I believed something about Welsh people without realizing it was a stereotype. It simply matched what I saw for myself.
I fell in love with the Welsh people during my travels. Since coming back from Wales and sharing my trip, I’ve told people that Welsh people are kind and wonderful. Then I read that saying “people in Wales are nice” is a stereotype. That surprised me, because my experience was real. People there were nice, friendly, kind, helpful, and so much more.
I understand that not all Welsh people are nice. I’m sure there are grumblebums or downright ornery, mean, and hateful people. Fortunately, I did not encounter any.
The best example
When I was leaving Tenby to travel by train north to Holyhead, on the last leg of my journey, I grabbed my luggage and headed on foot to the train station. I huffed and puffed up a hill, then began to descend on the road I thought led to the trains. As I got towards the bottom, I realized I wasn’t on the right road.
I saw a man walking on the other side of the street and asked, “Am I going the right way to the train station?”
“No, you missed the turn.”
Maybe he saw the look on my face or noticed me turning to drag my luggage back up the hill, but he crossed the street and offered to help. I gratefully handed him a bag, and we walked up the hill together. When we got to the right turn, he said, “I’ll get you down to the station.” He really went out of his way for me.
“Do you know which side you need to be on?”
“No,” I said, so we checked and found out I needed to be on the other side of the tracks. To get there, I had to go up some stairs, cross over, and go back down.
I started to worry about how I would manage the stairs with two suitcases. At this point, the man could have left me to my own devices, but he didn’t.
“I’m going to help you across,” the man said.
We walked to the stairs, and another man appeared and offered to take my other suitcase. He didn’t know how heavy it was, but he picked it up anyway. The two men carried my bags to the other side, while his female companion and I followed. I was so grateful for their help. How I would have struggled had I been alone!
On the other side, the first man said goodbye, and I thanked him several times. The other man and his companion waited for the train with me. I thanked him too. When the train arrived, he helped me get my luggage on board. They were also heading north on the same train.
We had to change trains, and he helped me get off and back on again. I kept thinking, who does that? Before his stop, he asked the train guard, which is what we call conductors in the States, to look after me. I thanked him and told his companion, “He’s a keeper.” She smiled, and they left. For all I know, she could have been his sister. I never got their names.
The guard came over, checked my ticket, and said, “I’m calling ahead to have some people meet you, as you have to get to the other side of the tracks, and you will need help over to the other train in time to catch it.”
Two employees met me when I got off the train, and we quickly took the elevator. I was thankful there was one instead of stairs! I made it to the next train with just a few minutes to spare.
All I can say is wow! Looking back, that was probably the greatest kindness I experienced there, though it wasn’t the only one. Wales, your kindness amazed me. Without their help, traveling by train would have been a nightmare.
I spent almost a month traveling there, so please forgive me if I keep saying Welsh people are nice. Is it really a stereotype if it matches what you experience?
If you’re reading this from Wales, I want you to know you’re wonderful. Thank you for a wonderful journey around your country. I’ll always remember this amazing trip.
