Willing Vietnamese driver helps South African’s visitors find lost bag despite language barrier

Despite speaking a different language, a Vietnamese taxi driver did willing to help the South African mother and her child find their bag mislayed on a bus.
January 05, 2021 | 15:56
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Nadja Bester and her son on the bus from Yen Bai to Vietnam., Photo courtersy of Nadja Bester.

According to Zing, Nadjia Bester, 35, a South African writer who traveled on a trip in Vietnam with her son was frustrated to realize her bag was mislayed on a bus from Yen Bai province to Hanoi.

The bag contained some valuable things, a laptop, and cashes worth 2,600 USD in total as well as, debit and credit cards. She did not even have the phone number of the drivers to check.

However, Bester was lucky enough to meet Nguyen Thai Son, a driver of a taxi-hailing group in Hanoi, who actively suggest giving hand to find her lost belongings.

Thanks to Son’s fervor, the South African backpacker found her bag with all things preserved inside.

“Thank Vietnamese people due to their faith and trustfulness. It seems that I found another reason to feel grateful to live here,” she shared.

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Beister and her son have stayed in Vietnam for 1 year.

Earlier, the foreign visitor and her son had hopped off the bus in a dreamy state as they just woke up and left the bag behind carelessly. When realizing the happenings, Bester had Son call the bus service to retake the bag, however, it was late as the bus had left.

Bester said she intended to go back to the bus station to find a way to get her backpack. “However, I realized I didn't have any cash left to pay for the taxi fees. So, I had to pity to turn the car back and go home ", she said.

Bester added: “Suddenly, Son pulled over to the side of the road and said that he would help us. He called the bus service repeatedly to ask for the number of the bus driver. Finally, Son got in touch and asked them to transfer my backpack to another bus back to Hanoi on January 4.", she reminded.

The South African mother said that Son was very careful that he did not forget to text her the driver's phone number and vice versa. At noon of the same day, he even texted Bester if the backpack was in her hand and if the bag was intact.

“Son was very fervent to help me and my son, despite the language barrier. We talk mostly via Google Translate app, ” Bester told Zing.

Beister was touched and impressed even more as the taxi driver only took the correct amount displayed on the application, although the travel distance was twice as long as the original booking.

"Really, I am so lucky to get help from Son and everyone. I was also very assured that the backpack was returned intact, without losing anything," she said.

Sharing with Zing, Nadja Bester said that in the past 4 years, she and her son have moved through many countries. The duo arrived in Vietnam in early 2020 and was stranded here due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Thank goodness we're 'stuck' here because Vietnam is the best country in 2020 and possibly 2021 as well," she said.

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