Since my Do Talk To Strangers Policy is a vital component of traveling, I began to consider how I actually go about it. I realized that some of it is purely intuitive. For instance,\u00a0 when a stranger plunks down next to me on an airplane, I take a breath, take a look and see if I\u2019m moved to start a conversation. Most of the time I get it right. Once in a while, I know\u00a0 from my opening question that\u00a0 my seatmate is inclined toward solitude and I stop there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re standing in line at the post office or waiting for a train, here are a few ideas to help you uncover the fascinating folks around you.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n * Make it a game<\/strong>. Decide ahead of time that you want to find an interesting story or inspiring stranger. I have been on long flights that seemed to pass in a moment\u00a0 because I had landed next to a great storyteller. I consider that a fine compensation for the annoyances of contemporary travel.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n * Don\u2019t wait. Instigate.<\/strong> Be willing to be the one who takes the first step. A friendly smile is a good way to test the water. If it\u2019s not reciprocated, move on.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n * Look for common ground<\/strong>.<\/strong> I often open a conversation with a compliment or observation about something the stranger is wearing or carrying or something that\u2019s happening around us.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n When I hopped into a London taxi that was covered in promotional material for the Rolling Stones, I suspected I had a fascinating chat ahead of me. And I did. I learned that my driver was the only cab in the city promoting the Stones, that he earned an extra \u00a3750 a year by putting advertising on his cab, and that he\u2019d once advertised for the South African Tourist Board and got a free trip to that country as a bonus. He was hoping he might get tickets to a Stones concert this time around.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n * Be politely curious<\/strong>.<\/strong> Our reluctance to talk to strangers may be caused by thinking it\u2019s about us. Wrong. It\u2019s about <\/em>them<\/em><\/span>. Yes, you might be subjected to a tedious story now and then, but it\u2019s worth the risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n One of my most memorable conversations was with a young man who was a linguistic professor who spoke seven languages. When I learned that, I asked him the best way to learn a language and his reply was, \u201cBe a kid.\u201d I laughed and asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s the second best ?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Those are the moments that keep me talking to strangers who unknowingly enrich my life.\u00a0 And like everything else, it gets easier with practice.<\/p>\n It is not he who has lived the longest, but he who has traveled farthest, who knows the most. ~ Armenian Proverb<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Since my Do Talk To Strangers Policy is a vital component of traveling, I began to consider how I actually go about it. I realized that some of it is purely intuitive. For instance,\u00a0 when a stranger plunks down next to me on an airplane, I take a breath, take a look and see if…<\/p>\n