When you move to a new country, you gotta get out there and meet new people. I went through it when moving from Argentina to Spain, and now I’m starting again in Canada. I feel more outsider than ever, and comfort is far away. But that’s why I travel, to face discomfort and shorten distances.
Last month I participated in a local Art show. I went to the opening, hoping to meet colleagues. But there were tons of people, and without knowing anyone, I felt lost. I’m not shy when someone or the context introduces me (eg. standing next to a mural with a brush in my hand). But crashing into groups of strangers, saying – “Hello!” out of the blue and then standing there like a freak, requires a confidence I didn’t have. That’s when I close my eyes and a creature in my mind pats me on the back. I managed to speak to 5 people and called it a day. Went home and made this Zine.
Anything becomes difficult if we don’t do it frequently. We rust. Once I saw a boy and a dog take 5 minutes to become friends with an entire park, all they had was a ball. They just bounced around being happy, sniffing and checking if anyone else agreed that everything-was-great. If so they engaged playing, if not they moved on to the next group of people. No questions asked, people smiled back, pat them on the head and threw the ball. Here comes the best part: we all once were that kid with that power. And I have no idea when or why did we stop using it.
*This article first appeared in my newsletter: 12/05/2019 – Animalito’s Stories: Talk to Strangers.
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