Sharing Tea

"Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights" - Iroh

Out of the many wise things Iroh spoke of, this was the quote that resonated with me the most. For me, one of the most satisfying things in life is striking up a deeper conversation with a stranger about their experiences. Being able to hear even just a small snippet of their journey through life is incredibly rewarding. It broadens my mind to so many new perspectives, allowing me to be more empathetic and understand the world a bit better. In some cases, it is inspiring too; I find certain aspects of their lives so compelling, that I try to incorporate it into my own life. And the same feelings apply with the roles reversed. It's very rewarding to share my own perspective of life, and even more so when I am able to impart wisdom and impact their lives in a positive way. Though I may never see some of them again, it always leaves me with a nice feeling that I was able to forge a deep connection. 

https://www

.instagram.com/reel/CuaMkVcJHVR/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

Ellie shared this reel with me and the gist of it is that this guy goes around traveling a lot with a notebook he has strangers write in. The prompt is: what piece of advice do you wish you knew earlier? He goes on to say how this short question was an amazing conversation starter, and it has allowed him to hear many transformative experiences of others. This notebook is also something he can look at when he's feeling uncertain or just in need of something to brighten his day.

 

My version of it is this blog post. I will continually update this blog with the responses I get to the question. 

 Alex Wong: It's ok to not know what job or career path you want to work in

He gives the advice that even if you end up with a job you don't like, it gives you insight into what you're not interested in. For him, he graduated with a Civil Engineering degree with the thought that Civil wasn't a major he was interested in. So, he started his career off with a tech support job in a company specializing in making cable adapters, like HDMI to USB. After not enjoying the company culture, he pivoted back to many Civil jobs in the private sector where his interest for Civil grew. Finally he has found his home in the government sector under EBMUD. The point he wanted to get across was that it took him many many years (I think he's in his 30s? idk tho) and several job changes before he was able to find the job he is happy with. 

This advice meant a lot to me because I have absolutely zero clue of what I'm tryna do. So, it's comforting knowing he was in a similar place and has been able to eventually find a job he's content with.

Maggie: Hang in there. And don't always get bogged down down by all the negativity in the news. Be happy, hang with your friends

She seemed to be aware that many in my generation are stressed and worried about the impending doom from climate change and the many conflicts happening in the world. Many feel burdened with the ginormous responsibility of solving all the wrongs in the world. She wanted to remind my generation that yes, although there exists so many pressing issues, we should still be able to live life to it's happiest. So do the things in life that you enjoy and makes you have fun.

Maggie is a nice old lady that I met on the Bart visiting her daughter at Berkeley. Barting to Berkeley for the first time, she asked me if she was on the correct train, which ended up sparking a hour long conversation during the entirety of our commute. It was an absolute pleasure hearing about her life journey. One thing that stood out to me was her love for meeting and talking to new friends and strangers. She spoke of her time working as a flight attendant and reiminisced about how wonderful it was on flights before the digital age. With no phones, laptops or movies, conversing with the person next to you was the only source of entertainment. She very much enjoyed the vibes it brought, getting to hear about the stories from so many diverse people and hearing the livliness of many others doing the same. Her excitement to converse with strangers was a feeling I picked up on immediately. It was something made it so very easy to initiate and continue conversation with her despite my social anxieties.

 

Another thing that stood out to me was Maggie's gratefulness and appreciation for her daughter who had asked Maggie to take care of her for the week after getting her wisdom teeth removed. Seeing how happy Maggie felt to help her daughter made me refelect upon my own relationship with my parents. In my pusuit to try to be more independent, I find that I rarely reach out to them for help and advice. A recent sermon at my church explained how asking for help is a strong showing of love. The act of exposing your vulnerabilities to others shows how greatly you trust them. The sermon in combination with my encounter with Maggie inspires me to be more vulnerable and ask for help more often from friends and family. It's important to be able to do things on my own, but it is equally as important to rely on others as well.

David Freyberg: Water Resources and Hazards Professor

 

You don't need to be too anxious about the future and your career plan. You don't need to have your career all planned out in front of you. Just know yourself to the point where if you there is an opportunity that arises, you know to jump to it.