Recently I talked about traveling alone and how absolutely fulfilling, exciting, and amazing it can be.

不久前我談到獨自旅行，它可以帶來成就感、令人感到興奮及美好。

But today, I thought I would take that topic a step further.

但今天我想延伸這個主題。

Because traveling alone, yes, it's about being alone, but paradoxically, it is also a great way to meet new people.

因為獨自旅行，雖然是單獨一人，但反過來說，它同樣是個認識人的好機會。

The first thing you have to do is turn on that very elusive 6th sense, and the 7th, and the 8th.

你要做的第一件事，就是打開那很虛幻的第六感，或是第七感、第八感。

Because if you want to meet new people or strike up a conversation with a stranger, you are going to have to be sensitive to what's around you.

因為如果你想要認識人或跟陌生人聊天，你必須要對周遭敏感。

So you can read the signs and send out the right signals.

這樣你才能正確解讀別人的意思，並發送對的訊號。

So here are some Dos and Don'ts.

以下是該做和不該做的事。

Meeting new people is easier than you think, I promise.

認識人比你想像中簡單，我保證。

First of all, you gotta choose the right location.

首先，你必須選擇對的地方。

Bars are great, but the early hours. None of those 4 am senseless conversations.

酒吧很好，但要選天色還早的時候去，而不是半夜去聊瞎話。

Coffee houses, any restaurant that has a communal table is fantastic.

咖啡店以及有共用桌的餐廳都很棒。

Basically, wherever you have a sense of community.

基本上就是任何你可以感受群體的地方。

If you see people sharing benches or tables, bingo.

如果你看到別人共用椅子或桌子，去吧！

If they are sitting alone, quiet, with their heads in a book, with headphones, not so much.

如果別人安靜自己坐著，正在看書或戴耳機，你不太該去。

So respect the space, just read the signs.

所以你要配合環境，並懂得觀察別人。

Asking questions that require more than a yes or no answer is the best way to start up a conversation.

問開放性問題是開啟話題最好的方式。

But you have to ease into it.

但你必須慢慢來。

So first, you start off with something very simple, a classic, something like, "It's a beautiful day, right?"

所以首先，你可以提出簡單對話，經典台詞例如：「你不覺得今天天氣很好嗎？」

And then, if they answer very quickly and move right on to texting, you move on.

如果對方很快地回答完然後繼續用手機，你就換別人聊。

If you get a little bit more of a hefty answer, then you wham them with your next question, which is more in-depth.

如果你覺得他回答得很詳細，那你就可以問下一個更深入的問題。

So it could be something like, "You know, I'm visiting, do you have any favorite spots around here that you can recommend?"

像是「嘿我正在旅遊，你有推薦什麼這附近的私房景點嗎？」

And then, you take it up from there.

然後你們就可以繼續聊下去了。

You'll be surprised that how easy this is.

你會很驚訝這件事多簡單。

What I have learned is that people, in general, like to talk.

從我的經驗來看，人們大致上喜歡講話。

So as long as you're not threatening, and you're friendly, and you're willing to listen, you're in a great position to start with.

所以只要你看起來不可怕，而且友善、願意傾聽，就已經是好的第一步了。

The golden rule here is to not do this with the sole purpose of finding a lifelong friend every time you go out.

黃金法則是：你能在認識別人時都抱著只想找到一生摯友的念頭。

That will not happen.

這不會發生。

You have to be absolutely OK with going out there and having no one want to talk to you.

你必須要接受踏出去但是沒有人想要跟你說話。

And believe me, if that happens, there's nothing wrong with you.

相信我，如果這真的發生，並不是你的問題。

You're absolutely friendly, and wonderful, and amazing, and lovely.

你很友善、很棒、很可愛。

You just didn't run into anyone that wanted to strike up a chat.

你只是沒有遇到想要聊天的人。

So, totally OK.

所以這完全沒關係。

But, let me tell you.

但我跟你說。

I have made lifelong friends because of this, and it's absolutely wonderful, very rare, and maybe you'll just have a short little conversation on a bench that you'll remember forever.

我在旅行中真的有交到一生摯友，很棒、很難得，很可能你只是在長椅上跟對方簡短聊天，卻會成為你一生難忘的對話。

Bottom line is this: You have to be open and try it out.

重點就是，你必須開放一點然後勇於嘗試。

And the next time that somebody sits next to you and strikes up a conversation with you, remember those moments when they let you down, and talk it up.

下次有人坐在你旁邊然後主動跟你講話，記得那些曾經別人對你冷漠的時刻，然後熱情回話。

Alright guys. So, try it out, go out there, meet some people, talk to strangers, make it happen, and let me know how it went below in the comments.

好啦，就放膽嘗試，踏出去、認識人、跟陌生人對話、成功交友，然後在留言告訴我結果如何。

It's super scary at first, but it gets so much easier with time.

一開始會很可怕，但時間久了就變簡單很多。

Come back next Thursday, ciao!

下星期四見，掰掰！