Rob Walker's The Art of Noticing is one of my favourite newsletters. It encourages us to look intently, ask questions, and observe the world around us. Now he has teamed up with the Iridescent Ordinary newsletter for the Chit Chat Challenge.
For the next 10 days, between 23 April and 1 May, the challenge is to have / initiate a conversation with a stranger - to say hello, to ask a question, to make a connection.
I'm no stranger to speaking to strangers in public. I did 3 projects where I approached people in London and asked them to draw maps (Draw the World, EuroRevision, crowdsourced continents). So, this seems like a fun challenge for me.
I'm going to add an update to this blog each day, reporting on what conversations I do or do not have. I'll be travelling for at least some of the days during this challenge, which should make for an interesting element.
Thursday - Basel
Soon after arriving in Basel, I walked along the promenade by the Rhine River, where there were lots of people enjoying a sunny evening. People were reading, having a drink, picnicking, listening to music, playing cards, drawing, playing table tennis. Some were even swimming. These were the kinds of activities that I do not want to interrupt. At one point, I sat on a bench next to a man who was reading. I was going to ask him a question, until I noticed he was only three pages from the end of his book.
The chat:
I sat on a bench, and asked the guy sitting next to me where the border was. Across the river was Switzerland and where we in Germany now or still Switzerland? He explained that the border is a little bit further up the river and further away from the city. Then he gave me some recommendations about museums to visit and a bakery, where you can buy a coffee and a chocolate croissant. You can sit by the river, eating it and feel like a king!
Observations
Today's digital technology means you don't need to ask people questions. The answer is seconds away. We can also have 'conversations' with groups of friends that are far away, at the touch of a button. We can send things we see to people who are maybe on the other side of the world, and enjoy their reactions. That's really cool in some ways, while also maybe taking us out of the moment, the time and place.
It struck me that you have to find the right moment to initiate a chat. And that I didn't really want to disturb someone and impose myself on them.
*maybe - let's see how I get on!
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