Foreign Guys Tell All: The Rules of Dating Foreign Guys When You're Studying Abroad - Part 2
Show an interest in his country
Prove you're not just abroad for the drinks (or the European men - you're not, right?), and impress him with a few questions about his homeland.
"Most guys are flattered to be asked about their culture and country, and the conversation can leap from there," says Jessica.
Kathryn Sullivan, editor of the HC branch for the University of Tennessee at, dated a British guy while abroad in London, and says she and her foreign boyfriend never ran out of things to talk about. They could always discuss another aspect of his life outside the United States.
"There are so many things you get to teach each other, and so many things to talk about that may not be relevant or fun to talk about with a guy from the states," Kathryn said.
Ask him what it was like to grow up there. Does he have a favorite city? A favorite restaurant nearby? What was his schooling like? Then share your own experiences, and comment on how different or similar they are.
They'll love your accent
After your alluring American smile, the next best way get his attention is to say something. Anything. It's the same 'awww!' feeling we get when we hear Jude Law in The Holiday. Accents are adorable. Enough said.
"The fact that you are an American is usually enough of a novelty to strike up a conversation," Jessica says. "Even better, most guys find the American accent to be 'cute.'"
This applies to girls from Maine to California, and everywhere in between.
Not only will he find your accent intriguing (and most likely, you will feel the same about his!), but also, "you can have hilarious conversations for hours just on how differently you pronounce things," Kathryn says.
"No one from the states thought my voice was so attractive, or my look was exotic. It's nice to feel interesting," Kathryn says.
If you're playing the coy game of smiles and eye contact, make the first move just by saying something. Say hello, or introduce yourself. It will probably be more than enough to spark his interest.
They love that you're a "Yank"
Here's a secret: In Europe, Americans are the exotic foreigners.
You may not feel quite so exotic on the bleachers at a football game in your hometown, but in Europe, you've got a whole new appeal.
"If you want to meet a guy abroad, be yourself," Kathryn says. "Be the fun, sexy, flirty American girl that they've only gotten to hear about."
It's about the excitement of what's different. Everything about Americans is unique to Europeans: our accents, our look, and our personalities.
Spotting an American in Ireland is like picking out a poodle in a pack of greyhounds.
"They stand out," Declan says. "Not in a bad way, but Irish people are particularly adept at telling one of their own."
Declan says he and his Irish friends enjoy playing a game they call "Spot the Yank." "The dead giveaway is a North Face Jacket," he says.
But, he adds, don't worry too much about blending in: being foreign raises your cuteness! Well, what could be easier than that?
Sources
Antoine Vasseur, 21, France, studying at Francis Marion University
Antonin Genot, 21, France, École des Mines de Douai
Declan Cullen, 26, Ireland, studying at Syracuse University
Jessica Corry, HC Campus Correspondent, The College of New Jersey
Kathryn Sullivan, HC Campus Correspondent, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
