Not long ago I was vacationing in Rome by myself. As a solo traveler, I would often come up to locals and asked them to take a photo of me.
Walking along the gorgeous Tiber river, I came up to a couple walking along the banks and asked them to take a shot of me along one of the ancient bridges.
The man said "sure!" in an American accent, and added, "are you from the US?", sure I replied. "From New York?", yes, I answered with a slight laugh. Then he asked "do you live in…" and then he said my address. I looked at him in total shock and disbelief.
He was a neighbor that I’ve never met— 5,000 miles away from home. Someone who is friends with my sister.
This experience just goes to show, how vital building, nurturing your relationships are because the strangers on the street are just three Kevin Bacon steps away.