rob666 hat geschrieben:Maybe you would attract more people by being more friendly.... and I agree, it's not the quantity, but the quality.
There's no better "friendliness" than honesty!
I hope it's not just me who prefers open and truthful approaches between people. But slimy and backstabbing farangs trying to make money pretending to be helpful friends are the ones I don't care for.
First when I came to Korat I was happy about seeing other foreigners, hoping to escape the feeling of being foreign in Thailand. Thought I was lucky to meet people I could trust and get good advice from. People who already have experiences here. Oh, I got contacts to farangs in Korat very fast. Almost everyone seems to be friendly when you meet him in person.
They told me at which shops I'd get the best deal - till I found out that not these shops were the best for me but for them alone - by giving them a high commission from the purchases of that new and stupid customer they could sell overpriced junk to!
They came often to visit my house - never bringing a bottle of drink, some fruits or so. My wife was disgusted by them. Looked at them as lower than trash Thais. She kept warning me of them. But really, what does a thai factory girl know about westerners, I thought then. :wink:
They told me a lot about themselves - till they asked me to lend money to them. Found out later why they never showed up again, probably forgot the name they'd given me and their life stories they'd told me. :wink:
Well, I'm glad to be rid of them (not of my money of course)! From time to time I see a guy posting on one of these tell-a-lot forums telling stories I heard before. I just wish the guys listening or reading to be wiser than I was.
I like reading forums! Though hardly anybody let's you know by his name who he really is. But just that idea to be completely anonymous gets people to show their "real" faces. You find out very fast, which people to stay away from. And when you meet them in a restaurant it doesn't take long to find out who the friendly guy is, no matter what he called himself then.
"Alex"