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In Hong Kong, we live in a glass and steel jungle and rub shoulders with strangers from all walks of life every day without ever really connecting with them. Have you ever found yourself wanting to share details of your life with one of these strangers? Of the joys and pressure of working and living? And even if you did, would there be anyone there to listen?
In support of its new inclusive “Differently Together” theme, Link Sustainability Lab launched Hong Kong’s first-ever “Table Talk” activity in December, which gave each participant 15 minutes to get acquainted with a stranger. The goal was to show that no matter how different we are, there’s always room for us to live and dine together.
Table Talk aimed to draw participants from all age groups and backgrounds. Among them was a mystery guest – TV and radio host Sammy Leung. “As a programme host, I need to meet and talk to different people on a daily basis,” said Sammy, adding that while making conversation comes quite naturally to him, not everyone feels comfortable talking about themselves in front of strangers. Some people, he noted, are even afraid of listening to stories of other’s experiences.
During a “Table Talk” session, Sammy had the chance to talk to a young woman named Wing whom he was meeting for the first time. Wing was shy at first but gradually opened up over the course of their conversation. “To me, this experience was meaningful and a rare opportunity,” Sammy said. “It’s never easy to talk to someone you don’t know. But when you try to relax and open up about yourself, once the ice is broken, you can see a different side of yourself.” Sammy said he hopes that every participant is able to use this experience to help them be more proactive about interacting with strangers.
Wing, who loves radio shows, said she was ecstatic the moment she realised who her partner for the day was. Naturally, they started their conversation by talking about Sammy’s shows. At one point, Wing was driven to tears by their conversation. “We talked about work and relationship problems,” she said. “Sammy even used his own experience as examples for how I could better get along with my co-workers and handle relationships.”
Having just the two of them in the room allowed Wing to drop her guard and open up to Sammy like they were friends. “At the same time, Sammy shared with me many things that he had never mentioned in his shows. All these helped me feel more comfortable and relaxed about sharing my own issues and stories.”
There’s a saying that as you get older, the more lonely you feel. And sometimes this doesn’t even have to do with your personality.
Amanda and Cobe, another pair of “stranger friends”, are of similar age and share the same outgoing personality. Yet both have faced difficulties in interacting and sharing their feelings with others. The two hit it off almost immediately after sitting down at the table and went on to have a wonderful and engaging conversation, according to Cobe. “We both wanted it to be more than 15 minutes,” she said. “We talked about how in real life it has become increasingly difficult for even close friends to share their feelings. Once people begin working and have their own life, they become more guarded and even start making unhealthy comparisons.”
In addition to sharing the thoughts deep inside their hearts and minds, Amanda said they also followed the tips provided by the organisers of using drawing to interact. “We were given flash cards with suggestions on talking points that could help us break the ice, such as where do we see ourselves in 10 years. Another flash card suggested using drawings to express what’s on our mind at that moment. The organisers were very considerate to consider these kinds of ice breakers,” said Amanda.
After the activity, the two of them exchanged contact information right away. Both said they would happily share their “Table Talk” experience with friends and are looking forward to seeing it being held in different communities throughout Hong Kong. “To get to know each other is fate,” said Cobe. “While there’s nothing wrong with waiting to see who fate brings into your life, to me it’s even better if I can meet someone who shares a similar personality and values through this kind of activity. I recommend that everyone try something like this!”
On the event’s last day, host Anthony said it was tough to have to say goodbye.
What left Anthony with the deepest impression was the pairing between a young man in his 20s and an elderly man in his 70s. “The younger person was a bit reluctant at the beginning,” recalled Anthony. “But when he walked into the room after 15 minutes, something had obviously changed and the two were getting along well.” It turned out that the elderly participant had not only shared his own experiences, but had also taken a picture and posted it on social media.
“A couple of hours after the event had finished, the two of them were still walking around the lab and talking,” said Anthony. “It’s really exciting to see how this event helped different generations make friends with each other.”
