Finding the Right Partner While Traveling?

Questions for Finding a Partner

Nothing beats small talk with a good friend: You know each other and how the other person's life works. Likes and dislikes are known, and there are hardly any faux pas or awkward pauses in conversation.

It often takes a while to reach that point. Before it comes the getting-to-know-you phase. It is mainly marked by uncertainty and skepticism, because it's never quite clear which questions are appropriate and which answers have substance. The topic is also of interest to people who want to find a partner. At the start of a relationship, it's never clear whether a new acquaintance will turn into just a friendship or even a partnership.

The personality question

The result is familiar. Some people find getting to know others hard, while others love it and have no trouble at all. This variety is normal; nobody is equally outgoing, sociable, self-confident, and talkative. People with a stronger degree of the personality trait extraversion combine all of the qualities just mentioned. When it comes to finding a partner, they have no trouble coming out of their shell. They have no inhibitions about approaching others. They love the back-and-forth of communication with other people. Embarrassing consequences don't register with them, since they simply start talking. They're often found in big groups at parties and concerts, where they feel very much at home. They have plenty of ways to make contact with others.

Not everyone is sociable in this way, and there are many people who are very open to conversation at family gatherings, at work, or among friends of friends, but who show clear inhibitions when it comes to looking for a partner. They don't know exactly how to go about getting to know someone. Some people are shy, introverted, or always reserved. There's nothing wrong with that, and in many respects it's a good trait for meeting new people or even for finding a partner. This path is often bumpy, but it's far from hopeless.

Easy questions to get started when finding a partner

If you're a bit shy at first and can't come up with interesting conversation topics right away, you should take your time getting to know the other person. Even if the questions below seem a little worn out, they can still break the ice effectively. They give you points of connection when finding a partner, and sooner or later they get asked anyway, because the answers matter.

• Where are you really from?
• How long have you lived here?
• What hobbies do you have?
• What do you do for a living?
• What did you learn or study?
• What do you prefer to listen to, eat, watch, drink, etc.?