When is the last time you talked to a stranger? Was it yesterday? last month? 3 years ago? or never?
Would you mind telling me the reason why? Are you afraid of them? Or you just prefer to be with your close friends and family?
Tell me… I’m really curious!

Me on the other hand wants to see a stranger every chance I get. Strangers to me are like Coins in the Nintendo Mario Bros video game. I try to get as many coins as I want.
Why?
My answer is this…. “Every individual has one unique story to tell that you can apply in your daily life”!

I give you one scenario. I swim regularly. But I just don’t go out and swim, take a shower and head back home. I always check if there is people around.
And believe me, there are always people around.

Like this guy in the picture in a yellow shirt. He is our pool maintenance guy. Only a few people talk to him. He just sits there all alone in his chair.
I took the time to get to know him…. after all, a few minutes of social talking wouldn’t hurt.

His name is Dexter. He is from North Cotobato. He told me a lot of wonderful stories about his place. A landlocked province located in the region of Mindanao.
Cotabato is now one of the investment-friendly provinces in the country today. Thousands of hectares of land are suitable for a variety of crops: rice, banana, rubber, oil palm and other high value crops.
This 656,590 hectares of land is also blessed with beautiful surroundings and touristic places like the New Isreal’s eco-tourism park that is situated at the foot of Mt. Apo.
You also have the option to feel the breeze of nature of the Majestic Asik-Asik Falls.

Did you know that a Rubber farmer in Cotobato produces a minimum monthly income of P36,000 per hectare or a minimum annual income of P432,000 per hectare?
Aside from the high demand of rubber products in the world market, rubber trees can be intercropped with other crops including livestock.
A very good place for retirement…. Hhhhmmmm???

The other guy on the picture (the one with the blue shirt). His name is Jerome and he is from Bacolod. He is a longtime family driver but little did I know that his last name is a Tanalgo.
He is related to the Tanalgo siblings (Rose, Bing and JM) who happens to be the owners of Bacolod Chicken Inasal.
It’s a wholly owned subsidiary restaurant that originated in Bacolod.

This time, me and Jerome were talking about native chickens, how the Inasal is made, and all of its secret behind it.
It’s a pleasing story to hear especially when you are hungry.

North Cotobato and Bacolod. Two places that I haven’t been but now have more reason to visit.
I wouldnt’ know this information if I acted like a horse with “Blinders in my eye”. I just talked to these strangers and suddenly they became my friends.
We might do business together or not. It does not really matter. What matters is my perception in life is larger and better due to meeting new and interesting individuals.

So, let me ask this question again…. When is the last time you talked to a stranger?