An Experiment

A few days of the week I try to walk home from school. I work at one end of town and live at the other. It's a nice walk..about an hour through the city. A new road just opened allowing me to walk on a back street of sorts instead of a main 6 lane road. While I wander home, i walk through a few neighbourhoods and business areas (in my city, they're one and the same really). Anyway, at first I would just keep my eyes on the road and bop along to my ipod. Then I started to take notice of all the interesting things i pass along the way. I see many school children walking home and gathering at road side vendors (usually out of the back of a truck) with awnings and stools. They typically sell meat on a stick or deep fried this and that. I also commonly see older women carrying garden baskets on their heads or little kids gathered around an outside video game. Many of the faces I passed were blank and almost intimidating..this makes me very uncomfortable. (wanna freak me out..just give me a blank stare...) During the last two weeks, I decided to preform a little experiment. I thought I would try giving everyone I passed a big old smile and "annyong haseyo/hashimnika" and count how many bright smiles I would receive back. Day 1: I passed 10 people and got 7 big smiles. Day 2: I passed 8 people and got 8 smiles. Day 3: I passed around 15 people and got 10 smiles, 3 non responses, and 2 or 3 confused looks. It is so fun. I love it when I say hello and give a bow to an OOOOLLLLLDDDD women and her wrinkled up face (that appears pretty pissed off) transforms into a big smile. It really brightens my day, which is important during the dark, rainy days of the rainy season. So, my message to you..whether you're having a good day or bad, whether you can speak someone else's language or not...SMILE. It will make you and the recipient feel great.