I will never forget this trip, not only for the beautiful scenery and kind people we met but also for the unexpected and amusing experience we had in the grocery store. And I learned a valuable lesson. If you ever want to be a millionaire, going to Iran is easier than going to America.
Written by: Xin Liu
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