Why you should Talk to Strangers.

 “. . .sometimes one feels freer speaking to a stranger than to people one knows. Why is that? Probably because a stranger sees us the way we are, not as he wishes to think we are.”

The above lines are from “The Shadow of the Wind” a novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón which is actually a story within a story. In the story a city slowly heals from its war wounds, and a young boy Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. When Daniel sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes shocking discoveries like someone systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence. His discussions with strangers keeps leading him to many more secrets…

In our real life also when we talk to strangers, we are making unexpected connections, and sometimes these beautiful interruptions lead into the unexpected narrative of our regualr life and theirs. Talking to strangers while travelling, can be an intimidating experience since we are going to a new place filled with people we don’t know. The tales from travel bloggers and authors substantiate this as we derive the unexpected pleasures and genuine emotional connections.

The accompanying picture is from my first visit to the US, few years back, to attend a family wedding where I caught the eye of a US Police officer who was amused by traditional Indian dress and wanted to know more about the same. These brief engagemengt with strangers create some emotional connections and pleasant memories for life.

Kio Stark, who claims to be “obsessed” with talking to strangers has over the period documented her experiences in a book apltly titled “When Strangers Meet: How People You Don’t Know Can Transform You”. Sharing her TED Talk on how taking tips for talking to strangers, knowing about the unspoken rules that different cultures follow, help us become less suspicious of others and create a space for change.

#travel #inspiration #storytelling #life #publicrelations #communications #storytellers

(all images courtesy Google search)

Anup Sharma (@TweetsAnup)
The author is a StoryTeller with more than two decades of experience in Public Relations and Corporate Communications. He is also the Senior Director at Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) and advisor to various Literature Festivals in India.