I was in a Starbucks with Andrea last week. We were enjoying the sun and the pile of toys they have there. :) A woman sat near us and her young daughter started playing in the toys too. THEN the mom spoke English to her daughter!! A few minutes later another English speaking mom and HER daughter showed up...
My chair was facing away from them and I could just hear them talking to each other. They were British, but I was desperate... I wanted to talk so bad. I can only talk to Andrea for so long every day, and she never talks back! :) I decided I HAD to say Hi - They could be my new BEST GERMANY FRIENDS... It was then that I realized,
- Approaching someone who is alone is much easier! At Mom #1's first word of English I should have piped up and said something. Waiting made it awkward. Lesson learned.
So as I waited longer I sat there debating on what to say. Andrea didn't help, she completely ignored the other little girls, who were probably a year older. Finally, one mom left to go place their order and I made my move. I said "Hi, I can't help but hear you guys are speaking English so I just wanted to say Hi. I just moved here a few weeks ago and thought I'd get away from my unpacking and have a break." (or something like that)... I thought it was pretty good. I was SO proud of myself for doing it.
After I spoke I realized that with your "Opening Line" you need to include a question so they have something to say back other than, "Oh, neat."
I quickly figured this out and asked if she knew any good parks within walking distance. Thank goodness for kids and the endless generic topics of conversation the generate.
In the end, I spoke to these two women for a while. I learned they were on their way to a playgroup up the street and they gave me the name of it. After the THREE WEEK Spring Break I'll have to make it back there and check it out... Maybe I'll see them again. One was friendly, One was slightly irritated I was making moves on HER friend. :)
I thought of this only because I've been assessing the moms at school and I've been picking out potential friends. :) During this THREE WEEK Spring Break I was thinking of inviting one of my "future friends" over with her three kids for a playdate. BUT: What if she says no? What should I suggest we do? What if she has already decided I'm NOT her type? :)
AND... I know when I send the email I'll check back every hour to see if she's responded yet!
I'm sure other 16 year olds out there understand what I'm talking about.
4 comments:
"They were British, but I was desperate..."
ROFL!
Other 16 year olds I love it! You will make lots and lots of friends I know it!
ahahahaha yes, I understand this all too well.
So then there's the nerve jarring questions after the first initial contact:
"Was she into me?"
"Will our kids get on?"
"Oh no, has that spinach been on my teeth the whole time?"
I think a version of new mom speed dating is also good. Get us over the initial stuff.
Z :)
just do it.. You have nothing to lose, you don't have a reputation ther yet ;-)
When we were just here in Denmark, I heard a mum on the bus talk English to her children.. I walked over to here and asked her were she was from and were her kids went to school (No not ISAa ;-)) She became a very good friend for the first year I was here and helped me around.. She was from Ireland.. so just go for it if you hear people talk your language!
hilde
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