In “The Stranger,” Schütz also describes the ways in which people become familiar with new places and communities. This is often a disorienting experience, and strangers do not have a clear map to guide them through it. Think of a time when you have been a stranger learning about a new community. How did you adapt to this situation?

I have lived in Hong Kong my whole life and three years ago I started studying in the United Kingdom. It was a place I have never been before and there were a lot of things I needed to learn again. Where to take the bus, when to get off, recognizing the streets…

It took longer to adapt because I was with a bunch of people and they knew the way, I relied a lot on them and I didn’t learn to travel alone until very late.

Now I have started school in Parsons my parents didn’t send me over so I had to figure my way to a completely new place and that was when I learnt to be independent. People adapt to new things the fastest when they don’t have a choice.