A recent flight from the midwest to Arizona, allowed me over 3 hours to get to know my seat mate.
I forgot my earphones and noticed the guy in the aisle seat didn't have earphones either. He was very helpful with getting my laptop from the overhead compartment and seemed friendly enough, so I made the decision to strike up a conversation.
I'm a speech-language pathologist and love to talk but find that I need to conjure up my confidence when talking with strangers on a plane. I tried asking some open ended questions - those that can't be answered without a complete sentence or two. I hit the jackpot with my question, "What brings you to Phoenix?" I learned all about this man's hometown and his family's relocation to Detroit, Michigan. Being relaxed and curious helped me to keep up a healthy chatter. There are an infinite number of opportunities to break the ice with complete strangers.
Not everyone wants to engage in small talk so watch for those subtle and not so subtle cues like earphones, sleepy travelers, avid readers in the middle of a seemingly captivating book, gamers that can't look away from their screen long enough to establish eye contact.
I embrace the idea that every person has a story. All you have to do is initiate some interest. Be friendly, relaxed and a good turn taker. Remember to listen and share equally.
I got to meet a sweet retired couple from Surprise, Arizona during a quick stop at In N Out Burger in Good Year, an amusing bartender in Glendale and an Arizona transplant on my flight back to Indiana. Everyone has a story, so take the time to listen to some great ones, and share of few of your own!
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