Los Angeles Notes – The Getty Villa Story 🏛️✨

Originally, the whole reason I planned this trip to LA was just for this one destination. Earlier this year, wildfires ravaged Southern California, and it was through the news coverage that I first learned about The Getty Villa—a museum dedicated to ancient Greek and Roman art.😘 I watched reports as flames crept dangerously close, fearing the worst. Yet days later, I read how its unique fire-resistant design helped it survive unscathed, with all its collections preserved—avoiding a tragedy like that of Brazil's National Museum. Strangely, my heart followed every update, and I felt genuine relief for a museum I’d never even seen. A year later, I finally had the chance to visit—but getting there wasn't easy. I’d marked it as a must-see, only to realize the day before that it was closed the next day, with my flight home the day after. Without hesitation, I reshuffled my plans and headed straight there.❤️ On the ride over, my Uber driver was a woman from Iran. Maybe it’s LA’s eternally pleasant weather that makes everyone a little softer, a little more open—but we started talking. She shared her story, one I never imagined hearing from a stranger.💕😍 Back in Iran, she was a math teacher. She told me about one student she was especially proud of. When they first met, the girl had already skipped her class eight times. The girl’s mother stormed into the school, furious—only to realize the teacher had never even met her daughter. The anger turned to embarrassment, but the teacher wasn’t upset. Instead, she gently asked why the girl kept missing class. It turned out the student was afraid of math. With patience and care, the teacher helped her see it wasn’t so scary. Slowly, the girl improved—from scoring below 50% on her first test to over 80% by the end of the term. She eventually became the teacher’s top student and later an accountant.😁 And that math teacher? She now drives for Uber in Los Angeles—with the same pride she carried in the classroom. She told me just how long the journey from Iran to here had been. #LosAngeles #GettyVilla #MuseumStories #TravelTales #LAVisits #ArtAndHistory #HumanConnections #CaliforniaDiaries #Wanderlust #InspiringEncounters