Google ex-MD Parminder Singh meets a Punjabi Airbnb host in Portugal; shares his delightful experience

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, March 9

Punjabi diaspora is spread across the globe, successfully establishing itself as a flourishing community which has made a great name for itself. Whichever part of the world you go, you are sure to find a Punjabi person. And the happiness you feel on spotting someone from your home country in a foreign land is hard to describe.

Recently, former Google MD Parminder Singh had a similar experience, which he shared on Twitter. Singh, stated that he was travelling to a small port city in Portugal and after a long flight, to his utter amazement, he discovered that his Airbnb was a Punjabi man.

After flying 17 hrs, driving 3 hrs, you arrive at ur Air BnB in Faro, a Portuguese port city. You hunt down the last open minimercado at midnight for morning tea supplies. As you wade thru unfamiliar brands, the storeowner greets you, “Sat Sri Akal, I’m Inderjit from Jalandhar!”

— Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) March 8, 2023

“After flying 17 hrs, driving 3 hrs, you arrive at your Air BnB in Faro, a Portuguese port city. You hunt down the last open minimercado at midnight for morning tea supplies. As you wade thru unfamiliar brands, the storeowner greets you, ‘Sat Sri Akal, I’m Inderjit from Jalandhar!’,” Singh wrote on Twitter.

He shared that this was not the only delightful experience he had while travelling abroad. He has met a lot of wonderful desi people during his trips.

Wonderful stories of ‘travel kindness’ in the replies. I’ve had many experiences, not just with Punjabis/Indians but Pakistanis too - cab drivers refused taxi fares, Barcelona restaurant owner treated me to free bear. Amazing encounters that make travelling even more enriching.

— Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) March 8, 2023

“Wonderful stories of ‘travel kindness’ in the replies. I’ve had many experiences, not just with Punjabis/Indians but Pakistanis too - cab drivers refused taxi fares, Barcelona restaurant owner treated me to free bear. Amazing encounters that make travelling even more enriching,” he mentioned.

Meanwhile, his heartwarming post has received tons of reactions. People are sharing their own stories in the comments sections of having similar experiences.

.... Cafe to the right of the property owned by a Punjabi family from Jalandhar, cafe to the left by a Punjabi family from Gujranwala . My mother was assured she didn't have a thing to worry about. So heartwarming to be made to feel at home in another country.

— Yusra Askari (@YusraSAskari) March 8, 2023

A pakistani driver in Dubai refused to accept fare from me just because he noticed I was talking in Punjabi. ❤️

Moreover, showed his family’s pictures from their trip to India, stating “Dilli te lahore wargi hai” 💞

— Mrinalini Arora (@MrinaliniArora) March 8, 2023

Venice,2015. Found our hotel after 40 mins of searching. Bangladesi hotel owner greeted in perfect Bengali and brought tea himself on arrival. https://t.co/aU4KhzSeVr

— dasguptaanirban (@dasguptaanirba1) March 8, 2023

Sometime back, I was 3hrs late to come out of Toronto airport due to my usual chat with immigration. The cab sent to by the host institute was waiting for long. When I told the cab driver, ‘sorry I am late’ he smiled & said, ‘No worries - imagine, I’m Muhammad from Afghanistan’.

— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) March 8, 2023

Once in Amritser I asked this guy for the direction to the bus station. He took his bike and literally dropped me. Punjabis are the best of Indians.

— Varun (@airravata) March 8, 2023

Had the exact same experience in Bucharest. Ordered the Uber. Sat down - was looking at my phone & then a hear a very polite voice - “Kaise ho Sir, Chalein?”

— Prashant Yadav (@raoprashantyad) March 8, 2023

Had this experience in London recently. My parents and I were walking at Stratford and I was talking to my mother in Gujarati. A guy was walking right behind as he was listening to us and I asked him.. Indian? He said Gujarati. Then my mother greeted him with Jai Shri Krishna❤️❤️

— Mitra Joshi (@mitrajo) March 8, 2023

Overwhelmed by the reactions, Parminder Singh stated that while there’s plenty of negativity on Twitter, in equal measure, there are those who pine for positivity.

‘Twitter is toxic’, we often hear. But then what explains the moving replies here? I’m no starry eyed dreamer. There’s plenty of negativity here. But in equal measure, there are those who pine for positivity. Here’s Twitter’s truth - hate spreads, but goodness is contagious too. https://t.co/jGUs7OwfZs

— Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) March 9, 2023

“‘Twitter is toxic’, we often hear. But then what explains the moving replies here? I’m no starry eyed dreamer. There’s plenty of negativity here. But in equal measure, there are those who pine for positivity. Here’s Twitter’s truth - hate spreads, but goodness is contagious too,” he wrote.

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