The whole ICE 122 route to Amsterdam got cancelled. The first “best” route that the DB agent suggested for me expected to reach Utrecht after 10pm. The regional train to Venlo got delayed due to some fire, making us passengers miss the IC to Eindhoven. It was very challenging.

I went into a store in the station to ask where I should go now that my train was cancelled. I talked to the people before and after me in the line waiting for the DB agents. I insisted on finding a better route to reach Utrecht earlier. I insisted that it should be my turn though my ticket number seemed to be enterred wrongly. I requested to change the route so that I reached Rotterdam instead of Utrecht. I reached out to the kind couple inside DB office a few times to ask for help, even when I was afraid I might disturb them who seemed to be facing bigger problems than me. I kept Rasha and my family up to date with my coldest possible head even when I had no energy left inside. I striked a conversation with the family on the late Venlo train with me to ask if I could go find platform 3 together with them. I ran with my best effort towards platform 3. While waiting at Venlo, I shared that it was my first time traveling in this area and facing these problems, and was helped by a kind man who turned out to be from Rotterdam. I was so courageous.

When in Dusseldorf: The woman in front of me in the line told me a lot of things about the trains to Arnhem and Amsterdam. Another woman wished me good luck and told me to keep smiling like I’d been doing. A couple patiently answered my questions even when they seemed to be having much more trouble from the train cancellation. That couple, I will never forget them, the kind look in their eyes and the way they genuinely tried to help me... After Dusseldorf: The woman sitting beside me, who initially seemed to be unfriendly, pulled out her DB app to help me check the train timing. The family from Munich smiled with me and the mom talked to me a bit. The man from Rotterdam shared with me everything he knew, from the price of the tram to the safe and unsafe area in Rotterdam to the amount of time we had to wait for the next train. Rasha said she would not sleep until I arrived safely at my hostel, however late it will be. People are so warm. My heart feels so warm.

I had money to buy a chocolate croissant as I wanted right away. I knew that I would be able to navigate any cities from here on with my English. I knew that I would be able to afford a hotel room wherever I’m stranded at tonight. Now I’m safely on very nice trains in the Netherlands. I am so grateful.