This past weekend I had a lot of time to just sit back reflect. On this particular Saturday afternoon my friend Katie who is down in Australia texting me about her dating woes. This got me thinking on the amazing/terrible/hilarious experiences I've had. So I decided to share one that I think you may enjoy!
If there is one thing in this world that I am AWFUL at, it's dating (well, I'm bad at a lot of other things too but you catch my drift. right?) There have been plenty of times in which I've got out of my way to get OUT of a date because I was too afraid it was going to be awkward. I would apparently rather snuggle up in my bed watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians than go out and talk to someone new (who wouldn't ?). I'm so ridiculous sometimes. BUT, on the other hand there are times when I feel that my behavior is justified, allow me to tell you the tale.
While studying in Quebec, I befriended a lot of international students from France, Germany, Sweden etc. which was GREAT. I mean it's awesome to be like "OH WELL MY FRIEND SO AND SO IS FROM GERMANY AND SAID I COULD GO VISIT." Gives you free bragging rights in my opinion.
Where was I? Oh yes. So amongst these friends I met a french guy, we'll call him Pierre for the safety reasons (although he would have to search the internet pretty intensely to find this blog..). He was nice and cute and doing his masters in business management. I wasn't initially attracted to him, but when he asked me to go for a drinks I thought WHAT THE HECK because I only had a couple weeks left before going back home so I might as well have fun right?!!?
WRONG. So we went to a bar for some drinks one tTuesdayevening and it went fine. We were going back and forth between English and French, getting to know eachother, you know how it is. So after a few more Rickards White I have an enjoyable drunk on and feel like everything is just splendid. He pays for the drinks and we leave. We start walking to the bus stop (LOVE public transit ps.) and he grabs me and kisses me. And it's fine because I like kissing and I like it even more after a few drinks. We get on the bus and head out separate ways. He texted me the next day asking to hang out again and I said sure.
(I know this seems like it's going all well and fine, but remember I had maybe 4 weeks left at this point, time for something serious? Definitely not. Another thing to note, cultures make a difference in how we perceive things (in case you didn't already know that but I am sure you did). To me, hanging out with someone twice does not equal a relationship.)
So we go to a local bakery and get some french macarons (when we were there I was ECSTATIC because what isn't to love about macarons?)|
Anywho, we are eating and talking and he starts to rub my leg under the table and hold my hand, and these are fine things, but I could tell from look in his lovely french eyes that he was ready for a relationship NOW. In my mind, while eating the delicious macarons, I knew that I had to end this. Did I do it right away? Oh of course not, I am too kind to do that sort of thing out of the blue. You have to ask me to hang out again and take me to a really nice sushi place for me to do that. Yes. I did it while eating supper. Poor timing on my part because we hadn't even had dessert.
The conversation went as follows:
Me: Listen, I enjoy spending time with you and getting to know you but I don't want to get into anything serious because I'm leaving soon and I don't want people to get hurt.
P: .....
AND THEN he stopped looking at me and looked at the ground for, I kid you not, TEN MINUTES. TEN. MINUTES.
so he's all:
and I'm at the other side of the table like:
After the silence he said something along the lines of "It sucks that you're breaking up with me" (I'M SORRY WHAT?) and "I knew from the beginning that this would be something serious and I'm not willing to just let it go that easily."
REALLY? Because that's really all I want. So we leave the restaurant and he walks me to the bus, still trying to hold me hand and kiss me and I wasn't having any of it so he got the next bus. I didn't hear from him for a couple of days (I was so thankful) and then he messaged me on facebook, twice. The first time to tell me that he wasn't going to let me got that easily and I would see what a great guy he is. I don't know what part of I don't want a relationship he didn't get. I just didn't answer.
The second time, a few days later, he said he could understand where I was coming from and maybe in the future. And ended it with "one day you will appreciate a French man who care about you."
Thanks for the life lessons bro.
Cut to now when I have a French boyfriend, whoops.
In any case I love going back down memory lane to places like this. There was no heartbreak or sadness, and now it's just kind of funny to think about.
Do you have any dating disaster stories? Please share some!
