Story on The Plane

I made a new friend on a plane.

I started the conversation with the passenger sitting next to me and we had an interesting and heated but respectful debate about the value of immigration to our communities, and that immigrants don't come to take but to contribute and live peacefully, with which he disagreed very firmly.

Shortly after, we were discussing what to watch on a 3-hour flight, and I said I heard this movie called "Peace by Chocolate" is quite good as I was told. (I was very biased, I have to say - for those who don't know, this is the movie that tells the story of my family).

He took my advice and watched the entire film without knowing anything about me yet. I just wanted to get a neutral reaction from him to our journey since coming to Canada a few years ago without stereotypes or prejudices.

Honestly, I have never seen anyone that engaged with a movie in my entire life. The man was crying, laughing, clapping as if he was in his own theatre, which was absolutely remarkable. I enjoyed being a fly on the wall there and observing all of this.

After he finished watching, at the end where we show who our real family is, he looked stunned at me and said: "Has anyone told you before that you are the exact spitting image of that real Tareq guy at the end of the movie. You two are brothers or identical twins, aren't you?"

I had to unveil my identity right then 😉, but this truly was the most hilarious and surreal experience of my life. Knowing that my new friend left the plane with a different perspective about immigrants and refugees is very rewarding to everything we are doing.

Being proud of our stories truly changes the world.