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How to meet people in different countries. How do they say hello in different countries? Customs and traditions

In Iran, the cultural police monitor love affairs, in Japan, a young man needs to ask for official permission for the first kiss, in France, women are ready to pay for dinner in a restaurant themselves - The Village found out from residents of different countries where they meet, how they flirt and whether they succeed this relationship.

Akiko Takakura

Tokyo, Japan
marketing manager

In Japan, most often a young man must take the first step and ask a girl out on a date: to a cafe, to the cinema or to a shopping center. As a relationship develops, it is common to ask your partner for permission: “Can I kiss you?” “Can we call ourselves a couple now?” “Can we have sex today?” If the girl agrees, only then does the young man decide to move on. The day when a young man proposes to you to officially become a couple is called kokuhaku kinebi. This day is usually celebrated by the couple every year.

Love hotels are also very popular among young people. Couples come here to have sex. For the simple reason that most often they have nowhere else to do it. Until the age of 22 (or even more), many live with their parents. In Tokyo there are entire areas of love hotels, of all kinds: with water beds or moving beds, with toys, with films.

Sveta Kuzmenko

Berlin, Germany
online marketing manager

Berlin is an ideal city for short-term intrigues and love affairs. Few people here succeed in taking relationships to a serious level. But if this happens, then the couple quickly begins to live together, and the candy-bouquet period is practically absent. I think this is due to the fact that in this city it is quite easy to rent an apartment.

Berlin is a free city, including when it comes to flirting. Same-sex relationships, sex in a club in full view of everyone are commonplace, and the word kinky (playful, perverted) is present in the everyday life of ordinary Berliners. It’s difficult to flirt in clubs, since it’s not very easy to start a flirty conversation while listening to techno and electro music. Therefore, for love adventures, it is better to go to a bar, where the atmosphere is more conducive to meeting people. The Germans believe that the first step should not always be taken by a man - this is convenient, as it significantly expands choice and freedom of action.

Dasha Semyonova

New York, USA
designer

New York is not much different from Moscow: all the same dynamics, speed, everything is on the run, including flirting with acquaintances. The main rule that I can note is: everything happens here and now, no one expects another case.

People can date for months and still not consider themselves a couple. So, more often there are frivolous relationships just for fun. That's why no one remembers monogamy here. Due to the busyness of everyday life, people do not look for serious relationships, just because they also need to be worked on. That's why OkCupid and Tinder are so popular. Most of my long-term dating friends came to New York as a couple.

Seper Sami

Tehran, Iran
architect

Love and relationships in Iran, as in the rest of the world, are closely tied to class, opportunity and circumstance. The fact that you can be arrested for kissing a girl in a cafe will never stop you. This only fuels interest and desire to go against the system and the conservative family. Some girls and young men never cross paths on the street, but meet each other at closed parties, ski resorts and underground concerts. In general, on the street, of course, you can come up and meet someone, but this must take place according to the standards adopted by the cultural police. You can approach a girl at the market or in the library and ask for her phone number. But your first meeting will be preceded by long nights of telephone conversations.

In the early days, online chats were popular in Iran. Chats were used not only as a means of flirting and communication, they also organized offline meetings, sometimes in groups of up to 100 people. These meetings were quickly stopped by the cultural police, but this did not stop people: they simply became anonymous and moved from public places to hotels and cafes.

Claudio Corubolo

Butrio, Italy
architect

In Italy, it is customary for the man to make the first move. A man invites her on a date, flirts more, pays for everything and surrounds her with increased attention. This is probably why Italians are considered masters of flirting. But in fact, we do this simply because in Italy you won’t be able to attract attention otherwise. Here girls wait for the first step from a man. It seems to me that in other European countries it is easier for men: there girls often take the initiative.

There is another stereotype about Italians - that men cheat. I don't agree with him. It is more pleasant for men to know that he is able to seduce a girl, and the fact of betrayal does not interest him. There may be men who cheat, but I don’t think there are as many of them as people like to say.

Alex Smith

Sydney, Australia
scientist

Flirting and dating in Sydney greatly depends on your lifestyle. For many people, every day is filled with a lot of things to do, and then getting to know someone is very difficult. Simply because there is nowhere. You can’t meet girls in bars, they go there in groups and approaching them is a whole operation. Many pubs and clubs in Sydney close at midnight, so backyard house parties are the best place to meet people. Here you meet new people, but most often they are friends of friends, that is, the circle closes. And among friends of friends, everyone is either busy or crazy. I used to be busy, now I'm crazy.

On the other hand, at parties people are more open because there is a certain circle of acquaintances present. You can approach anyone, start a conversation, flirt, ask for their phone number. Australians are very open about sex. And most often, the first sex occurs on the second or third date. Online dating is wildly popular now. My friend told me that if she decides to meet a guy she met online, the chances are high that they will sleep right away. Well, only if in reality he doesn’t turn out to be a completely different person.

Dunya el Guasmi

Biarritz, France
HR director

The country of love, France, has recently been developing new rules of communication. Adopteunmec.com, Tinder, Meetic - it seems that today social media has become the main place for flirting, finding love or simply PQR (French for sex friend). Speed dating is officially dead. But the Internet has become the main source of inspiration for any girl over 25 years old. You just need to work on your profile, photos and figure out how to easily and simply start a conversation with a stranger. Moreover, most, if not all, of my friends Google the guy they are going on a date with.

There is a stereotype about French women that we are all avid feminists. We, of course, fight for our rights, but this does not apply to personal relationships. French women still desperately believe in romance. They expect a man to ask him out on a date, pay for dinner, and write a message afterwards. Of course, I’m not saying that you should hang locks - symbols of eternal love on the Pont des Arts. But it's worth keeping the spark alive. By the way, a free nature still manifests itself in one way or another. In France it is considered normal for a girl to make the first move. And on the second or third date, we are ready to pay for ourselves.

June Wine

Boracay, Philippines
Chef

The Philippines is the most Catholic country in Asia. And high religiosity influences the culture of flirting and communication. At the same time, there is a strong Western influence here. Filipinos are very humble by nature. Most often, it is easier for them to meet people through online media, gadgets and chats. At the same time, rarely will anyone talk about their adventures on the Internet. Only if you have an official couple are you ready to show your passion in public. Boracay Island is a completely different story. This is an island of parties, flirting and open relationships. Of course, completely different rules are established here. You can get drunk, sleep with someone and not even remember the next morning. This also extends to the gay community.

Work and daily routine consume so much time that a woman sometimes simply does not have time to get to know someone. Where to go on a finally free evening? The Wonderzine portal asked girls from different countries about where and how they usually meet. And we added a little Latvian experience.

Poland

KATARZYNA WIELEC, 24 years old, student:“In Poland we don’t have such a problem - there are a million places where both young and not so young people can meet and get to know each other (perhaps more than once in order to like each other).

The most popular places are obvious: clubs, pubs, bars, mostly with a dance floor as a guarantee of demonstrating sexy moves. To be honest, I myself don’t understand this phenomenon at all, since I hate dancing, but most of my friends assure me that they won’t date a guy who doesn’t know how to dance.

It’s quite possible to meet someone at a fitness club, at a dance class, or even while jogging in the park. Many successful couples met each other through mutual friends or at house parties. The Internet also helps a lot - I met my fiancé at a meeting of browser game players, and this is not as rare a situation as it might seem. As it turned out later, we saw several couples there who met in the same way.

I would say that the best way to start dating a Polish girl is to be as relaxed and natural as possible. But don't go overboard: I got really mad when one guy ended every sentence he said to me with the word piekna (meaning beautiful). He probably wanted me to feel special, but he achieved the exact opposite - it seemed to me that I was definitely not the only one he called that.

Finland

KIRSI HÄMÄLÄINEN, 24 years old, social support specialist:“Dating is a problem in Finland. Most often, everyone meets each other either in bars (sometimes in clubs and at house parties), or on the Internet. I think it has to do with the particular shyness of Finnish guys (and girls too), who are too embarrassed to talk to a person without alcohol or the anonymity that the Internet provides.

They simply make advances: either they invite you to dance, or they start talking to a girl when she is trying to order something at a bar. In any case, girls are "caught" when they are away from their friends, since getting to know someone from a large group is usually more difficult. And even in bars, those you meet will turn out to be friends of friends.

On the Internet, everything is 50/50 - from expectations to reality. Despite the stereotypes about Finland, girls here do not meet first, but guys need to be especially brave and take the right first step. This makes them vulnerable and open to rejection. Girls don't like to feel vulnerable, so they never approach you first.

Well, it’s worth admitting that our guys don’t say much nonsense when they’re trying to get to know each other. The first step is already difficult to take, so they say little, to the point and look as natural as possible.

Now I am dating a Swede and even moved to Sweden to be with him. This doesn't say anything about Finnish guys, by the way, it just happened that way. We met in an online game, since we are both gamers, it all started with flirting, continued with long dialogues in private messages and, finally, meeting in real life nine months later. The culture of Sweden is much more positive than ours, people are more social and, for example, it is normal for them to ask how you are doing. In Finland we don't do this.

Spain

ESTHER ROBLEDO, 25 years old, insurance department specialist:“Relationships among Spaniards can start anywhere. Usually these are places where you both often go: at university, at friends' parties, at language courses or at a fitness club. In general, any place that guarantees a significant amount of time together can break the ice. Of course, there are also the obvious places like nightclubs.

Depending on the place, guys may roll up with greetings, usually incredibly stupid - we ignore them, laugh among ourselves and continue to have fun. The most typical jokes sound like “I think I saw you somewhere,” and then it depends on your luck. If it doesn’t seem to us that this is an obvious “I want to get into your panties,” then we will certainly continue the conversation, although some girls continue it, even if they foresee a one-night stand, and there is no explanation for this. Such acquaintances can end in anything and in any way: long-term relationships, weddings or just friendship.

Young people simply skip the conversation: it all starts with an invitation to dance, and then everything depends on the girl. But the best way to start a semi-serious relationship is to go to a general party at someone's house or a bar where everyone knows everyone, and thanks to a combination of music, a relaxed, drunken atmosphere, and the fact that you can ignore anyone, it's like... it gets better on its own. Most couples I know met each other this way.

Of the most terrible, or rather, incredibly sad attacks on me personally, I remember one when a guy begged me to sleep with him. That is, literally: “Well, please.” True, it was very funny.

Romania

RAMONA BARBU, 25 years old, project manager:“In Romania, any place is used as a good reason to hit on someone, although with the most successful ones everything is obvious - these are clubs, bars, parks. But in the first place are the beaches and clubs on the street during the summer. Guys still use the usual greeting lines like, “You're too good to be alone tonight. Can I offer you a drink? In any case, the current generation does not really need any phrases for dating, but needs to be able to bring a girl out of the stage of ignoring everything that is happening around.

Most guys play at innocence, and if a girl quickly rejects them, they use manipulative techniques. For example, they say that they are just trying to be friendly and nothing more, making the girl feel guilty for “judging by clothes.” The stupidest joke I ever heard from a guy was the phrase: “Hi. Did you know that 95% of girls masturbate in the shower?” And the most embarrassing attack was from a guy who came up to me to find out about my friend. Having found out that she was in a relationship, he approached me again and tried to “take me off”. This was pretty stupid and I strongly advise guys who read this to avoid doing this at all costs.

Tunisia

KHANIN BO, 31 years old, chemist:“In Tunisia, everything is different from everywhere else, since our society is full of contradictions. For example, girls should be friendly and open, but not too much, otherwise they will seem vulgar or even stupid. This can be a real challenge. In my experience, there are no particular difficulties in communication and dating, flirting is also common, but maintaining such a relationship is almost impossible.

The university environment can be a good source of acquaintances, but they still study with us for the sake of knowledge, and not out of a desire to find a date. Tunisian men and women are not shy, so we also have all the signs of the times.

USAHARMONY MITCHELL, 31 years old, analyst:“In the USA, there has been a tendency to go somewhere else to study after receiving a basic 4-year higher education, and in such places people, as a rule, meet. They also meet at parties of mutual friends, but bars and clubs definitely do not work as a guarantee of long-term meaningful relationships.

The one-night stand culture is divided into regions. For example, now I live in the south in a rather party town, so dating for one night is quite the norm. In the northern part of the States, where I lived for some time, this is unacceptable. There, people use things like Meetup for social events or even dating sites to make new acquaintances. The frequency of mating there was, of course, much lower.

When I lived in Harlem, men would always call me out on the street, and it was wonderful. One of my favorite stories happened while I was walking to the post office. I was walking down the street and a guy looked out of his car and asked, “How are you, beautiful?” I smiled at him and shook my hair, after which he said: “Oh, that smile. This is exactly what I wanted to see. WHERE IS THAT RING ON YOUR FINGER, BABY? WHERE IS THIS RING?

Latvia

Liene G., 28 years old, realtor:“The easiest way to meet a guy for one night is on the Internet, on dating sites. Even if you cut off the half-maniacs and those you don’t like outwardly, there are still plenty of normal men who write openly and directly that they just want to sleep with womenjq “without consequences” and “without obligations.”

More serious relationships cannot be obtained from dating on the Internet, because people turn out to be 99% diametrically opposed in character to their image on the Internet. The most unique example from my experience is the transformation of a virtual funny and witty Spaniard into an absolute bore and silent person in real life.

Of course, people meet people in clubs, bars and at so-called social events. The first two places are also exclusively for the subsequent hot (or how lucky) night, and then that’s it, and with social parties it’s the same as with the Internet: here all the guys (as well as the girls) play roles, and then turn out to be completely different .

Where to meet? I met my boyfriend at a friends party, and all my married friends met their spouses the same way. By the way, it is at such a party that you can hear a non-banal joke: “Hello, are you bored? My name, by the way, is Janis,” or something more interesting. My friend’s first phrase when we met was: “I firmly intend to bother you in the next 3 hours, and resistance is pointless.” I haven’t resisted for 5 years now))).”

We increasingly hear sighs of disappointment at our inability to meet the right person. School is long over, and work and the daily routine are so absorbing that there is no time or even the opportunity to meet with old friends. Wonderzine asked girls from different countries about where they usually meet, what phrases guys use, and how things generally go with the opportunity to meet the love of their lives.

Elina Chebbocha

Poland

Katarzyna Welec
24 years old, student

In Poland we don’t have such a problem - there are a million places where both young and not so young people can meet and get to know each other (perhaps more than once in order to like each other). The most popular places are obvious: clubs, pubs, bars, mostly with a dance floor as a guarantee of demonstrating sexy moves. To be honest, I myself don’t understand this phenomenon at all, since I hate dancing, but most of my friends assure me that they won’t date a guy who doesn’t know how to dance. It’s quite possible to meet someone at a fitness club, at a dance class, or even while jogging in the park. Many successful couples met each other through mutual friends or at house parties. The Internet also helps a lot - I met my fiancé at a meeting of browser game players, and this is not as rare a situation as it might seem. As it turned out later, we saw several couples there who met in the same way.

There is no expected or obvious tackle. In fact, if you use certain phrases, you will look very strange. For example, all sorts of expressions like “Hello, my angel, when did you fall from heaven?” are considered incredibly creepy. Guys who talk like that are associated with dresiarze, and this is definitely not a plus. Or the Erasmus boys from Southern Europe who just want to get into your pants and forget about you the next morning. I would say that the best way to start dating a Polish girl is to be as relaxed and natural as possible. But don't go overboard: I got really mad when one guy ended every sentence he said to me with the word piekna (meaning beautiful). He probably wanted me to feel special, but he achieved the exact opposite - it seemed to me that I was definitely not the only one he called that.

Finland

Kirsi Hämäläinen
24 years old, support specialist

Dating is a problem in Finland. Most often, everyone meets each other either in bars (sometimes in clubs and at house parties), or on the Internet. I think it has to do with the particular shyness of Finnish guys (and girls too), who are too embarrassed to talk to a person without alcohol or the anonymity that the Internet provides. They simply make advances: either they invite you to dance, or they start talking to a girl when she is trying to order something at a bar. In any case, girls are "caught" when they are away from their friends, since getting to know someone from a large group is usually more difficult. And even in bars, those you meet will turn out to be friends of friends. On the Internet, everything is 50/50 - from expectations to reality. Despite the stereotypes about Finland, girls here do not meet first, but guys need to be especially brave and take the right first step. This makes them vulnerable and open to rejection. Girls don't like to feel vulnerable, so they never approach you first. Well, it’s worth admitting that our guys don’t say much nonsense when they’re trying to get to know each other. The first step is already difficult to take, so they say little, to the point and look as natural as possible.

Spain

Esther Robledo
25 years old, insurance department specialist

Relationships with Spaniards can start anywhere. Usually these are places where you both often go: at university, at friends' parties, at language courses or at a fitness club. In general, any place that guarantees a significant amount of time together can break the ice. Of course, there are also the obvious places like nightclubs. Depending on the place, guys may roll up with random greetings, usually incredibly stupid - we ignore them, laugh among ourselves and continue to have fun. And more extended versions of catchphrases like “I think I saw you somewhere,” and then depending on your luck. If it doesn’t seem to us that this is an obvious “I want to get into your panties,” then we will certainly continue the conversation, although some girls continue it, even if they foresee a one-night stand, and there is no explanation for this. Such acquaintances can end in anything and in any way: long-term relationships, weddings or just friendship. Young people simply skip the conversation: it all starts with an invitation to dance, and then everything depends on the girl. But the best way to start a semi-serious relationship is to go to a general party at someone's house or a bar where everyone knows everyone, and thanks to the combination of music, a relaxed, drunken atmosphere, and the fact that you can ignore anyone, it's like... it gets better on its own. Most couples I know met each other this way. Of the most terrible, or rather, incredibly sad attacks on me personally, I remember one, where the guy begged me to sleep with him. That is, literally: “Well, please.” True, it was very funny.

Romania

Ramona Barbu
25 years old, project manager

In Romania, any place is used as a good reason to hit on someone, although with the most successful ones everything is obvious - these are clubs, bars, parks. But in the first place are the beaches and clubs on the street during the summer. Guys still use the usual greeting lines like, “You're too good to be alone tonight. Can I offer you a drink? In any case, the current generation does not really need any phrases for dating, but needs to be able to bring a girl out of the stage of ignoring everything that is happening around. Most guys play at innocence, and if a girl quickly rejects them, they use manipulative techniques. For example, they say that they are just trying to be friendly and nothing more, making the girl feel guilty for “judging by clothes.” The stupidest joke I ever heard from a guy was the phrase: “Hi. Did you know that 95% of girls masturbate in the shower?” And the most embarrassing attack was from a guy who came up to me to find out about my friend. Having found out that she was in a relationship, he approached me again and tried to “take me off”. This was pretty stupid and I strongly advise guys who read this to avoid doing this at all costs.

Tunisia

Hanin Bo
31 years old, chemist

In Tunisia, everything is not the same as everywhere else, since our society is full of contradictions. For example, girls should be friendly and open, but not too much, otherwise they will seem vulgar or even stupid. This can be a real challenge. In my experience, there are no particular difficulties in communication and dating, flirting is also common, but maintaining such a relationship is almost impossible. The university environment is a good source of acquaintances, but everyone studies for the sake of knowledge, not for the sake of acquaintances. Tunisian men and women are not shy, so we also have all the signs of the times. But the fact is that we are much smaller than Russia, so it is much easier to establish relationships here.

USA

Harmony Mitchell
31 years old, analyst

In the USA, there has been a tendency to go somewhere else to study after receiving a basic 4-year higher education, and people tend to meet people in such places. They also meet at parties of mutual friends, but bars and clubs definitely do not work as a guarantee of long-term meaningful relationships. The one-night stand culture is divided into regions. For example, now I live in the south in a rather party town, so dating for one night is quite the norm. In the northern part of the States, where I lived for some time, this is unacceptable. There, people use things like Meetup for social events or even dating sites to make new acquaintances. The frequency of mating there was, of course, much lower.

By the time people here reach the age of thirty, the obsession with finding a partner becomes unbearable. When a suitable option appears on the horizon, the guys lose their heads. But tackles vary depending on the region of residence. I had friends who were silent about any interest for years and only admitted it after I got married. At the same time, in New York people can literally say the following: “I like you. Let me take you somewhere." This is the beauty of New York - people there are good at showing that they are interested in you. They will ask you on a date without any obligations, just for mutual pleasure, and then whatever happens. When I lived in Harlem, men would always call me out on the street, and it was wonderful. One of my favorite stories happened while I was walking to the post office. I was walking down the street and a guy looked out of his car and asked, “How are you, beautiful?” I smiled at him and shook my hair, after which he said: “Oh, that smile. This is exactly what I wanted to see. WHERE IS THAT RING ON YOUR FINGER, BABY? WHERE IS THIS RING?

Every weekend, an unusual bazaar takes place in Shanghai's People's Park: brides and grooms are sold here. No, don’t think about it, brides are not stolen or openly traded. They sell dating for the purpose of starting a family. Modern Shanghainese are very busy, some are simply unlucky: so they entrust their fate to marriage agencies or bored pensioners.

Why do Chinese people of all ages use the services of matchmakers, and not meet on the streets or on the Internet?

*reposted*

1 Dating bazaars used to be all over China. And this one from Shanghai is also very old. There was no trace of the Internet, and the Chinese needed to reproduce. Where to find a suitable pair? How to guess who your soulmate is?

2 No way! Entrust this task to others, and they will select the ideal spouse based on your data. And they won’t forget to check the city language!

3 Thousands of advertisements! Maybe even tens of thousands, hanging throughout the park! How to figure all this out?

4 Firstly, the questionnaires are clearly structured. Age is indicated by two digits of the year of birth. Height is also important, but not a single questionnaire says anything about size and parameters. Photos are for only a few. But don’t worry, when you become interested in a specific person, they will show it to you. Many simply do not want to “shine” publicly. Education is also very important; if you have it, people will always write about it. The profession is a secondary matter, the main thing is the diploma! And annual income, having your own apartment or car: the Chinese are very interested in the wealth of their future passion, regardless of gender.

5 The people sitting at the tables are representatives of marriage agencies. They have all the information, but they won’t just give it to you. You need to show real interest, then you will see the photos. Did you like it? Then there are two options: either they give you contact information, or they will first interview you, take a photo, and show it to the person who posted the profile.

6 Usually the one who places it pays. I have seen several photographs of Chinese young ladies: some are quite good-looking, with apartments, cars, money. Do they really suffer from loneliness so much that they run to matchmakers? In fact, they either simply do not have time to meet people, or they want to guarantee communication with a person in their circle. And it is indecent to meet people on the streets in China.

7 In addition to agencies, there are many “private traders”, they are even the majority. Such people usually have two or three protégés whom they try to accommodate.

8 It’s always very clear who is interested and who doesn’t care. And it's not about the money, it's just the way people are. Naturally, you should only contact those who are carefully looking at passers-by and not minding their own business.

9 There is only one questionnaire, but there are many of you here!

10 This grandfather and his ward are unlucky. I think I saw the same one in other photographs taken several years ago. Still the same old man, still the same questionnaire. Or maybe he just comes to hang out, attaching a young photo of himself to his umbrella?

11 Sometimes they decide collectively, studying photographs. Is a girl suitable for a guy?

12 The coolest and most elite acquaintances are with foreigners. Many Chinese women dream of getting married and moving to Europe or America. Apart from knowledge of English, they usually have nothing to offer. Those with education and good jobs hunt themselves.

13 And the park is beautiful!

14 Strange arts. Some Bin Laden!

15 Where do you have express dating? I'm late for the train! :) By the way, about sex. For the Chinese, this is practically a taboo topic; it is not discussed in society, and cohabitation without marriage is condemned. But this does not prevent them from sleeping with each other; after all, they live in the twenty-first century. But, unlike European culture, here you have to hide even for friends. For a foreigner, they say, the easiest way to pick up a girl is: everything will happen on the first date. True, after a couple of weeks you may suddenly be abandoned, even after meeting your parents.

16 The candidates themselves come to the park infrequently, only when visiting “private grandmothers”. Agencies accept all information via the Internet.

17 How do people find each other? To search, you also have to hire a special “agent” and pay him. So this market is for intermediaries.

18 But the girl came herself.

19 There are no statistics, but since the market exists and attracts thousands of people every Saturday and Sunday, it is still relevant.

20 Another reason for its popularity: specifically in Shanghai, it is believed that before thirty it is early and young to get married, but once you turn thirty, it is too late! How to manage everything, build a career, and love?

21 The main thing is not to sleep through everything in the world.

22 What about you, are you married? Would you take advantage of such a market? Or are dating sites better? Where do people meet in Russia today? At work? At the disco? On a minibus?

September 19th, 2016 , 08:00 pm

How men from different countries meet

As soon as I left the “green corridor” of Domodedovo, Motherland greeted me with such dear, such touching words: “What beautiful tits!”

One of the taxi drivers greeted me so warmly, in a homely way, after sticking his nose into my neckline. Didn't push it rudely. Childish. With sincere admiration.

“Well, here I am at home,” I thought.

Photo: Getty Images

Anywhere in America such behavior would be completely impossible. For a man trying to sell his services to a woman to simultaneously compliment her breasts? Unthinkable!

Americans stopped harassing women half a century ago, having concluded a new social contract among themselves: openly flirting with women and staring at them is unacceptable.

American advances are more friendly than sexual. When dating them, a woman does not feel like meat. An American will look you in the eyes, not in your neckline, and talk about general topics, and not about how sexy you are.

We, in Russia, have a different social contract: a man will suck you with a lustful gaze and allow himself to make ambiguous statements about you, but only on the condition that you are alone. If a husband or boyfriend is looming nearby, our boys will not interfere. When a woman is busy, they understand this in a purely masculine way and respect the right of another male to her.

In France they will stare at you without taking their eyes off, regardless of whether you are walking alone or with a man. They won’t say a word, but they will look and shit on your boyfriend. They won't climb.

All the men there need is to admire the sexy woman. And even if you walk alone, they will most likely limit themselves to looking after you. In order to meet a woman, a Frenchman needs a go-ahead from her: an invitation with a look, a smile.

Unlike the French, neither the Americans nor the Russians need such a go-ahead. An American will approach you even if you are not looking at him. It will come up and rub in something neutral-friendly. A Russian will knock you down only if you are without a man. And you will have to make a lot of effort to get rid of him.

Neither Germans nor Austrians stare at women. Their glances are discrete: he looked and immediately looked away, glanced furtively and again stared at his coffee. These guys, like the French, require a special invitation to meet you. Smile at him and he will come over.

Spaniards, forgive the stereotype, are hot, but they don’t stare at a woman for a long time, they don’t study her. Did you like it? The Spaniard will immediately rush down, afraid of losing his prey. He may show up on the first date with a gift in an attempt to get you.

A Jew will not allow himself anything frivolous, but if he likes you, he will approach you anywhere at any time. For example, at an intersection while you are crossing the road. This happened to me every day when I went to the beach in Tel Aviv. Did you send me off? It's OK. The Jew will leave without any problems. He will not impose himself or follow you around.

The closest to ours are the Italians: they stare and talk all sorts of frivolous nonsense. And even if you go with a man, they are unlikely to resist complimenting you. True, they are addressing it not to you, but to your man: “Oh, what a smart woman you have, dude! Keep it up!"

Girls, tell us about your experience of dating men from different countries. How do you meet someone?

Guys, how do you meet the women you like?

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