Connections

“Where are you from?” Is perhaps the most frequent question we receive on meeting new neighbors. This question helps identify potential connections. Those connections, many of which will only last a few days, perhaps only a few hours, keep us from becoming strangers in a strange land.

As RVers, we get new neighbors every day. On days we have traveled we are among the new neighbors. On days we stay put someone is likely to move in or perhaps we will meet someone as we explore the neighborhood. Thus every day we and our neighbors have opportunities to make new connections. We, like other RVers, become practiced and find an element of joy in making those connections.

“Where are you from?” Is a useful question as it helps to identify places where our paths may have crossed. For us that question is harder to answer than for many people. Each of us grew up in New Jersey and met in college in Pennsylvania. In between our marriage in Florida and selling our last home also in Florida we have lived in six additional states (Connecticut, Washington, New York, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Indiana). I can also claim a brief residence in Rhode Island. In four of those states we have lived in two cities. Thus I often answer that question by asking: “Do you have time for the long answer or the short one?” I prefer to give the long answer, or at least a concise listing of some states where we have lived, for a longer answer increases opportunities for our neighbor to say that they also lived in one of those places, or they also moved frequently.

Before everyone had air-conditioning in their homes, people would sit on their front stoops in the cool evening and greet passing neighbors. Living in an RV typically means that half or more of one’s home is outside. Thus as we take our evening stroll around our new environs people wave to us. A few of these neighbors have introduced us to the ideal of having guest chairs to welcome neighbors for a chat.

To encourage conversation, as an alternative to where are you from, you might ask:

• Where are you going next?
• Where have you visited recently that you especially enjoyed?
• We are thinking of going to X. What places have you found interesting in that direction?
• In the past twelve months, when did you feel most fulfilled? What were you doing? Who participated with you?
  • As a follow up question you might ask: What do you hope for in the next twelve months?
• Besides camping, what do you enjoy doing?
• What question would you like me to ask you?

I hope by posting these questions for making connections I will remember them next time I meet a new neighbor or perhaps you will ask me one of these questions.

In the comments below tell how you make connections with people you meet.