November 29, 2018
When I was in college I went on a life changing trip, it was the NYC Sociology study tour. I knew I wanted to go on it from the first moment I became a student. I learned about it at registration in the university gym (back in the day before you could register online). It was a trip that taught me so very much about life and how to live life.
The trip was a sociology trip to study people and culture in New York City. We’d leave the Saturday night before Thanksgiving (that’s the end of November for those of you not American) and we’d return the following Saturday night. We’d stop off in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Sunday to learn about the Amish culture and then head into the city for the week. During the week we’d visit Harlem, the Lower East Side, China Town, Little Italy, we’d see Broadway plays, off Broadway plays, the Rockettes Christmas program, a synagogue service for Friday night and loads of other things. On Thanksgiving day we’d work with the Salvation Army to feed people a Thanksgiving meal, then we’d all get together for dinner that night and share our own Thanksgiving meal away from home.
The trip happened two and half months (or so) after school started so before the actual trip we had a class met once a week and we’d talk about NYC, we talk about gentrification and loads of other great sociology words. We would learn a bit about the history of different people and buildings. We all learned the address for the YMCA we’d stay at: 224 E 47th street and tried to grasp the metro system before we arrived.
The best thing Mr. Lamb ever taught me was to make connections with people. He encouraged us to create a bit of a routine while there, always stop at the same coffee cart each morning and greet the person running it. To try new things and always keep exploring. It was the best thing that could have ever happened to 18 year old Sonya. I went on that same trip for the next 5 years and learned how to connect better each time. (I was a student for two of those years and after that they asked me to be a student leader, they figured might as well put me to work if I was going to be going anyway!) During those 5 years I took his advice to heart and made friends with the cheeky, flirty New Yorkers, I got hair advice from a woman in a pizza shop in Harlem, I was given a free ticket to a seat 4 rows back from the orchestra pit at the Met Opera, I asked for directions, made a friend and was given his pass to get into a museum.
Those were life lessons Mr. Lamb gave me, I didn’t know it then but they would become a foundation to how I live my life.
Last night I stopped by a smoothie cart for dinner. I asked for a drink in Khmer and chatted a bit as she made my drink. I wished her a good evening and rode the bike back to my hotel. Yesterday evening I had gone for a ride and it was on my way back to the hotel but tonight I wanted a drink again so I rode past all the other drink carts (and there were loooooads of them) to visit that same lady. She recognised me and she remembered what I wanted, told her son to make it and even remembered no sweet and condensed milk. We talked even longer tonight, I was again able to practice Khmer and connect with a human. I even ordered a ‘pancake’ with coconut and Nutella from the cart next to her and chatted with her as well. What a great feeling to connect and make friends and what a great experience to remember Siem Reap by.
I owe a lot to Mr. Lamb and those trips to NYC. I still keep in touch with Mr. Lamb and tell him how grateful I am for all that he taught me.
The trip was a sociology trip to study people and culture in New York City. We’d leave the Saturday night before Thanksgiving (that’s the end of November for those of you not American) and we’d return the following Saturday night. We’d stop off in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Sunday to learn about the Amish culture and then head into the city for the week. During the week we’d visit Harlem, the Lower East Side, China Town, Little Italy, we’d see Broadway plays, off Broadway plays, the Rockettes Christmas program, a synagogue service for Friday night and loads of other things. On Thanksgiving day we’d work with the Salvation Army to feed people a Thanksgiving meal, then we’d all get together for dinner that night and share our own Thanksgiving meal away from home.
The trip happened two and half months (or so) after school started so before the actual trip we had a class met once a week and we’d talk about NYC, we talk about gentrification and loads of other great sociology words. We would learn a bit about the history of different people and buildings. We all learned the address for the YMCA we’d stay at: 224 E 47th street and tried to grasp the metro system before we arrived.
The best thing Mr. Lamb ever taught me was to make connections with people. He encouraged us to create a bit of a routine while there, always stop at the same coffee cart each morning and greet the person running it. To try new things and always keep exploring. It was the best thing that could have ever happened to 18 year old Sonya. I went on that same trip for the next 5 years and learned how to connect better each time. (I was a student for two of those years and after that they asked me to be a student leader, they figured might as well put me to work if I was going to be going anyway!) During those 5 years I took his advice to heart and made friends with the cheeky, flirty New Yorkers, I got hair advice from a woman in a pizza shop in Harlem, I was given a free ticket to a seat 4 rows back from the orchestra pit at the Met Opera, I asked for directions, made a friend and was given his pass to get into a museum.
Those were life lessons Mr. Lamb gave me, I didn’t know it then but they would become a foundation to how I live my life.
Last night I stopped by a smoothie cart for dinner. I asked for a drink in Khmer and chatted a bit as she made my drink. I wished her a good evening and rode the bike back to my hotel. Yesterday evening I had gone for a ride and it was on my way back to the hotel but tonight I wanted a drink again so I rode past all the other drink carts (and there were loooooads of them) to visit that same lady. She recognised me and she remembered what I wanted, told her son to make it and even remembered no sweet and condensed milk. We talked even longer tonight, I was again able to practice Khmer and connect with a human. I even ordered a ‘pancake’ with coconut and Nutella from the cart next to her and chatted with her as well. What a great feeling to connect and make friends and what a great experience to remember Siem Reap by.
I owe a lot to Mr. Lamb and those trips to NYC. I still keep in touch with Mr. Lamb and tell him how grateful I am for all that he taught me.
Make a routine, get to know the people who serve you, smile and connect with humans.
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