It’s hard to feel lonely in Seville.

A person born in the northern hemisphere (like me) may be astounded by how fast and easy it is to make connections in Spain, specifically in the sought-after region of Andalusia. Some of you know that I deal with human connection, trust building, and communication in my professional life. I train business leaders, consultants and sales people to hone those skills. Therefore, I need to walk my talk and practice human connection in my personal life as much as possible.

Seville has become my “human connection” paradise.

From the very first day, I felt at home there. I experienced the very best behaviors of Sevillians. First and foremost, my friend Cristina, who lives in Seville, introduced me to many people and the local lifestyle. I was attending theater shows, ceremonies in churches, music and dance in peñas flamencas, having tapas with locals, and engaging in conversations with expats. I was buying bocadillos and montaditos (Sevillian specialties) in local shops, sipping morning coffee (for 1.5 Euros) in neighborhood cafes, and going to work in public libraries. I was trying to interact with everyone I met along the way. And it wasn’t that difficult.

What are my human connection insights from Seville?

#1 Go out with curiosity

Approaching people with openness, a smile, eye contact, and sincere curiosity often leads to engaging conversations over coffee or outings with newly met individuals. One rule: don’t be afraid to ask questions and share something about yourself. Human connection is a reciprocal process, a two-way street. Sevillians love talking about life, love, and their festivals. However, don’t take it too seriously. Building a deeper connection with local people may take years, or it may not even be possible to enter their social circles at all.

#2 Feel comfortable being uncomfortable

At the beginning, I was a bit shy and nervous about trying to live like a local. It took me a while to attend my first bachata and salsa class (I was the only foreigner) or to start working from a public library. I knew that my Spanish was far from perfect. However, I learned that perfection is my limitation, and vulnerability is my strength. Asking for help enabled me to bridge the distance between me and the locals and foster connections.

#3 Seize opportunities for human interactions

In Seville, I experienced the power of going out and meeting people offline. It’s strongly ingrained in their culture to spend time outdoors. They start the day with “a café and tostada” in a local bar, then go out for lunch and enjoy the “siesta” break sitting outside, and finally, they end the day eating tapas in local bars that stay occupied until 11:00 PM during the weekdays. I dislike how much time we spend online in Poland and how difficult it sometimes is to plan a meeting with friends. In Seville, no one plans ahead of time (and even if they do, plans may change last minute), they simply go out and call their friends to join or socialize with strangers.

This is one of the best travel experiences I’ve had in my life, and human connection plays a key role in making it so great!

Now, it’s time to bring these lessons back home

I’ll be happy to hear your experiences with building human connection