Do you get on better with people from other countries?

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polarity
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06 May 2006, 12:54 am

I think the way we talk helps a lot too. Metaphors and sayings specific to our own country are difficult to understand for someone who's speaking English as a second language, so I guess we're more interesting, coming from a foreign country, and easier to get along with, as the English we speak is a lot easier to understand. I even went as far as speaking english in a similar way to that used by the foreign people I was talking with.

I've had 3 relationships. One for about a year with a French woman, one for about a month with a Japanese woman, and one for a weekend with an English woman (I was the one who was pulled on all counts though). The only trouble is long distance relationships fall apart too easily :(



Joe90
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15 Aug 2010, 5:51 am

I can relate to foreign people better than I can most English people. Foreign people don't seem to ever notice the ''Aspie side'' of me. My best friend in the whole world is an older Polish man (and I'm only a 20 year old female!) but we can spend hours together and just get along. He's an NT male, but it almost feels as though he's on the level of a female Aspie. Do you get what I mean?
Most foreign people struggle to communicate in English because of their own language. They are fine with everything when speaking in their own language, but when they try to speak our language, their personality changes. And if you're not very good at communicating yourself, befriending a foreign person is the best way to get friends because they become on your ''communication level'' when it comes to speaking.
And if they took you to meet their family, you've got an excuse to be shy because you can't have proper conversations with them anyway. So you've just got to smile and say a few words, and they won't think you've got anything because all NTs will behave the same around a foriegn crowd as you will.

So that's why I'm now looking for a foreign boyfriend. I fancy my best friend who I mentioned above, but he's 34 years older than me. But he wants to fix me up with one of his Polish colleagues, who is more younger then him.
:D


Oh - by the way, I'm good at flirting (which is strange for an Aspie), so that hides the AS even more and makes them think that I'm just a flirty sort of young pretty woman who likes to have fun with men. And that's normal for some young women, so they won't think I'm ''weird'' either.



BPalmer
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15 Aug 2010, 7:34 am

Crion87 wrote:
I find the culture I least get along with is the Australian "culture".

The quotes are entirely justified. There's no way that I could ever become the "typical Aussie male", and I've paid a heavy price for that over the years. And an increase of cultural diversity in the outer suburbs has only made the whitebread born-and-bred Australians more insular and aggressive. The only way to escape that is to bet a uni education, and move into the affluent, cosmopolitan inner areas of the largest cities, and unfortunately I failed to do that.

Indeed, there is a camouflaging effect when you have contact with a foreign culture - even if it's another English-speaking Western culture. Last year, I married an American, spending a few weeks in Seattle before having to come "home". It was refreshing to see people actually taking things seriously, and there was none of this "Sweet... No worries... It's all good" hot air that's pervasive here.



Moog
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15 Aug 2010, 1:27 pm

I just remembered getting on really well with this French guy I met at college, he wanted me to take him out to the bars and clubs and that. I don't think he understood why I couldn't help him in that department.

Maybe I should seek out foreigners for friendships.


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fleeced
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17 Aug 2010, 5:49 am

I don't feel comfortable getting close to anyone ... so I like the distance caused by the language and cultural barriers. Don't see foreigners so much as peers as well so relax a bit more with them. They seem to think I'm eccentric cause I'm foreign not because of my non-NT traits. It is generally easier for me to spend time with them than someone from my own background.


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Thellie
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17 Aug 2010, 6:15 am

When crossing country boarders, most peopl,e expect cultural and behavioural nuances and differences, so they put in alot more effort to be understood and to understand whoever they interact with. Talking from "most peoples" standpoint here and I know I do. :)

Could be why its easier.



Guitar_Girl
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17 Aug 2010, 7:32 am

On this site, I talk to people from other countries.