As part of a global romance special, we asked six UK emigrants to share their stories of hooking up around the world, from Beirut to Berlin. It can make you more desirable, too. We chatted and she gave me her number. I lost it, but for the first time in my life I felt exotic. In New York City, being British should be less interesting. Given the diversity of the city, and the alleged worldliness of its residents, there are a lot of New Yorkers who will claim to be above finding different nationalities interesting.
But most of them are lying. The accusations of being from Australia are hard to come to terms with, and so is the fact that many Americans lack the self-deprecation of other nations. The reduced faux modesty on dates can be refreshing, but it takes a while to get used to. It took all my effort not to spray beer everywhere. But I got past it and we dated for more than a year. In Britain you can end up going out with someone without really realising it.
Hover around someone over a period of weeks. Get drunk together. Sleep together. Wake up with a girlfriend. Here the relationship is carefully defined, each stage with its own terminology and expected level of commitment.
Hanging out is the next step. The problem is, not everyone agrees on those definitions. The final challenge is commonly an uncomfortable conversation about exclusivity. The process involves talking openly and honestly about feelings and expectations, about concerns and jealousies and flaws.
I looked at the woman hopefully, and she gave me a thumbs up. I had a girlfriend. Where do you see yourself in five years? How do you feel about monogamy? What antidepressants do you take? Italian Se fossi un astronauta ti porterei sulla luna. German Ich habe meine Telefonnummer vergessen, kann ich deine haben? I have lost my phone number.
