I don't know if it's just a US thing; in fact, I highly doubt it. But yes, "What are you doing nowadays?" and "How's the job going?" and the like is a common co

I don't know if it's just a US thing; in fact, I highly doubt it. But yes, "What are you doing nowadays?" and "How's the job going?" and the like is a common conversation starter among friends and family here, even if just for small-talk. And, of course, politics is a topic of conversation too, though it will be mutually avoided if it's known it may cause unpleasant friction.