Fili’s world

Discrimination is out there. Awareness has risen, counter measures are being implemented and education helps promote a better less discriminating world. Many groups have organized governmental agencies taking care of discrimination against them. There’s less discrimination against color, gender, race, physical ability and mental health than there ever was before. I even got one of my parents taking care of people with disabilities, so I know somebody cares about -that- group.

Yet, there’s still a group that’s highly discriminated against, a group that I’m part of. Nope, it’s not that I’m Jewish, nor is it about being a minority male. One of the most discriminated groups, especially in Taiwan – but also in Israel, is the tall folks group.

It’s not our fault that we’re tall, it really isn’t. I am sorry for sleeping so much when I was in high-school and eating too many of those long spaghettis. I didn’t know, I didn’t know.

It’s always a problem, where ever I go – transportation, through doors, the bloody beds. A few months after I started traveling it’s been brought to my attention that I sleep with my head to the side on my shoulder, probably because my body was trying to change position in order to fit the small size beds. I always don’t have enough room and don’t know what to do with my legs. When meeting people, their first reaction usually refers to my height and questions of whether I play basketball come up. I could never easily find my shoe and clothing size and end up wearing things that are a bit smaller. Walking the streets, small kids pull down their mother’s skirts pointing at me saying “mommy, mommy, look, look, tall, tall”. Damn, I’m not even -that- tall (188). Tall people of the world – unite!

But there’s one thing that absolutely pisses me off and it only seems to happen in that Israeli airline – El Al. I can put up with the endless 3 hour stand up security line drilling into innocent elderly and kids whether their toothbrush is a weapon of mass destruction. I can put up with the snobbish attitude of the personnel. I can even put up with the horrible movies and food they offer. But, I don’t understand, why they cramp up the seats like that. Having to fly for 11 hours with seats that have less room than my leg size next to a window seat was a total nightmare. I wasn’t the only Israeli tall guy suffering, so when the seatbelt sign is off, all of them sprinted out of their seats to stand in the hall way, having to bend over other people’s limited space and interrupt the stewardess’s impossible job. Never had this problem with Virgin, BA, Singapore Airlines, Philippines Airlines, any of the Thai airlines, and even LaoAir was big and comfortable. Why, oh why, does El-Al insist of cramping people together like a bunch of sardines?

To make the flight perfect, I was seated next to 2 Israeli parents with 2 extremely annoying Israel kids. I know the flight wasn’t easy for either of them, but I still found myself holding down on the seat tightly to stop my fists from accidentally clashing into their face. Put a lease on that kid, give him a bone or something, please! God, I’ll hold him down while you sedate him. Can’t move, can’t sleep, can’t watch the crappy movies, can’t think, can’t breath. 11 hours, 11 long hours. Next time, I’d rather swim my way back.

Finally, people go through the usual long clapping routine as the plane hits the ground, a tribute I’ve only seen with Israelis in El-Al, and I slowly try to regain sensation in my feet. The whole plane was full of Israelis, as there aren’t many non-Israelis going from Bangkok to TelAviv, but there was a small group of Asian looking folks. Walking out to the corridor, a guy from that Asian group that appeared to be their leader rushes up to me, of all people, and asks me in English where I’m from. I’m confused, I look around at all the Israelis leaving the plane with me, hold my hands in a gesture of “look around you, we’re all Israelis” and ask “what do you mean?”. “You’re not Israeli, right? So where are you from?” he wonders. You got to be kidding me, I thought, so I reply laughing - “Heh, I’m actually Taiwanese”. He freezes up and stares at me with a “Really?!” look on his face. To prove my Taiwanese origin I offer a small “ni hao ma?” which has resulted in the whole group running towards me excited. Dear lord! He speaks Chinese! Turns out this Asian group are Christian Taiwanese coming to visit the holy land, and they were thrilled, absolutely ecstatic to meet me and hear my lousy attempts at Chinese. What are the chances, eh?

Suddenly, I forgot all about the damn flight, didn’t care about the upset stomach over that plane food, I was laughing my heart out. Not that I thought they’d use it, but I gave them my details and offered that they give me a call when they get to Jerusalem, so I can come and see them. Heartwarming.