The Second S: Strangers

Living out of a suitcase, waking up each morning in a different hotel, and eating no home-cooked meals can all lead to insanity. While traveling, one has to search for different paths to entertainment each day. However, one can only flip through every channel on television, google "how to avoid boredom in a hotel room," jump on the bed, or call the front desk and room service so many times before these normally fulfilling tasks become mundane. That constant search for something to do is the life of a business traveler; in fact, sometimes the only sanity a business traveler can acquire is borrowed.

So far this trip, I have been away from home for seven nights, and I have three more ahead. I've eaten the last twenty-two meals at a restaurant or hotel, stayed in five different hotels, become used to four different television channel lineups, read an entire novel, watched four movies, and talked face-to-face with only about fifteen people total whom I already know (actually, most I don't really know; I've just met them previously). To keep sane, I've had to rely on the kindness of strangers.

I'm surprised how many strangers are so wonderfully hospitable. All I've had to do is mention to someone that I'm from out of town and alone, and they go out of their way to make me feel more at home. That was definitely the case yesterday when I toured the historic St. George Utah Tabernacle. A fun older sister missionary from Boise, Idaho, serving in St. George with her husband, took me on a personal tour of the amazing, pioneer-crafted building. We spent about a half-hour talking about the history of the area, the building itself and the Gospel, but also chatted about the little things. And sometime's it's the little things that make you feel right at home.

Speaking of little things, I've spent the majority of the past few months traveling in the small towns of Utah and Wyoming. And I mean small. I visited some friends in Cokeville, Wyoming (population a whopping 488) to visit Joe & AnnMarie, a couple of old friends, which was one of the smallest towns ever. Joe would beg to differ. He grew up in the town of Veteran, Wyoming that currently has a population of 28. Anyway, sometimes I've really had to search for things to occupy my spare time, and I'm very lucky to have a group of recruiters from other schools I've been traveling around with. In fact, a couple other recruiters and I, who have gone from strangers to good friends in the period of three months, spent one evening in Vernal trying to think of fun things to do with hotel bedding. Again...it's the little things!

My advice to you fellow business travelers is to search out friendly-looking strangers. Almost everyone will be willing to help you find something fun, and many of them will invite you to do something with them! Befriending strangers can be one of your greatest adventures if you just step out of that shell!