Connections

Big news! Today we go to a weekly schedule for Try Something New, adding two more issues per month of information, inspiration, and reflection on living a more adventurous life. Is there a topic you want to discuss or an interview you’d like to see? Email us and let us know. Now on to the good stuff…Sa wat dii ka! (That’s Thai for hello.)Today’s issue is all about connections, namely the connections you often make when you try new things and how they can impact your life long-term. We’ve seen this over and over again in our lives, and we have a great story to tell that happened just recently.First, many of you will recall that before we left the US in 2010 we hosted an event in Seattle for people interested in career breaks called Meet, Plan, Go. It was part of a larger national event, so we had people coming to Seattle from the surrounding area, and one of those people was a woman named Jessica from Portland.We hit it off with Jessica, staying in touch via email though mostly through Twitter. Jessica recently went to Mazatlan, Mexico on a business trip about tourism that included a group tour of local dining options in the area. The guide on the tour was a local chef and caterer who was not actually a regular tour guide; she was just pinch-hitting for a friend that day because the topic was one she knew so well.

Jessica and the chef Mariana hit it off and began chatting. Mariana told her that she was getting ready to travel in Asia for three months to learn some different cooking techniques, and she planned to open her own Latin/Asian fusion restaurant in Mazatlan when she returned. Jessica asked where in Asia she wanted to go to, and she said Thailand. Jessica told her about us and said we should meet up.

A few emails passed, and when Mariana arrived we introduced her to our friend, a local chef named We. We thought it would be fun for Mariana to see We’s restaurant, but we never dreamed what would come of it. Mariana and We really connected, and as of today Mariana is apprenticing in We’s kitchen, learning all about Thai cooking, and for new year’s they are planning a big Thai/Mex fusion dinner for all of us to enjoy.

All this came about from us connecting with Jessica (and staying in touch) as we tried something new in hosting that Meet, Plan, Go event in Seattle.

Now, not all your connections will end up with a delicious Thai/Mex fusion feast (don’t we wish!), but this story perfectly illustrates the twists, turns, and surprises you get from reaching out and connecting with people as you try something new. Your own version of this story may or may not include a trip to Thailand, but you can see how meeting new people means gaining access to all the interesting people they know, continually adding rich layers experience to your life and providing new layers for other people.

We hope that as you try new things you’ll make an effort to reach out to the new people you meet and stay in touch. It can really change your life. We hope to be adding an addendum to this story when we eventually travel to Mexico and eat at Mariana’s new restaurant. And hey, maybe Jessica can make it, too!

What is the most interesting turn of events you’ve experienced after meeting someone new?

Until next time, we hope you try something new.

PS - Did you miss an issue? You can now check out the archives here. Stay tuned for next week when we interview a first-time volunteer vacationer who worked as a ranch hand in remote Patagonia. Brrrrr!