Smiling/Being Friendly When Passing (The Same) Stranger In The Street On A Regular Basis

Smudge said:
I love they way it is here in DK, in that it's the exact opposite to the UK. I relish walking down the street here in my new home town, people are so friendly, I'd be ashamed if I didn't acknowledge, say hej, stop, chat for a bit, help someone out, go out of my way for a stranger etc. it's a far cry from the 35 years I lived in the uk upto this point in my life. I've lived here 5 years now and have changed from being an introvert Londoner, staring at the floor, purposely avoiding eye contact from strangers, making my way from a to b, to how I am now, where I'll leave earlier because I know it might take me extra time to get to point b on account that I might get sidetracked by something or someone interesting.
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wow you speak dutch?
 
Smudge said:
I love they way it is here in DK, in that it's the exact opposite to the UK. I relish walking down the street here in my new home town, people are so friendly, I'd be ashamed if I didn't acknowledge, say hej, stop, chat for a bit, help someone out, go out of my way for a stranger etc. it's a far cry from the 35 years I lived in the uk upto this point in my life. I've lived here 5 years now and have changed from being an introvert Londoner, staring at the floor, purposely avoiding eye contact from strangers, making my way from a to b, to how I am now, where I'll leave earlier because I know it might take me extra time to get to point b on account that I might get sidetracked by something or someone interesting.
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In some countries saying hi to a stranger and getting blanked or worse abuse is very much the exception rather than the rule, in the UK your as likely to get "*** you looking at?! **** ***" as you are someone giving a cheery hello back.
 
I had a random neighbour i saw maybe a thousand times but never went past a head nod and hi come up to me and tell me all about how she passed her driving test (she was about 54). We talked a lot after that and i ended up getting to know and shagging her daughter for a year till she moved to Manchester for a job, pays to make friends.
 
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Not that I see many people out here in The Wilds, but if I am out and about I find it difficult not to acknowledge people that I pass, normally just a subtle nod and an "alright" or "how's it going", don't really think about it, just seems completely natural to me. Then again I'm a country lad, you townies often seem to be a stuck up unfriendly lot!:p Makes no difference to me though, I'll still say "alright?" to you.

Alright?:D
 
I look at bit rapey when I try to polite smile because you are socially expected to do so at people. So I don't. I just nod. It is a sign of acknowledging someone else's presence without having to go through the pretence of liking them before getting to know them. Which seems to be a default these days. Like we're supposed to give people the benefit of the doubt that you would like them when the exact opposite is true.
 
smit101 said:
Not that I see many people out here in The Wilds, but if I am out and about I find it difficult not to acknowledge people that I pass, normally just a subtle nod and an "alright" or "how's it going", don't really think about it, just seems completely natural to me. Then again I'm a country lad, you townies often seem to be a stuck up unfriendly lot!:p Makes no difference to me though, I'll still say "alright?" to you.

Alright?:D
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Seems to be the norm in cities all around, did feel a little more friendly in Toronto though, actually the country itself felt a lot friendlier :)
 
I live in a village and say hi to everyone, or wave at people looking in my direction, I don't actually know any of them :o
However I do stare down my neighbour because he is just scum and I like reminding him of the fact :)
 
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