Miami & the re-learning about connecting

I came back from my holidays in Miami four days ago though due to the amount of work load it feels like it has been centuries ago! I do mean centuries ago! I do need some more holidays.

Miami was sunny, vibrant and amazing as always though this time I learnt our correctly saying; I re-learnt about a very important thing in Life; To connect with people.

Being in London for nearly ten years it feels like if I have forgotten how to pay attention to those around...how to connect with the people around me. I explain what I mean.

In Miami I experienced something I only experienced in Brazil before; strangers in the streets smiling; greeting you. Very strange; one day thinking about the subject I read a post of my favourite brazilian blogger mentioning how important it's to remember that people around us have a name and a story to tell. How important it's to say Good Morning, good afternoon, evening to others. Say hello to the cleaner who cleans our desks and ask 'How's life'.
On the same day a friend of ours, Barrie (below in the picture), who lives in Malibu, came to Florida on business and stopped by for a drink. Barrie is that sort of human being who is always positive, always smiling. He talks to everyone. And I do mean EVERYONE. In the bar he will be the one talking to the bar tenders, getting to know their lives, smiling, remembering to call everyone by name. For an example; he came to meet us at the hotel we were staying in Downtown  (Viceroy Miami) and having some cocktails at the bar in the terrace he engaged in a conversation with the Bartender. Within minutes the guys told us him his name, that he came from Russia and was in the US for ten years...he told us about his family.... Watching that interaction I could see how special that man felt at that moment by having someone interested in him, interested in listening to his stories.

In Miami I realised how involved in my own world I became here in London. From Home to work and from work to home without exchange eye contacts with anyone else, no engaging in conversations with anyone else...Not knowing the names of people who are part of my life - even though indirectly - and not knowing their stories.

For an example; going to the same gym everyday and seeing the same people for over five years now and realising that I don't know anyone names. I don't know who they are even though I see them every day of my life for over five years now. THAT'S CRAZY. It's not just me. No one in that gym talks to anyone. No one goes further than a brief Hello and Goodbye.

This trip to Miami reminded me a lot about my hometown; the Italian neighbourhood I come from in Sao Paulo where you make friends everywhere you go. Everybody talks to everybody. Everybody smiles.... Something that the hectic life in London has washed away from my day to day.

I gave my self a personal exercise after this holidays; I have given myself the task of smiling to those who I  come across in London; the receptionist, the cleaners, the sales assistants...ask their names and talk them in a natural way and not just buy wishing they rush on their speech so I can get on with my life.


Below some pictures from the trip.




The swim pool at the SLS hotel












A great idea (new to me). Water cooler served by the pool with fruits to give some natural flavour to the water. Very refreshing and cooling but without tasting artificial.





Cute sculpture by Romero Britto (very famous Brazilian artist) in the Bal Harbour Mall.