The benefits of social engagement.

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  • Last Post 15 May 2018
JeffinNZ posted this 12 May 2018

I won't lie to you all.  Before going on vacation for four weeks I was in a bit of a funk at work.  Last year I had one week of leave only as that was because my friend from Montana came to visit.  At work we have been short staffed and had a large staff turnover in the last two years the result of which is a great deal more pressure on those of us who remained.  I didn't know I was so close to burnout until I went away with the family. 

The most valuable thing I got out of the vacation was a restoration of the value of engagement with other people.  Ironically in our modern, super connected, instant gratification world we are increasingly isolated.  How does that work?  I don't know but for sure it exists and I am as guilty as the next person.  Being on vacation in a foreign land helped me recover from my funk.  I was relaxed and had fun with the family but also with complete strangers.  We were welcomed where ever we went and folk were happy to talk to us and find out about our holiday and from whence we came.  I had heard that New Yorkers are stand offish.  That is not what we found.  They are busy, no doubt about it but given the chance to talk they were just like the rest of us.  Just earning living and looking after their families.  The same for all the other places we visited. 

One of my focuses is to engage with people is service roles.  I make a point of referring to them by name (if they have a name badge) and having a little banter with them.  It's a two way thing and without fail the response is favourable.  Case in point; on the Hudson River cruise our boat had a large number of Asian folk on board.  More reserved by nature they didn't interact with Jacob our host.  Sheryl and I did and as a result he and we had a great time.  When we got wax casts of our hands at the Wax Museum in NYC I asked the name of the lady doing the cast as she never had a badge (Joy).  We had a great old time with her over the 20 minute period that would have otherwise been silent and awkward.  Leo was monorail driver at Disneyland who gave me my 'first trip to Disneyland' badge and let the girls and I sit in the very front and have photos in the driver's seat.  Monique was the gorgeous young bouncy lady at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in NYC where we dined one evening.  JJ and "Mr Denis" were our guide and driver on the bus that brought us back to Time Square from the 9/11 Memorial.  Susie sold me my coveralls at Tractor Supplies in Indianapolis and Sue settled my Ace Hardware, purchase earlier that day. 

Maybe it was that we were on holiday or maybe because we were engaged with hospitality folk a lot over the four weeks but I found folk were great.  Ignore the nonsense in the media.  The world is still full of good people.  Nowhere did we feel unsafe and everywhere welcome.  Life is good.  Don't forget to reach out and talk to people.  The rewards are worth it.

Cheers from New Zealand

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nosee posted this 12 May 2018

Thank You for your praise of good, working people, we,re still out there, all over the world.---Nosee

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Scearcy posted this 12 May 2018

Jeff

You have uncommon insight. Thank you for reminding us that the world is not like it is portrayed in the media.

Jim

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GP Idaho posted this 12 May 2018

Glad to hear that you had a great time vacationing here in the U.S. I would so like to see your island one day  There are good people out there and it's always nice to be greeted with a cheerful word and a smile. I hope work is a little more tolerable for you now that you've taken a break and had family time.  Best  Gp

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Brodie posted this 12 May 2018

Thank You Jeff; I too also try to address people by their name (if they have a name badge).  It makes the transaction much more pleasant.  I am very glad that you had a good time over here in "Yank Land".

Our modern high tech world unfortunately only allows us to communicate faster not any better.  Going back to old school personal and personable communication works so much better.  The individuals involved feel less removed from the interaction and more likely to respond positively to you.  My Uncle Whitey told me:  "Brodie always speak to strange women.", and I have followed that advice.  In fact I have spoken to some very strange women.

B.E.Brickey

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JeffinNZ posted this 13 May 2018

Strange wimmin or wimmin who are strangers?  There is a subtle different.  LOL.

Cheers from New Zealand

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RicinYakima posted this 13 May 2018

Choice #1 is correct.

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Ross Smith posted this 13 May 2018

Jeff: Glad you enjoyed our country. You didn't mention it , so I'll ask: Did you release any of those really big jack rabbits while you were over here? I saw one once in Nebraska but a local cowboy beat me to it. Really.   ross

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Brodie posted this 13 May 2018

Strange wimmin or wimmin who are strangers?  There is a subtle different.  LOL.

I have met and spoken to both.

B.E.Brickey

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David Reiss posted this 13 May 2018

Not sure about wimmin, but sometimes I've had to say, woahman, when I was the polelice and they was runnin. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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JeffinNZ posted this 13 May 2018

Sorry no.  Never a got my breeding pair of squirrels either.

Cheers from New Zealand

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2coldhere posted this 15 May 2018

Many years ago I worked with a guy from the Netherlands.  He told me that in school they are taught that the US is the most evil country in the world.  He got over here and found out he'd been lied too.

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JimmyDee posted this 15 May 2018

Glad to know that you picked up some coveralls (I was worried you might not.) and TSC is a good place to have done it.

And what did your team think of squirrels?

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JeffinNZ posted this 15 May 2018

I may have spent a great deal of time in Indiana standing at the back door of our host's house watching the trees and yelling "Squirrel!"  They are awesome!

Cheers from New Zealand

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John Alexander posted this 15 May 2018

"Many years ago I worked with a guy from the Netherlands.  He told me that in school they are taught that the US is the most evil country in the world.  He got over here and found out he'd been lied too."

++++++

I also worked with a guy from the Netherlands.  He told me they had the greatest respect for the US because of WW2.  They loved the US B-17 going over on the way to Germany.  This good impression was the reason he came.  Funny how you can hear anything

John

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John Alexander posted this 15 May 2018

I may have spent a great deal of time in Indiana standing at the back door of our host's house watching the trees and yelling "Squirrel!"  They are awesome!

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I was raised on a farm in Indiana. Squirrels were the best hunting. The small grays were good the much bigger fox squirrels were better.

Deer and Turkeys were killed off completely in the early 1900s Now they are too thick in Indiana for the good of the habitat.

John

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