Social isolation is often the bane of people who are career-driven, and many of them end up with partners who encourage their solitary habits for their own purposes. They tend to work long hours, and they seldom take advantage of the social opportunities work presents. When they travel for work, they bring along reports to review, or they spend their evenings returning emails. If they are attending a conference that is suddenly cancelled, they might be stranded in a city far from home with little or nothing to do with their days. It could become an opportunity to meet other people, so an unplanned holiday alone might change their life forever.
Business clothes only
When a person who is used to being socially isolated packs for a business trip, they will bring business clothes only. It means they will have nothing that could be considered casual, so they will tend to frequent nice restaurants for meals. A person in this situation might occasionally dine with colleagues within their company, but meeting others in a social situation would be an unexpected pleasure for them. A weather event that keeps a conference from occurring might be a time when they can suddenly relax and enjoy the holiday atmosphere that will prevail during the emergency, and they might begin to socialize to fill the lonely hours.
A place to stay
If a business conference has been cancelled, it is generally due to a massive weather event that affects air travel. Moving by train or car might be impossible as people will book those as soon as possible to be guaranteed a way home, so an isolated business traveller could be stranded until air travel has been restored. One of their concerns might be finding a hotel room if all the hotels are suddenly double-booked, but those who have already checked in will have a place to stay. They will be the lucky ones, but they might find they are being asked to accommodate one or more people in their room as an emergency measure. This could provide them with an opportunity to meet more people on a social level, and it could make them aware of how isolated they have become.
Dining out
It would be senseless for a person to simply stay in their room during a forced stay of this nature, so they will be dining out as usual. Overcrowding in area restaurants is to be expected if the area is already filled with conventioneers, so being asked to share a table is a common occurrence. It might become a pleasure for the isolated person to realize they will have company when they dine, and sharing a table with strangers might help them come out of their shell.
Social isolation can be part of a person’s lifestyle, or it could occur if they have a partner with trust issues. For those who have worked ceaselessly at their career, finding the time to socialize is low on their agenda. A cancelled conference or business meeting could show them a new aspect of life, and they could suddenly find they are enjoying an unplanned holiday alone with a group of people they might never have met.
