Shared a meal with 24 strangers last night in Bali

I’ve had a really rough 6 months, and now I’m traveling (Bali) all by myself.<br>I was invited to dinner at a restaurant by the guesthouse I’m staying at. I had dinner with 24 other people that have never met each other before, and it was amazing. I’ve never felt so supported and appreciated by strangers.<br><br>The restaurant served 2 big dishes that everyone shared, and we all sat on one long table. To break the ice, the owner asked us to go around the table and share our name, age, country of origin, and what we’re doing in Bali. It was a lot of fun hearing everyone’s names. I only remember the 2 Swiss girls, 7 Germans (thankfully they are okay), 2 Taiwanese, 2 Chinese, American, Irish, Australian, Canadians… and more! <br><br>We talked, laughed, and made jokes. I even made a friend from Taiwan, and we’re going to meet tomorrow. We have a lot in common, and I’m really looking forward to it.<br><br>The food was delicious and the company was great. But the best part of the night was when we all went around the table again to share what we’re grateful for today. It was amazing to see what everyone was thankful for. Someone said that they’re skipping a family dinner to be with us at this dinner. Another couple said that they’re thankful to have found this restaurant. There was lots of laughter. But what really got me was when the Taiwanese girl (the one I made friends with) said that she’s thankful to have made friends in Taiwan (she was previously struggling to make friends there). The Chinese guy next to her said that he’s thankful for pets, and we all “awww’d” because my friend is a pet groomer.<br><br>Then when it was my turn, I said that I’m thankful for all of you. Everyone at the table are strangers to me, but I feel a great sense of community and support. It’s a really great feeling. I almost got choked up because I’m still healing from a recent break-up (and a bunch of other stuff that happened during 2023). But my friend from Taiwan said that she was thankful to have met me, and someone else said the same, too. Mind blown! (They said it because they didn’t know how to speak English at first, but we were able to communicate.)<br><br>So here’s my advice for tonight: Open yourself up to others and share a meal with strangers. Talk to your neighbors. Say thank you. Make eye contact. Hold the door open for someone. Be present.<br><br>EDIT: Wow! I just checked back and I'm blown away by all of the responses. Thank you for your kind words and sharing your stories. You've made my day and I'm so grateful. I hope that we all have a great time sharing meals with strangers and appreciating the small things in life.