Sharing inspiring life stories with strangers on the metro

Manon Veldhuis and Julien Thomas established Ondergronds to connect people and encourage them to engage in conversation while in transit. The program matches users who ride the metro from Wibautstraat to Central Station and back. While in transit, meaningful conversation ensues. I spoke with Manon and Julien, in true Ondergronds style, on a moving metro train.

What is Ondergronds about? Manon: The project is about connection. It’s about forming connections that didn’t exist before. It’s about the people you don’t yet know. It’s about diversity of people and opinions. It’s about everything that’s different from what you know. Julien: Okay, here we are on the metro right now. There are six or seven people around us. They’re probably curious about what’s we’re doing with this microphone. Perhaps this scene looks odd to them. It can also seem odd to sit down next to someone you don’t know and start chatting.

So, how do you make that conversation or connection happen? Manon: We offer it directly. Featured on our website are the seniors who are participating in this project. Their details are presented like a metro map, which gives users a brief idea of who they are, where they come from and what their lives have looked like. Users sign up for a time slot. At the Volkshotel, you receive an envelope with more information that will also

“She looks like a very typical grandmother. But when she opens her mouth, she is a smartass.”

“What do ‘young’ and ‘old’ mean? Some people have lived for many years, but still feel young.”

help you prepare for the conversation. We encourage all participants to take a step back, be present, and think through conversation topics. Each participant then walks to the metro where he or she meets the senior.

Do I get to choose the senior I will speak with? Manon: The senior you’ll speak with is a surprise. You’ll learn more about your conversation partner when you confirm. We live by the motto that people have common interests. It takes opening up to learn them.

What’s the next stop for Ondergronds? Julien: We want to encourage the same model of conversation in different formats and different groups. The main goal is to change the culture of the public space, starting with public transit. What matters most is that conversations are happening and that we help improve the perception of conversing with strangers.

Why older people? Julien: Initially, we asked ourselves, “What do ‘young’ and ‘old’ mean?” Some people have lived for many years, but still feel young. Some young people are wise beyond their years. In order to determine what defined “senior,” we selected the arbitrary age of 65 years old. The conversations differ according to the senior’s age and background. Manon has tried to seek out seniors who are in the older age bracket because it’s less likely that youngsters will interact with octogenarians regularly.

What were your first impressions of the seniors you met? Manon: There is one woman who looked like a very typical grandmother. When she opened her mouth, she was a smartass. One friendly older gentleman was in the war in Indonesia, and he knew everything about dancing.

“People always have common interests. It takes opening up to learn.”

These small details about someone only come out after several minutes of chatting. You may think, “He doesn’t have much to say” or “He dwells in the past.” One simple conversation with a senior can completely change your perception of others. You have to invest a bit, but you get a lot in return.

What do you get from having a conversation with someone twice your age?

Manon: We’re not used to speaking with people about

the wisdom of life. We find these experiences are very

relevant right now. Especially for young people who have much to learn, why not learn from people who have lived it already? Thank you Manon and Julien for a great conversation in transit through Amsterdam. We’re looking forward to having our first conversation with one of the seniors soon. ¢ ondergronds.nl