We chase sunsets in Santorini, wander through ancient ruins in Rome, and get lost in the bustling markets of Marrakech. My own travel memories are painted with vibrant strokes of different countries and faces, each encounter a unique thread in the rich tapestry of my life. I’ve met souls from every corner of the globe, some fleeting, like ships passing in the night, others leaving an indelible mark, their memories as vivid as fresh strawberries in summertime.
Yet, amidst all the breathtaking landscapes and cultural immersions, there’s a confession I need to make. My heart, strangely, belongs to… airport terminals.
Yes, you read that right. Airport terminals. Those liminal spaces we often rush through, eager to reach our destinations or desperate to escape after a long flight. For me, though, these transit hubs are not just gateways, but gateways to understanding the world itself.
A World Under One Roof
There is something profoundly fascinating about airport terminals. They are more than just places of transit; they are microcosms of the world itself. Whenever I find myself in an airport, whether for a quick layover or an extended wait, I never feel bored. Instead, I am enthralled by the ceaseless movement of humanity, the silent stories unfolding before my eyes.
Here, people from every corner of the planet converge—men, women, and those in between; believers and non-believers; travelers draped in traditional attire and those dressed in the avant-garde of high fashion. Believers and non-believers, people of all faiths and none, coexisting in this shared, temporary realm. Straight, bisexual, LGBTQ+ individuals, each adding their unique color to the human rainbow. A woman in a niqab sits beside another in a sleeveless dress or fishnets, neither disturbing the other, their presence a quiet testament to coexistence.
I see business travelers immersed in their laptops, students setting off to chase dreams in foreign universities, and families reuniting after years apart. Some board first-class cabins, sipping champagne, while others clutch one-way tickets, leaving behind familiar lands for an uncertain future. There are joyful vacationers setting off to tropical beaches, and then there are those whose eyes are heavy with sorrow, returning home to bury a loved one.
In a corner, someone spends thousands on a Michelin-star meal, while a weary traveler refills a plastic bottle from the free water dispenser, making do with whatever they have. There are those filled with hope, those burdened with loss, those escaping, and those arriving—but in that shared space, they are all simply travelers.
A Universal Language Beyond Words
One of the most beautiful sights I ever witnessed at an airport was my daughter, barely three years old, playing with a little Russian kid. They spoke no known common language—she knew barely any language other than a little bit of Bangla, while the Russian kid of course did not know anything about Bangla—but that didn’t matter. They ran, they laughed, they shared their little games, communicating in a language beyond words, a language perhaps from heaven itself.
That moment made me wonder—what if we all in the world could be like these two children? What if we could see, communicate and value beyond our habitual differences—our skin colors, beliefs, cultures, and fears—and simply coexist, just as they did? What if we could communicate with pure hearts rather than guarded minds?
Why Airports and Not Anywhere Else?
Markets, beaches, stadiums, train stations—many places offer a glimpse of cultural diversity, yet nothing rivals the sheer inclusivity of an airport terminal. It is the only place where people from every walk of life, every background, and every intention cross paths. Unlike cities divided by class and history, or gatherings shaped by shared interests, airports hold no such biases. Everyone, whether rich or poor, lost or found, hopeful or heartbroken, is here for the same reason—to move.
Of course, an airport does not represent a utopia. It is not a place of uninterrupted joy. There are delays, missed flights, immigration interrogations, and sometimes, the pain of saying goodbye forever. But perhaps that is what makes it even more profound. It is a world of mixed emotions—elation and despair, excitement and exhaustion, hope and heartbreak—all existing together under one roof, in a momentary truce.
A Manifestation of the World We Need
The world does not need to be an unblemished paradise; it only needs to be a place where differences do not lead to division. Airport terminals are proof that it is possible. They show us that despite our contrasts, we can exist in the same space, share fleeting moments, and move forward in our own ways without conflict.
And in witnessing this constant human drama, this miniature world in motion, I find a strange kind of peace, a renewed sense of hope, and a powerful reminder of our shared humanity. The next time you find yourself with a layover, resist the urge to bury your head in your phone. Look around. Observe. You might just discover, as I have, that the most fascinating destinations are sometimes found not at the end of a journey, but in the unexpected spaces in between. The airport terminal, my unexpected world, a world reflecting us all.
I wish, just once, the world could function like an airport terminal—where despite our individual paths, we understand that we are all in transit, all heading somewhere, all carrying our own reasons for the journey. Perhaps if we embraced that perspective, we would realize that no matter our departure points or destinations, we are all part of the same story.
And that, to me, is why I will always be in love with airports.
