Dating in a Fish Tank: Tips and Trick for dating in a “village” of 7 million people, where bumping into familiar faces is almost a guarantee.
Avoiding an ex, or somebody that you don’t always get along, with should be easy, right? Wrong. If you’re looking for love whilst living in a densely populated area such as Hong Kong, it’s increasingly likely that you’re going to end up bumping into somebody that you dislike. You may even run into an ex who’d you’d rather not see for a very long time, if ever. If you’re interested in avoiding these potentially harmful situations, here are some tips on how to go about it.
1) Change your routine
Avoiding familiar faces whilst attempting to date in a city as busy as Hong Kong will never be hassle free, but by avoiding an awkward moment with an ex-partner or that guy who had a crush on you back in high school, you can make the dating game much easier. One of the best methods is to create a new routine and completely ditch the old one. By doing so you decrease the chance of bumping into those who frequented your old routine – unless of course you both change your routine and happen to have chosen the same one. Luckily the chances of this happening are incredibly slim!
2) Explore new areas
When selecting a restaurant or bar to meet your new date in you should think about whether the location you have chosen is somewhere that your ex or other people that you are trying to avoid, visit on a frequent basis. If you’re not sure who attends the venue that you’ve chosen you may want to consider visiting somewhere completely new; you’re more likely to meet somebody outside of your circle of friends, and if your friends don’t know them it’s unlikely that the people you’re eluding will know them either.
3) Dive into a new activity
Try a new activity such as a pottery class, dance lessons or something even less traditional such as lessons in becoming a miniaturist! Either way, the less familiar you are with your new hobby, the less familiar you’ll be with the people that you meet. Learning a new skill is also a brilliant technique for bringing people closer together. Chances are you are likely to meet other like minded people
Bear in mind that not everyone in attendance is actually looking for a love interest however, some may be there simply to express their creativity and release the passions for art and culture.
4) Give speed dating a go
There are a lot of negative views on this next one, but it’s a really effective way for you to meet new people whilst feeling comfortable in a crowded city. Speed dating allows you to meet large numbers of new people who are all looking for love, without having to move very far, in fact, the furthest you have to move is to the next table! It’s also useful as if you feel that there isn’t a connection between you and the guy across the table, it doesn’t matter, because you only have to talk to them for 5 minutes before the bell rings and they’re sent to greet the next hopeful lover.
5) Date yourself
This last one is a bit of a long shot, but when it works, it works well. Take yourself out for a date (nothing like a dinner date or drinks date because nobody likes booking a table for one!), take yourself to an art gallery, a music festival or even just down to the harbour at sunset. Meeting somebody in a romantic venue can create instant chemistry, and due to the compact nature of the population it’s near impossible not to bump into somebody worthy of a second meeting. On the off chance that you don’t bump into your ideal partner you’ve spent the evening doing something that you enjoy, you win either way.
Whether you’re looking for love or just interested in a casual date, Hong Kong is full of surprises. Make the most of your environment and don’t be shy to make the first move.