Saturday, August 12, 2006

Pleasure to meet you

We drove up and down the Gulf Road trying to come up with ways to meet new people. In this country you either met them through work/school, friends, or extreme coincidences. It could be possible to just walk upto someone and start a conversation in Sultan or Starbucks for example. However, not everyone would accept that as a normal social interaction, especially if they were of the opposite sex. The setting has to be right. After hours of driving we only came up with one type of place: A private health club. Even then most people would find you strange because you...

...were friendly.

10 comments:

Caffeinated said...

It's hard to strike up a conversation with someone of the opposite gender...mostly because 80% of them are naive, foolish, or sleazy (girls and guys!).

I have heard some girls use certain lines on guys to try to strike up a conversation with them, and the cheesiness made me want to gag.

Keep trying...you never know, there may be one person out there who actually is cool with normal conversation.

Angelo said...

LOL...Yeah, it is funny how fast you can get a "girlfriend" but so unlikely to have a mutual friendship with a girl. Most of my female friends are my schoolmates (the ones I met in the US), cousins, and friends of my female cousins!!

Cuteberry said...

"Even then most people would find you strange because you...
...were friendly." <-- I totally agree with you..

I "used" to be friendly with ppl. However, here in kuwait, girls would give "the attitude" and guys would take it in a wrong, very wrong way.

I rather stick to my old friends and choose the people whom I can be friendly with, knowing that they wont get the wrong impression.

Oh and by the way, once u come up with a good way to meet up decent ppl, lemme know ;) Share the love :P

Transparently said...

Caffeinated,
I agree that it is hard to start a conversation with strangers in Kuwait, but there has to be some sane people around. I haven't lost hope yet.

fallen,
Quite true. Sadly, most of my female friends have either moved on (married, quit, etc). The guy friends are still around, and we can't get rid of them! Sausage party? Bleh.

Cuteberry,
Yep, If I do come up with an Idea I'll share. There's a lot of love to be shared.

Salty-C,
You can, but would you risk it in Kuwait. Personally, If I'd find someone sensibile I'd love to small talk but there is no such concept, well not yet. If you have tips, pass them on, so how do you tell the difference? And don't tell me you have magical powers, because that wont work.

3abeer said...

Starting up a conversation with a stranger?? being friendly?? you gotta be kidding me !!

Kuwaities are so uptight and xpats who live here end up the same way too!

it's just the way it is here and when you're friendly (especially with the opposite sex) you are precieved as either (a)a wierdo or (b) have a hidden agenda.

Sad.

Transparently said...

Salty-C,
That happened last night, but it was impossible to converse considring the location and others around, I'll look for that friendly vibe.

3abeer,
You are right, they are uptight. But when you've been living abroad for quite a few years you realize it is not a bad thing. You can talk to people anywhere anytime and leave and not have a bad experience. It has become a mission now... something to overcome here.

Bella Color said...

I know it difficult to get to know ppl from the opposite sex, bas tara its not that bad. u can get to know ppl from school, work, or even blogging. I dont see that there is a big deal if a male approaches a female in the workplace. For Gods sake, they work 2gether. They are forced to interact with each other. Therefore, y not be friendly with him.

I see the problem is our societies mentalities. Some still dont accept seeing the both male and female (even if they were in a group) together in a public place for a business lunch or whatever. Therefore, sometimes a girl is forced to give in to soceity...

The society that we live in is sooo judgemental...

Transparently said...

Cece desouza,
Freaks, arent that bad are they, tehee.

Bella Color,
As I was reading, I nodded in agreement. At work, it should not be an issue. At my workplace there are no people of the opposite sex, well, sort of. Society is judgemental, and people learn to be judgemental, they judge everything, assume the worst etc. This considering the worst case scenario of course. Its not all that bad.

Mise said...

'At my workplace there are no people of the opposite sex, well, sort of.'

lol...I hope they're not reading this :-D

I just talk to people, and mostly they respond positively. They probably think, he's Irish and they talk to everyone...lol...

The ones who don't respond? Their loss. :-D

Transparently said...

Mise,
lol, I suppose its quite good you look irish! Should probably work on an accent now to make it more effective. :)

Blue Ice Envy,
It is easier in other countries, here it is more of a social complex I think.