Oh god,
Just had the mother of all uncomfortable situations at work. One of the Egyptian engineers who's been working in the Edinburgh office all week just really awkawrdly asked me out. Such a train wreck of a situation, that I never know how to get out of both politely and firmly... It's so tricky when they don't actually say, do you want to go out on a date, but instead ask you about your plans for the evening, then for the rest of the weekend, then what's your private email, phone number etc. You know where its' going, but you just don't know how to stop it until it's too late. When English isn't the native language, and wetsren cultural norms don't apply, what then?
What do I say? 'Ummmm, it's difficult ....'. Then I walk away and avoid eye contact for the rest of the day. I don't want to just blurt out 'I have a boyfriend'. That's too presumptuous right? Am I right? Advice please.
If it's any consolation to him, I'm the one who comes out of it more embarrassed.
2 comments:
This situation happens to me ALLLLLL the time (not).
From the MANY (one) times this has happened, I waited til he was done his speech, then said politely "wow, thanks for asking, but I have a boyfriend." It's not presumptuous because it's true. That is...if he is actually asking you on a date and not just trying to make new friends......
I KNOW! That's always the problem. Stu had the best answer I think. Pre-emptive strike - when he asks what are you up to tonight/on weekend, etc - just say 'doing ... with boyfriend'. Why didn't I think of that? It's soooo simple. But then again, so am I.
Didn't really want to be his friend to be honest, he was quite a bit older and spoke English at that awkward stage of too much work to converse. I'm an awful person.
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