unknown
March 1, 2026
The kindness of strangers: at San José airport, I couldn’t pay my departure tax
There was no ATM at the airport and banks were closed. If I missed this flight, all my subsequent flights would have been cancelled
TL;DR
- The author was traveling alone in 1994 and needed to pay a departure tax in San José, Costa Rica.
- She did not have the required US$5 cash because the only ATM was out of order and banks were closed on a Saturday.
- Her flight and all subsequent flights would have been cancelled if she couldn't pay the tax.
- A stranger in line paid the departure tax for her without expecting anything in return.
- This act of kindness significantly impacted the author's view of people and the world.
Continue reading the original article