Kindness Diaries (2017–2019): Season 1, Episode 10 - The Gift of Protection - full transcript

Are you wondering how healthy the food you are eating is? Check it - foodval.com
---
[Leon Logothetis] From a
distance, the world probably
seems

like a big, bad scary place.

If you listen to the news
or even ask the person next to
you,

they will likely talk about war,
poverty, corruption, and hate.

And they are right,
from a distance.

But, I believe that up close,
there is enough good, enough
love,

and enough pure kindness
to make the world go round,

and that is what
inspired my journey.

A journey where random acts
of kindness are repaid

with unexpected and
life-changing gifts.

And, these are The
Kindness Diaries.



-Thank you. Goodbye.
-Bye!

Off to Thailand.

[Leon] On my last
day in Calcutta,

I found out that the Burmese
borders were being closed,

which left me with no way
to get to Thailand.

I cannot get a visa to cross
into Burma, into Thailand,

which means that the only way
I can get to Thailand is by
ship.

I'’ve arranged, with my friends
who got me from New York to
Barcelona,

to get on a ship from
Calcutta to Thailand.

[Leon] Though it took me
the long way around Malaysia,

I was grateful to make it
into Thailand safely.

Thailand, thank you for
welcoming me, and I hope lots of
kindness awaits.

[Leon] Famous the world
over for its beaches,

I decided my first stop would
be the coastal town of Pattaya.



To think that I started this
journey right next to the
Pacific Ocean...

and here I am in
the South China Sea.

[Leon] After my swim, my next
priority was finding some food.

-Hey, do you speak English?
-[man] Oh, yes.

-Hey, how are you?
-You hungry?

Yes.

Spring roll you can have
everywhere, but this, bons...

[Leon] Yeah? OK. Bit
of a Swiss accent.

Yeah. I work many
years in Switzerland.

[Leon] I thanked my
Swiss friend for the food

and set off to find a
place to stay for the night.

It wasn't long before I met
an Australian family on
vacation.

So, I'’m wondering what
you guys are doing here.

You don'’t look Thai.

I'’ve just spent,
what was it, six days at sea?

So I need some excitement.

Well, these boys were thinking
of going bungee jumping,

so why don'’t you come with us?

-They want to go bungee jumping?
-They want to go.

-Really?
-Yeah.

-You'’re not scared at all?
-No.

[Leon] He might not
have been nervous, but...

I don'’t know if this is a wise
idea. We'’ll know very soon.

[Leon] I... was definitely
having second thoughts.

I feel like I'’m being
weighed for my execution.

[Leon] As we climbed
all the way to the top,

I got more and more nervous.

And when I stepped
out onto the platform,

I ... Just... froze.

But then...

[crowd cheering]

It'’s madness! It's pure madness.

[Leon] I was happy
that I overcame my fear...

And the only way I could do it
was, when I jumped, I said,

"I'’ve had a good life."

[Leon] and made sure I cheered
on the boys when it was their
turn.

[Leon] Whoaaaa!

Don'’t look down!

Go on, yes!

He did it!

[chuckles]

All right!

Yeah! Aaah!

He did it!

[chuckles]

[Leon] But as to the question
of whether the experience was
fun,

I think my young
friend said it best.

-Was it fun?
-No, no!

How could people get
entertainment out of that!

[Leon] But, at least, I would
always have this to remember it
by.

"Leon Logothetis...

has bravely and successfully
bungee jumped

from a height of 60 meters."

Oh, man.

So, I'’d like to thank you
all for your generosity.

-Thank you very, very much.
-Thank you.

[Leon] Soon after my feet
were back on the ground,

they were pounding the pavement

as it was time to find a place
to stay for the night.

It seems that a lot of Thai
people don'’t want to stop and
talk to me.

Why would that be?

It'’s a... I think it's a
cultural thing as much as
anything.

There'’s a certain
shyness with Thai people.

Can I stay in your
house tonight?

Oh...

I think not allowed
here... maybe.

In a hotel?
You want to stay in a hotel?

Well, I don'’t have any money.

I have some money
I can give you.

Oh, man, that'’s really kind.
I can'’t accept money.

All right, man, thank you.
I'’m just happy that you spoke
English.

[Leon] Unfortunately,
I wasn't having very much luck.

Worst case scenario
I'’ll sleep on the beach.

-Yes. It's nice on the beach.
-Yes.

Look, obviously I haven'’t found
a place to stay, it's getting
dark.

I'’m just going to ask if
I can stay in the hotel.

The worst thing they
can do is say no.

[woman] What day you
have money? Tomorrow?

-[Leon] No, no money.
-[woman] No money?

[woman] I call police?

[Leon] Call the police? No, no,
no. I don'’t want to call the
police.

It'’s... it's okay. Don'’t worry.
Thank you so much.

She couldn'’t comprehend what it
meant that I didn'’t have any
money.

She was like, "900 baht."
I'’m like, "I don't have any
money."

900 baht.

Then she became quite sweet,
actually, and she really thought

that I was in trouble and
she wanted to call the police.

And I said, "No, no, no. Don'’t
worry. Please don'’t call the
police."

[Leon] But, in the end,
it just wasn'’t going to happen.

There is no hope for me
except sleeping on the beach.

Ah, this is my
bed for the night.

You know, the last time I
couldn'’t find a place to stay, I
was in India,

which wasn'’t much fun...

and, believe or not, Lake Como.

But it could be a
lot worse than this.

I'’ve got the stars, I've got
the water, I'’ve got the beach.

And I'’m very, very tired.

[Leon] The next day,
it seemed the rising sun

had brought with it
a change of fortune

because I had no trouble at
all meeting a nice tourist

who offered to fill up my tank
as I set out for Bangkok.

[Leon] I am walking on the world
famous Khao San Road in Bangkok,
Thailand.

This place is a Mecca
for backpackers.

Literally thousands of people a
year start off their South Asian
journeys

from this exact road.

[Leon] My hope was to connect
with some kindred spirits who
would be able to help.

-How long have you been in
Thailand? -I just arrived
yesterday.

Really? And how long
are you here for?

-Five months.
-Five months?

Is there any way that you
can see in your Dutch heart

to give me a place to stay?

Literally I will stay on
the floor of your hotel.

Eh, no.

[Leon] Fortunately, it wasn'’t
long before I met these two.

Okay, well, we'’re about to
go and catch some lunch.

We'’ve been in Bangkok for a bit
now. Do you want to come with
us?

Oh, I'’d absolutely
love to come with you.

-Kindness of our hearts and all
that. -I didn'’t want to impose
myself on you.

[woman] You just have
to carry our bags.

[Leon] I will carry your bags.

Are you comfortable?

-Yeah. I like to have you by my
side. -[Leon chuckles]

[Leon] With a full
meal in my stomach,

I decided to take a short detour
and visit one of Thailand'’s most
significant sites.

I decided to come
to the Island of Temples,

the land of the kings.

The old capital of
Thailand, Ayutthaya.

When I come to
monuments like this,

monuments that have been
around for hundreds of years,

and I get the opportunity
to be here by myself,

I get to reflect on my life,
and this is a place to do that.

I feel completely alone,

and I don'’t mean that in a bad
way, I mean that in a good way.

I mean it in the
way of solitude.

[Leon] Back in Bangkok, I found
myself wandering around a local
food market.

It was unlike anything
I had ever seen before.

I will not be eating this.

I have a fascination
with markets.

Whenever I travel, I try and
make sure that I go to a market.

You would never imagine
this in the western world.

So much opportunity, so many
options, and it goes on and on
and on and on.

[Leon] All that food
was getting me hungry,

but I wasn'’t having very much
luck because of the language
barrier.

Do you speak English?

No.

Excuse me. Do you speak English?

No?

[Leon] But luckily I made a new
friend in a local man named
A'’dan.

-Excuse me, do you speak
English? -Yes, sir, a little
bit.

-Oh, you do speak English.
Great. -Yes, sir.

-I'’m traveling around the
world... -Yes, sir.

Relying on kindness.

And I'’m very, very hungry.

[Leon] He was kind enough to
organize a meal of local
delicacy...

-Is this for me?
-Yes.

[Leon] that was as
tasty as it was hot.

[Leon gasping]

Ohhh!

[A'dan] Spicy.

[Leon] I wanted to know more
about the kindness I felt all
around me.

Thank you very much.

I was told today that
Thailand is the land of smiles.

Why do Thai people
like to smile?

Good luck, for happy!

Oh. So they smile
because it'’s good luck.

Yes, so happy, for nice
to meet you, for everything.

[Leon] After lunch, I thanked
A'’dan and was back on the road,

thanks to a generous donation
of gas from a kind couple.

Later, I crossed the
border into Cambodia.

The sun was out,
the sky was blue,

and I was very excited
because of my next stop.

World famous Angkor Wat.

Ever since I was a kid,
I'’ve wanted to come here.

Kindness 1 came to the gates
of this magnificent place...

and then I found out you
have to pay. Whaa?!

Now, I didn'’t realize you have
to pay to get into Angkor Wat.

So, I can'’t go any
further than here

unless I find a very nice
German lady to buy me a ticket.

-Okay.
-Yes?!

-Yes.
-Can I give you a hug?

-Yeah!
-Oh, thank you so much.

[Leon] Angkor Wat is not only
the largest religious monument
in the world,

it is also, perhaps, the
greatest example of temple
architecture

in existence today.

It'’s about a thousand years old,
and at the height of its
prestige,

one million people
were supported in this vicinity.

At that time, my home city of
London supported 50,000 people.

[Leon] And although
I could have spent days

exploring the incredible
structures and grounds,

I had to remind myself
that I needed to make sure

I found food and
lodging for the night.

Luckily, I happened upon
a couple of friendly travelers.

-Where are you from?
-I'm from London.

London? We're from America.

How did you manage to
find your way here?

We're missionaries.

-Oh, okay.
-And we'’re doing a thing called

the World Race.

Oh, what'’s that?

You go to 11 countries
for a month in each country.

[Leon] What have you learnt
on your travels?

I'’ve learned a lot about love.

Just loving on people,
and how love can change lives.

I guess just by being born,
the gift of life

and how in the western
civilization, how much we take
for granted.

Don'’t you find that the kids
in these kind of countries

have so much joy in their eyes,

-yet they don'’t have
materialistic stuff? -None.

Yet, at home, we have so much
materialism and yet we have so
little joy.

Yup. We've definitely
learned that "less is more."

[Leon] It turned out that my new
friends were part of a much
larger group,

and then these generous young
people extended their kindness
even further.

We would love to offer a place
for you to stay tonight.

We have a hostel,
so if you have nowhere to stay,

we'’d love to take you in
and give you some food.

[laughter]

Thank you, man.
I'’m gonna give everyone a hug.

Thank you, thank you.
Thank you so much.

[Leon] That night, a clean bed
and a hot shower

was the ultimate kindness.

The next day, I was back out
on the road heading east.

And after a couple
of hours, I pulled over

when I needed a break
and something to eat.

Can I have some food?

-Hungry?
-Yes.

[speaking Khmer]

-Yeah.
-I have no money, though.

Yeah, yeah.

[Leon] Thank you. Thank you.

It never ceases to amaze me,
the small acts of kindness that
people do.

I mean, this lady didn'’t have
to feed me, but she did.

-You're welcome.
-Thank you, thank you.

-Thank you.
-Yes.

Thank you so much.

How are you?
My name'’s Leon. What's your
name?

Amah?

-Hey, what is your name?
-My name is Bangya.

Bangya, how are you?
Don't forget, never stop
learning.

Hi.

Okay, kids, have fun.

I was driving and I saw these
kids waving at me so I thought
I'd stop.

May I help you,
have something to help you?

Actually, I had some food.

I stopped off over there
and they gave me some food.

But I need to find
somewhere to stay tonight.

[Leon] Sophea offered
to take me to her village

and find me a place to stay.

I gladly accepted.

It was not what I was expecting.

We get the water from this well.

Okay. So this is the only water
supply of the whole village?

Yes, yes.

No.

[Leon] Amongst the collection
of small modest homes,

one structure stood
out from the rest.

Is her husband out in
the fields working?

No.

Her husband pass on

last... 3 years ago.

-Her husband died?
-Yes.

How did her husband die?

By HIV.

-HIV?
-Yes.

Now she cannot do
anything, she get the illness.

She is infected
with HIV as well?

What about her son?

Her son no have.

[Leon] Not have HIV.
And how does she support
herself?

How does she eat?

[speaking Khmer]

[speaking Khmer] Relatives,
nephews and nieces.

The food they find is from
catching fish. They put fish
trap.

They share to us bit by bit,
and it is left for two meals.

-Her relatives give her food?
-Yes.

-That'’s the only way she can
eat? -Yes.

-And she lives in this house?
-Yes.

So, what happens when it rains?

[in Khmer] The rain
comes from this way

and I cover my children
with that mattress.

When the rain stops, we remove
the mattress and put on the
mosquito net.

[Sophea] She always
get wet from the rain.

-She gets wet.
-Yes.

And what about her young boy?
He gets wet as well?

[speaking Khmer]

Yes. Sometimes cry.

-Sometimes cries when it rains.
-Yes.

[Leon] And yet, despite
her own circumstances,

she still tried to help me.

Where do they go to the toilet?

The toilet.

[in Khmer] What do you
do when you defecate?

[in Khmer] To defecate, we dig.
Dig and bury near the house.

-So where...
-Just go to the field.

-They go to the fields.
-Yes.

-Behind the house?
-Yes.

[Leon] How does she feel
being the only one in the
village

that doesn'’t have a house?

[in Khmer] See, my
hut'’s like this?

Every time people come
to visit, they will see

plates and cooker scattered
around, stepped over by
chickens.

I do not have a
kitchen like others.

Two of us, mother and
son, are very poor.

I don'’t have enough milled rice.

We eat only porridge
when I cannot earn.

We dare ask for food from other.

We eat only porridge and I drink
the water from the porridge.

I let my son eat till
full and I eat less.

[Leon] Her story broke my heart.

I knew I just had to do
something to help them.

So, Sophea, you know

that I am traveling
around the world

relying on the
kindness of strangers,

and I'’m very grateful that
you brought me to your village.

And, I'’m even more grateful
that you introduced us.

So thank you very much for that.

[speaking Khmer]

But, what you don'’t know
is that once in a while

we meet someone who we
feel really needs our help

and we give back to that person.

This story is heartbreaking

and we have decided
to give something back.

We want to build Auk
and Mai a new house.

-Really?
-Really.

Very, very soon Auk and Mai will
not have to live in these
conditions.

We'’re going to build her a house

that is a concrete house
with tiles on the floor,

two stories, no more rain,
place to cook... everything.

[speaking Khmer]

-[in English] Thank you.
-[in English] Thank you.

[Sophea] She wants to speak.

[in Khmer] Want to say thank
God for building house near.

Stop living like this.

Want to say that thank you
very much, very much.

Big, big. I cannot forget this.

[Sophea, in English] She said
she never forget you in her
life.

[in Khmer] We'’re having
a new house soon.

[in Khmer] Thank you.

Say "Thank you."
Why not bend your knees?

Thank you.

-[in English] Thank you.
-Thank you.

[Leon] The concept of home is
more of a feeling than it is
anything else.

Maybe you'’re an ex-pat
living in an exotic new land

or maybe you'’re part of a family
that is home wherever you are
together.

Because, home means more
than just shelter and security,

it also means love and family.

And, everyone deserves
their own place to call home.