Beautiful Connections Countries Apart

“When I left home, I couldn’t cook. I’d never cooked or cleaned in my life, and here I was in a foreign country having to learn.”

This is part of a conversation I had with Siam, someone I had never met before, on a train trip from Melbourne to Ararat. We happened to be sitting next to each other, heading in the same direction, and struck up a beautiful conversation.

Siam had come to Australia from Bangladesh eighteen months earlier to study a Masters in IT at University, and was living in Horsham. For two hours we spoke about life in Bangladesh and life in Australia. What struck me most was the beautiful relationship he had with his mother.

Not knowing how to cook, Siam and his mother would set up their phones on video and connect over cooking. Siam’s mother would explain how to add the spices and what to put into the dishes. I could imagine them both in their kitchens, countries apart, enjoying their special cooking sessions together.

Siam was so proud to show me pictures of the beautiful dishes he had cooked, with the help of his mother so far away. The way he spoke about her was filled with so much love. What struck me was how present the warmth, love and connection were, even though they weren't in the same room.

In Bangladesh, sons don't usually leave the family home, so Siam being in Australia was a huge change for both of them but that beautiful connection was still there. Even during our train ride, Siam and his mother spoke. She needed his reassurance, and he calmly and lovingly provided it.

It took me back to the saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and how special that sounded. A mum needed support, and the grandparents were already in the house to provide it. Aunties, uncles and cousins could all be there supporting each other. To some, that might sound crazy and a bit overwhelming, but to others, it might sound incredibly warm, supportive and loving.

Siam will finish his course in a couple of years, and it is likely he will return to Bangladesh and live in the family home with his mum. I can just imagine the smiles and warmth when that happens.

During our conversation, we discovered that I was around the same age as Siam’s mother. As we arrived in Horsham, he offered to take my bags to my car. Although I said I was fine, (because that's what we do in Australia), he insisted, so I agreed. It gave us another five minutes to talk together, and that was beautiful.

So why not this week, do something nice with a family member or friend. It might be cooking a meal together, sharing a coffee, or simply having a beautiful conversation you might not usually have.

If Siam can cook with his mum from opposite sides of the world, perhaps we can all find a little more time to connect with the people who matter to us.