While you’re queuing for your regular cup of morning coffee, the person in front of you chats obnoxiously loud on the phone. Involuntarily, you hear all about their disastrous day…it’s only 7:30am. 

With coffee in hand, you begin your commute to work. Your ears perk up when you hear people behind you, debating a controversial topic.

At lunchtime, browsing the meal deal section in the supermarket, you catch a snippet of someone else’s conversation. For some unknown reason, it brings a smile to your face. 

These are some experiences I’ve not had in a long time. 

Living in a foreign country, unable to speak or read the language, I feel like I’m missing out on the small but influential interactions of strangers that surround you. Every day brings new opportunities to listen and learn from different people. Overheard nuggets from strangers can create new discussions with friends, a stolen conversation can make you question your own beliefs, giving you something to ponder that you might not have asked yourself. 

I appreciate the friends I chat to, books I read and podcasts I listen to. But as a curious (and nosy) individual, I miss eavesdropping and the randomness you can learn from strangers in day-to-day life. 

Moral of the story? I should do better at learning Japanese. 

Second moral of the story: appreciate your surroundings. Although I can’t learn from initial experiences, I try to observe and appreciate what Tokyo offers as a city. The information is all there, it just takes a little longer and harder to learn.

Till next time,

Harry