3 ms·
In the supermarket it's 50/50 for me, sometimes the selfscan checkout, other times I put my groceries on the conveyor belt. On the way to the supermarket though
by rambambram 3y ago
In the supermarket it's 50/50 for me, sometimes the selfscan checkout, other times I put my groceries on the conveyor belt. On the way to the supermarket though, I made a habit of smiling, greeting and eye contact with everybody I encounter. It always adds something extra to the day, greeting a stranger and having a short connection. Always. I had to practice a bit, because not getting any acknowledgement back might feel as a discard at first. Not anymore.
BTW, do you see any difference between Amsterdam and Limburg?
- willemlaurentz 3y agoHere in Limburg folks speak in their own dialect. They immediately hear that I am "not one of them" (although I understand their language well). Sometimes that's an advantage (as it invokes curiosity), but moreover they'll treat you with a little more "distance"; I often feel an outsider here. In Amsterdam it greatly differs per area. My office is located in Amsterdam-Zuidoost where a lot of different cultures mix and mingle. In that neighbourhood I feel particularly 'free' to talk to strangers. My experience may be biased however as I know these folks a little better because of my work as volunteer in Amsterdam Venserpolder (another post on that can be found here: http://willem.com/blog/volunteer http://willem.com/blog/volunteer). I try to balance it, like yourself. It also depends on my 'mood and energy', with two young kids I sometimes don't have the "power" to engage in talking to strangers - but when I do, it is often very rewarding.