Polite conversation

I don't know if it's cos of my work, but I've become kinda lazy about small talk lately. I realized it when I was in Bangkok, and was meeting up with some old friends. I was with this young girl, and she was about 17? We were waiting for some other friends, and she was asking me the typical questions e.g. "What have you been doing since you got here?", "How long will you be here?", etc. Then it struck me that when I first knew her, and she was about 13, I used to be the one asking her typical questions like that.

And likewise with new colleagues or friends. I like getting to know new people, cos I feel like everyone's experience is different and it's interesting to find out how different people experience life. But lately I feel like asking a typical question only gets a typical answer, and if I have to go through the typical conversation to really get to know someone, it's a lotta effort.

I've always felt that the best kinda conversation was sometimes shared in a comfortable silence. I think I've learnt to appreciate it more.