Introduction
In a world overwhelmed by stress, schedules, commitments, and work, moments of pause are rare. I discovered the power of these reflective moments throughout my time immersing myself into foreign cultures. I am fortunate enough to have been able to travel, meet new people from different parts of the world, and gain many life changing experiences. Even throughout my regional endeavors, hearing the stories of fellow community members fills me with a greater understanding of humanity and the world around me. I have also been fortuitous in discovering the power of exploration and connection, whether that be through new places or new people.
A phrase that I delved into throughout my capstone research is, “…there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”
Talking to Strangers is focused around the idea that through conversation and interaction with strangers, we can learn about different perspectives, broaden our understanding of the world, and ultimately build connections. A key goal of this project is to promote a culture of openness and curiosity while building community and meaningful relationships among people of all walks of life.
Reflections
I will never forget pacing up and down Onetangi Beach in New Zealand, observing everyone around me very closely and working up the courage to approach my first stranger. I was trying to work up the perfect script in my head and eventually approached Graham, an older man standing and looking out at the ocean, watching his son and grandson play. We sat down in the sand together and I learned about his life and what he values. I left this interaction with a new excitement going forward and meeting new people. I quickly began feeling comfortable approaching strangers throughout my daily life. I was becoming comfortable doing uncomfortable things. I was constantly observing everyone that I crossed paths with in a new perspective.
When I began this project, I was in New Zealand with my parents. I would often wander away from them and start talking to people on the streets. They were able to observe me from a distance and sometimes overhear my conversations. I remember my dad saying to me, “You will learn more just by talking to all of these people than any class you will ever take.”
At the beginning of the project I found myself drawn to initiate conversations with older men. After analyzing this, I realized this was because they were the complete opposite of myself, a young female from the United States. This shows my intrinsic desire to hear different perspectives on the world. Fortunately for me I found this demographic to be extremely willing to spark personal conversations on their life experiences. Nevertheless, I wanted to talk to a wide variety of people so from there I began to broaden my scope.
Throughout this project, I’ve spoken with people from New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Czech Republic, Scotland, and India. In the United States I’ve conversed with a myriad of strangers, particularly in North Carolina. I’ve established connections with people from all walks of life. In the end I’ve found we are all human, we are all linked together by similar core values. Almost everyone responded that they desired to spend their last days on earth surrounded by family and friends, reiterating our species' shared value in meaningful relationships. On the same token, a common fear people shared was leaving their hometown. This similar trend evokes the shared fear of the unknown we all hold.
One of the interactions that stood out the most to me was when I approached a man on the streets of Wellington. He’d been sitting alone on a bench wearing a chicken hat. I sat down beside Dean and after a few minutes of conversation, he informed me that he could not actually see me. This caught me off guard but jolted me into remembering the reasons why I began this project. I immediately wanted to know more about his perspective on the world. I wanted to discover “unknown unknowns”, things I was unaware I didn’t know. Starting this project I had no clue how strangers would react towards me or what they would share with me. Regardless, throughout this process I’ve discovered new friends who’ve grown to hold a special place in my heart, Dean being one of many. I hope to build off of Talking to Strangers in the future. In the meantime I’ll continue to learn from those around me.
Ellie Lindsey