and visiting new strange places
20/3/08, Hampi, India
One of the most interesting things in my journey is meeting strangers.
I must admit that since young it fascinated me – meeting with strangers.
It means that you are all by yourself in that confrontation. There is not an introduction or a meeting at some kind of social or family event.
One have to make it’s own steps to create the occasion of the meeting to occur. We people are quick in making the decision if it’s in our interest & if we want to talk to a stranger. Since young, we recall faces, view them and store them in a special part of our brain.Young children will remember very clearly an unpleasant meeting with a person, and the baby will start crying immediately in meeting that face again.
Even after many years I can recall a face I met in the past, not remembering his name. It’s probably build-in in human nature to make quick connection with our kind. Young kids will show that kind of natural skill to integrate with oters. On meeting other kids, even if they do not speak the same language, they will ‘measure’ the other quickly and after a short time they will start playing together.
Later, in our youth we get a lot of information how dangerous it’s meeting strangers, and rightly so. Eventually, as adults we feel safe in making our new relationships mainly in familiar social circles. We get ‘cold feet’ and discomfort in meeting new people out of our circles, and definitely with complete strangers.
Most probably in a journey to India we are freer in our mind to make new connections. No doubt it’s the need too, especially when traveling alone. It’s a quick way to get quick information, some times it’s taking precautions and some times it’s the simple need if social contact.
In my journey I meet a lot of young people. For myself I do not have any problem talking to young and even socialising with them, but strangely I will not approach just anybody. I do not have foundation of a research, just my simple reservation and feeling – that the young people I meet that tend to make quick contact with me (an older person), I think they have good & friendly relationship with their parents. They will be the one that the age gap between us will not make the deference, on the contrary they will be open and curious to meet an older person that’s travels alone. The barrier is there, and I can see it, when I resemble their parents, than it can be even a treat. If I do want to succeed in connection with them, I have to take a long time to gain their confidence, and to start with a very low profile. Not to resemble bu amy means their parents!
I do not waisting my time making the world friendlier, but am observing it.
There is a big connection between meeting a new place and meeting new people.
In New Zealand as I was not a backpacker the transformation of a new place was different & I had the time for the instant observation to see & feel the beauty of a new place. There was no disturbance of beggars and offerings of goods & services all ever.
On arriving to a new place it’s similar to meeting a new person, it’s exciting and immediately my blood pressure go’s up a bit.
One can fall in love with a place just like with a human being, or even feel a quick dislike.
For me a new place is always exciting. I am trying to move with the rheum of the place.
I am full of pride & curiosity looking at the new passel, the new views and it’s people.
