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How to feel at home in the airport | Thomas Girard | TEDxEmilyCarrU

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    For as long as I can remember,
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    I've wanted to travel
    all around the world.
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    But it turns out my favorite places to be
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    are the airports.
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    I realized this was true
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    when I found myself
    boarding a plane to Seattle
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    just to visit their airport.
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    (Laughter)
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    We often think of the world
    as a vast place with many unknowns
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    and things to learn about culture,
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    but sometimes we forget the things
    that can be the same
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    wherever they are in the world.
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    Let me illustrate.
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    Recently, I was on a plane to India,
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    and I was dreaming
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    about India things.
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    Greyish orange skies.
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    The subtropical climate.
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    Haggling over rupees
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    with an auto rickshaw driver
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    in Mumbai.
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    But something happened
    when I arrived in India.
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    I didn't haggle over rupees.
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    I took a taxi.
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    Another time, I was
    on my way to Barcelona,
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    and I was dreaming about Barcelona things.
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    Immersed in Gaudi architecture.
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    Eating pan con tomate.
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    Sipping a tempranillo.
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    Something happened there too.
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    I didn't sip a tempranillo.
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    I ordered a Diet Coke.
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    (Laughter)
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    And a second Diet Coke to save for later.
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    Something happens when
    we're in unfamiliar situations like these.
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    We seek things that are familiar.
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    We actually crave things
    that are familiar.
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    Next time you're on a plane,
    think about some of these things.
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    Think about the Diet Coke.
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    The tomato juice.
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    Christmas.
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    Two-ply toilet paper.
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    Seat belts.
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    Even think about Hollywood movies.
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    And think about how these things
    might remind you of home.
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    Maybe you'll find yourself on a plane too.
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    Just to visit an airport.
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    Thank you.
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    (Applause)
Title:
How to feel at home in the airport | Thomas Girard | TEDxEmilyCarrU
Description:

Thomas takes us on a personal journey through the gritty streets of Mumbai and edible diversions of Barcelona, a travel immersion that serendipitously reminds us of the single thing missing in his adventures - the familiar. Thomas Girard is a Continuing Studies Instructor at his alma mater, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, with a unique cultural perspective. Having lived and worked in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Vancouver and London, he is a person of many places. A 5x Emerging Scholar Award recipient, he speaks, receives awards, and sits on panel discussions around the world. Once employed as a Staff User Experience Designer at Lenovo Innovation Design Center User Experience Center in Haidian District, Beijing, his days are often spent thinking about where he’ll be tomorrow as he designs possibilities for our future selves.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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Video Language:
English
Team:
closed TED
Project:
TEDxTalks
Duration:
02:06

English subtitles

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