Meeting british people !!

I disagree. They are not very reserved. That's just Londoners for you, rather than British. They don't chit-chat. It's different in other cities & town.

Great thanks for the input however it doesn't help !

Knowledge & learning about things you didn't know always helps. 

yes it is why I say great So again if any British in London is willing to meet with a French expat let me know guys

hello where do you from ?

Julien read the topic I am french and looking to meet only with native english speakers. Thanks

dommage ..

So you only want to meet native English speakers, and people close to your age...languagist & ageist! No wonder why people don't want to meet you! 

XB23 wrote:

I disagree. They are not very reserved. That's just Londoners for you, rather than British. They don't chit-chat. It's different in other cities & town.

When a bus breaks down in Barnsley, strangers start to chat about whatever.
When a London Tube stops, silence, bugger all, not a sausage.

I dislike going to London.

XB23 wrote:

So you only want to meet native English speakers, and people close to your age...languagist & ageist! No wonder why people don't want to meet you! 

Not reasonable.

It's hardly a shock, an expat wants to meet English people, just as I like to talk to Indonesians.
I find out a lot about the country, and it helps me learn the language.
I see nothing unreasonable there.

As for age, she may well have interests that older or younger people don't have, perhaps a given style of bar, sports that people within a given age group or more likely to engage in, or just she's more comfortable mixing in a given age group.

I see no problems at all with her request.

Exactly. I regularly visit my brother in Newcastle, and coming from London, I have the complete opposite experience as her... I get puzzled when someone speaks to me, which they do on the bus or metro. Although I lived up North for a long time, being in London for over a decade now, I've learned you simply avoid eye contact & don't talk to anyone, unless it's for 2 things, time or direction.

mas fred wrote:

XB23 wrote:

So you only want to meet native English speakers, and people close to your age...languagist & ageist! No wonder why people don't want to meet you! 

Not reasonable.

It's hardly a shock, an expat wants to meet English people, just as I like to talk to Indonesians.
I find out a lot about the country, and it helps me learn the language.
I see nothing unreasonable there.

As for age, she may well have interests that older or younger people don't have, perhaps a given style of bar, sports that people within a given age group or more likely to engage in, or just she's more comfortable mixing in a given age group.

I see no problems at all with her request.

It was a joke. Not a funny one, but I wasn't serious at all.

XB23 wrote:

Exactly. I regularly visit my brother in Newcastle, and coming from London, I have the complete opposite experience as her... I get puzzled when someone speaks to me, which they do on the bus or metro. Although I lived up North for a long time, being in London for over a decade now, I've learned you simply avoid eye contact & don't talk to anyone, unless it's for 2 things, time or direction.

Northerners think Londoners are cold, antisocial b*ds, because they won't talk to anyone.
Londoners think Northerners are really odd, because we talk to each other.
Most Londoners never eat chip butties.

I'm happy to be a Barnsley lad.

mas fred wrote:

XB23 wrote:

Exactly. I regularly visit my brother in Newcastle, and coming from London, I have the complete opposite experience as her... I get puzzled when someone speaks to me, which they do on the bus or metro. Although I lived up North for a long time, being in London for over a decade now, I've learned you simply avoid eye contact & don't talk to anyone, unless it's for 2 things, time or direction.

Northerners think Londoners are cold, antisocial b*ds, because they won't talk to anyone.
Londoners think Northerners are really odd, because we talk to each other.
Most Londoners never eat chip butties.

I'm happy to be a Barnsley lad.

It's hard to talk to people in London when the majority are foreigners, who prefer to stick to their own communities and speak in their mother tongue. Maybe if they put more effort into integrating, speaking English, things will be different.

XB23 wrote:

It's hard to talk to people in London when the majority are foreigners, who prefer to stick to their own communities and speak in their mother tongue. Maybe if they put more effort into integrating, speaking English, things will be different.

Sadly, there's a truth in that, but a lot more misunderstanding.

I was treated extremely badly by the orthodox Jewish population in one area of North London, terrible bunch of bigots who wouldn't talk to anyone not wearing their silly hat and sporting daft ringlets.
Many of the Pakistanis in Rotherham were positively unpleasant, and the eastern Europeans in Barnsley that would go begging for free things in shops, then you'd see the same people with designer kit, wandering Sheffield - yes, the same faces, not ethic group.

However, and here's the massive mistake people often make.
The unpleasant Jews I met were not all Jews, just a few. I enjoyed a very nice meal with an Israeli Jewish family in London - lovely people.
The nasty Muslims I met were a few Muslims, not all. The vast majority of Muslims I know are good people.
Same goes for the Eastern Europeans - a few were gits, not all.
Sadly, apart from my Polish uncle, I know very few East Europeans.

Stereotypes are usually total crap.

From my experience in a village, not in London, I'd suggest seeing if there's a club of some sort you could join. If you get two Brits with a common interest in the same room, they'll organize a club. So think about what interests you have--movies, photography, writing, table tennis, anything--and see if you can't find a club. Best of luck.

Thanks guys for your answers.

MasFred, you've summed it up very correctly, I want to meet native british to get to know the culture and improve my language skills.

Unfortunately I think this board, and Internet in general, is certainly not a good way ! Most people who contacted me where not british and clearly didn't care about the aim of my message. A huge part of them sent me message to chat me up....and this is by no mean the aim of that board, neither it is my goal !
Fortunately, british people are less shy once you get to know them and also friendly enough when they get drunk it is very festive. I made friend with lots of them at work and my new flatmate is a pure brit from Bathe, very kind and nice ! He introduced me to lots of his friends also.

So to all french who wants to socialize with British people : indeed don't waste time with online boards as you will get lots of creepy messages. Just go talk to them, they become very friendly with a good joke and a good pinte
Cheers everyone
X

Right, so not only are you languagist & ageist, but now you've added racist - "native british", in other words, white folks. Is it any wonder this thread hasn't generated great interest?