This sounds really snotty, but what I do is I ask these ‘cold callers’ who just walk up to you on the street questions (in English) about Taiwan, the history of the place where we are standing, as well as questions like, ‘where were you born?’ ‘where is your family home?’ and they always get so embarrassed that they slink away…which I find hilarious. Apparently their version of so-called friendship doesn’t include revealing anything about themselves or teaching me about Taiwan.// I have, however, met ONE friend using above method who is a genuinely open, curious person. Side Note: In Okinawa, it is actually considered rude to ask locals anything about Okinawa or their own family history, which kind of makes it impossible for me to be friends with any locals. I have friends from Mainland Japan, but the locals are simply unwilling or unable to talk about Okinawa (???)
Loretta, you just gave me a good business idea … should work in Taiwan 
RENT a FRIEND Ltd. or Inc., anyway this is going to make me rich … er
What do you think about RENTal Friend Inc. 
NO sex … just go out for dinner or a drink expences paid plus a 2,000 NT$ an hour … aha … 
It doesn’t excist yet I hope … anyone heared about such a company in Taiwan?
So all of you that have been hassled in the past … make it a job and become a professional friend … 
^^ BP, will you give discounts for Forumosans?
Maybe I’ve been here too long, but some of you guys seem really jaded. Notions of friendship here may be different from in Western countries, and it is a bit much for a man to approach a woman on the street and ask to be her friend. However, it is NOT uncommon, after speaking with a Taiwanese person for a few minutes (in English, Mandarin, Hakka…) for that person to suggest that the two of you become friends.
Not everyone in the world is a crazy lunatic looking to take advantage of you! 
According to my wife and “staff” all foreigners that come to my place are my “friends”
Really … are you guys my friends, or are just posing as … to get a discount or something for free? 
Friends help you move.
Good friends help you move dead bodies.
[quote=“belgian pie”]According to my wife and “staff” all foreigners that come to my place are my “friends”
Really … are you guys my friends, or are just posing as … to get a discount or something for free? [/quote]
of course not!
we’ll be over soon for some friendship and cookies, brownies, beer and ice cream thanks.
[quote]I think you should say to them “Ich kann nicht Englisch sprechen” (German) or “Je ne peux pas parler anglais” (French) or "No puedo hablar ingl
[quote=“Loretta”]So you’re being singled out because you’re a foreigner, because they want something. I imagine it’s either a free English partner or else they’re a-questing for some sex.
…
So it’s not acceptable in my book. It’s f***ing rude, and you’re under no obligation to put up with it.[/quote]
I think I can put up with someone rudely a-questing for some sex.
OK, these are complete strangers … but … if Lien or Soong would ask to be your friend … and they are going to need some friends in the future … what would you do … ?
Tell them to … bugger off or what?
No argument about that. If you happen to meet someone and like them then why not continue the process and become friends? But it depends how you meet.
I’ve become friends with all sorts of people that I have a reason to talk to, such as the lady at my local convenience store, or the taxi driver who now makes pottery for me. But if some random stranger walks up and initiates a ‘conversation’ simply because he/she wants to be friends with me then I have to ask why. Why are you picking me rather than the next person to walk by? What do you want? It’s not ME you want to be friends with, you’re pursuing your own agenda and I just happen to be passing by.
Becoming friends is a two-person decision, not something that you set out to today with the first random stranger that comes along.
[quote=“belgian pie”]OK, these are complete strangers … but … if Lien or Soong would ask to be your friend … and they are going to need some friends in the future … what would you do … ?
Tell them to … bugger off or what? [/quote]Do what they do; get a bunch of money upfront, and then split / deny I took anything.
Okay, I don’t see anything wrong with PMing people because you see something in common with them and/ or find them interesting. But this is not the same thing. I am talking about people approaching me after not having known anythning at all about me except what I look like. And then wanting to be my friend based on nothing but what I look like.
I think Loretta said it best.
I only have two friends here who are not taiwanese. And my Taiwanese friends also think this is cracked out. I think I am going to do to referral thing for MYU.com. Give those out to the crackheads. That way I can make some money.
I don’t think it would bother me as much if I were an English teacher. But for some reason, that assumption also irritates the pants off of me.
It’s proven (prooven?) that good looking people make easier friends than ugly bastards like me. or better said people want to make friends with good looking people easier than with ugly morons like me.
Can I be your friend?
Smart alec, I don’t mean that kind of what I look like.
I want to be your friend cuz you have a coffee shop and I LOVE coffee.
Seems to me I recall a certain guy who wanted to “be friends” with a certain lady he did not know but saw one day on the streets of Taipei. He went out of his way tracking her down and things turned out quite well, so I hear.
Did he have his own agenda? I think yes. How is this the slightest bit different?
Hmm.
Fear people with no agenda. Can you imagine how much nerve if must take a shy TW guy to approach a foreign woman, use a crappy line like “You look like my friend?” In a foreign language no less!
A for effort.
D for technique.
What was his agenda? Who knows? Because the girl blew him off. I have met several married people who met at a bus stop. “We were riding the same bus for a year and he finally asked me out for coffee.”
Why is this shoulder poking be my friend thing not romantic? Because it hasn’t worked yet. 
Peace
Seems to me I recall a certain guy who wanted to “be friends” with a certain lady he did not know but saw one day on the streets of Taipei. He went out of his way tracking her down and things turned out quite well, so I hear.
Did he have his own agenda? I think yes. How is this the slightest bit different?
Hmm.
[/quote]
HA-HA!!! :raspberry: 
:bravo:
jdsmith,
2 things
- it is creepy. If I did not have a boyfriend and this guy was the hottest man alive, I would still walk off. Following a girl around (in a very stalker creepy like manner where she is evasively weaving up alleys trying to get rid of you) and then tapping her on the shoulder when she is trying to ignore you is not romantic, it is creepy, stalkery, and intrusive… even if he looked like young tony liu.
- if it worked it still would not be romantic. I don’t think there is anything romantic about the way I met my man. Romantic isn’t romantic because it worked, it is romantic because it is a good story. “He stalked me” isn’t a good story.
Not saying my man stalked me. Esp considerring I pursued him. Just restating #1
[quote=“SuchAFob”]jdsmith,
2 things
- it is creepy. If I did not have a boyfriend and this guy was the hottest man alive, I would still walk off. Following a girl around (in a very stalker creepy like manner where she is evasively weaving up alleys trying to get rid of you) and then tapping her on the shoulder when she is trying to ignore you is not romantic, it is creepy, stalkery, and intrusive… even if he looked like young tony liu.
- if it worked it still would not be romantic. I don’t think there is anything romantic about the way I met my man. Romantic isn’t romantic because it worked, it is romantic because it is a good story. “He stalked me” isn’t a good story.[/quote]
Granted, no this is not romantic, and I may not have read your stalker post clearly.
However, someone approaching you asking to be your friend is not the same as some slinky guy going down an alley, right?
I always tell these folks that I already have too many friends… and that what I really lack are some quality enemies… I ask whether they would be willing to be my enemy.
They always react the same way… they smile that goofy smile… like they think I’m the one who is loopy.
Anyway, it works for me.