Do your friends/loved ones think it's weird that you meet people on Fodor's?
Jul 26th, 2005, 10:09 AM
#21
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,963
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did someone say ebay? Another site to which I am hopelessly addicted!!
I think dh thought my fodor habit was strange until he got X-Box Live and now plays video games with complete strangers - who are half his age (you know, teenagers!!) - that trumps any strangeness in conversing w/adults about travel!
I've never met any fodorites in person. Cincinnati GTG anyone?
I think dh thought my fodor habit was strange until he got X-Box Live and now plays video games with complete strangers - who are half his age (you know, teenagers!!) - that trumps any strangeness in conversing w/adults about travel!
I've never met any fodorites in person. Cincinnati GTG anyone?
Jul 26th, 2005, 10:23 AM
#23
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi P_M, I haven't had this experience within my family but I have had a few friends that I know thought it was strange that I flew back to Atlanta at the invitation of OWJ. Or when I met Marilyn in SF or that I am going to go to SF to spend the day with Faina etc. They really didn't say anything but I could tell they probably thought it was odd.
Something I have wondered about. People accept foreign exchange students into their homes, or send their children to another country to live with an unknown family and everyone thinks it is wonderful. So why is it weird for us adults to meet up with other Fodorites we have become acquainted with on Fodors? Take care.
Something I have wondered about. People accept foreign exchange students into their homes, or send their children to another country to live with an unknown family and everyone thinks it is wonderful. So why is it weird for us adults to meet up with other Fodorites we have become acquainted with on Fodors? Take care.
Jul 26th, 2005, 10:28 AM
#24
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,199
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi LoveItaly! Well, in my community, people who host exchange students are put through a screening to make sure they are "qualified". While there are never any guarantees that anything is 100% safe, there are certain standards that must be met. But you are right, many students "exchange" on their own and not through a program - I think that is risky business.
We can't say that about meeting complete strangers here, what all we have to go on is our gut instincts - could you imagine if Fodors required a background check -- yikes, what would the trolls do?!?
We can't say that about meeting complete strangers here, what all we have to go on is our gut instincts - could you imagine if Fodors required a background check -- yikes, what would the trolls do?!?
Jul 26th, 2005, 10:30 AM
#25
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,356
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a veteran of two NJ/NY GTG's so far, DH was a little wary when we went to the first one. He did come along though, and we both met lots of great people. Had a wonderful time at both.
I think only the "good" people are willing to show up at a GTG. The crazies on here with their own ajendas would never have the guts to show up in person.
BTW, Next NJ/NY GTG is October 22nd. Hope to see you all there! Trish
I think only the "good" people are willing to show up at a GTG. The crazies on here with their own ajendas would never have the guts to show up in person.
BTW, Next NJ/NY GTG is October 22nd. Hope to see you all there! Trish
Jul 26th, 2005, 10:43 AM
#26
My family doesn't think its weird meeting fodorites- they just think I'm addicted to the site!! I work on the computer all day and keep a little Fodor's window running in the corner. (Hey, I'm the boss! I make the rules!)
At my first GTG, I was a little concerned, but it turned out I already knew one of them and two of the others had kids who where my daughters' classmates! Really fun people and we've since had another GTG, so they feel like old friends now. Not an axe murderer in the bunch!
Not only that, but one of them asked me to manage her condo rental! Who says you can't mix business with pleasure?
The best though, is when we're travelling and we do something really fun that I found out about here (xochimilco in Mexico, a bicycle ride through bangkok, a great hotel in Tokyo). THEN my family appreciates my addiction.
At my first GTG, I was a little concerned, but it turned out I already knew one of them and two of the others had kids who where my daughters' classmates! Really fun people and we've since had another GTG, so they feel like old friends now. Not an axe murderer in the bunch!
Not only that, but one of them asked me to manage her condo rental! Who says you can't mix business with pleasure?
The best though, is when we're travelling and we do something really fun that I found out about here (xochimilco in Mexico, a bicycle ride through bangkok, a great hotel in Tokyo). THEN my family appreciates my addiction.
Jul 26th, 2005, 10:54 AM
#27
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
L'Italy,
Wadda 'bout meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee???
It's been my experience that when you meet a Fellow Fodie, it's you LIVER you have to worry about, not losing a kidney!
My friends thought it was a bit weird until some of my friends have met some of my FFFs...or at least saw the pics of the good times!
We've loved every FFF we have met so far...but then again, we did miss Budman's NorCal appearance. O O
Wadda 'bout meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee???
It's been my experience that when you meet a Fellow Fodie, it's you LIVER you have to worry about, not losing a kidney!
My friends thought it was a bit weird until some of my friends have met some of my FFFs...or at least saw the pics of the good times!
We've loved every FFF we have met so far...but then again, we did miss Budman's NorCal appearance. O
O
Jul 26th, 2005, 11:31 AM
#28
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi seetheworld. Student exchange student organizations are suppose to investigate the host families and also the exchange students but unfortunatly I was involved in two scenerios when this did not happen.
First time was regarding my family. The newspaper had an article thirty students were coming from Italy for the summer. I called the phone number and talked to a woman whose name was familar to me. She accepted us within five minutes. I asked her when she wanted to come and interview us and see our house and her answer was "oh that won't be necessary I know who you and your husband are". Well for heaven sakes, she may have know "who we were" but she did not know us personally, we had never even met her, and she certainly had never been to our house.
Right before the students arrived we found out another student was being placed with a woman in town who was in her 80's and had been in and out of mental hospitals all her life. We drove by her house and in the alley side we saw grass and weeds waist high and old mattresses leaning up against the run down old wood two story house. A real fire trap and certainly not an enviroment where a high school student should have been placed. Long story short we called the agency and insisted that this student be placed with us also, as they did not have any other family to accept him. We had the most enjoyable summer btw. The students were all wonderful but there were some problems that summer due to the organization not checking out the host families properly and not matching up students with families where everyone would be happy and well. Such as the student who had written on her application she was very allergic with cats. She was placed in a home with four inside cats. Another family was found for her thank goodness.
Second experience was a young lady I accepted. I had been called and asked to do this by another organization as they had been "given my name". Things did not go well at all. This student was to spend her senior year of HS with me. I would drive her to school and then would get a call two hours later that she was absent. She would not obey a request or any house rule at all. I finally told her that I would have to call the organization and have them find her another host family as the situation was not working. She got so angry that it was scary. During her temper tantrum she told me that the only reason she had come to our ugly country was to get away from her family especially her violent stepfather (gulp!). She then went onto to stay I was going to cause her to be sent back home and that she had gone through so much to get to the US because the first two organizations that she applied to had turned her down as they said she was mentally unstable. Oh that was great to hear.
Evidently her mother had a friend who had a friend who worked for another organization in Italy and lets say that "arrangements" were made to have this organization accept her for their program. Things got so bad I almost had to call the PD. The organization allowed her to move to a family's house who daughter she had become friends with. This girl dated sailors in their late 20's, went to RAVE parties and did drugs. Evidently they did not check this family out either. My birdbath had redpaint poured into it 24 hours after she moved out btw.
So dear Fodorites, I think getting together with most of you seems like not only a safe bet but makes for happy experiences also. But of course all of us need to be cautious and use good common sense. To friendships!!
First time was regarding my family. The newspaper had an article thirty students were coming from Italy for the summer. I called the phone number and talked to a woman whose name was familar to me. She accepted us within five minutes. I asked her when she wanted to come and interview us and see our house and her answer was "oh that won't be necessary I know who you and your husband are". Well for heaven sakes, she may have know "who we were" but she did not know us personally, we had never even met her, and she certainly had never been to our house.
Right before the students arrived we found out another student was being placed with a woman in town who was in her 80's and had been in and out of mental hospitals all her life. We drove by her house and in the alley side we saw grass and weeds waist high and old mattresses leaning up against the run down old wood two story house. A real fire trap and certainly not an enviroment where a high school student should have been placed. Long story short we called the agency and insisted that this student be placed with us also, as they did not have any other family to accept him. We had the most enjoyable summer btw. The students were all wonderful but there were some problems that summer due to the organization not checking out the host families properly and not matching up students with families where everyone would be happy and well. Such as the student who had written on her application she was very allergic with cats. She was placed in a home with four inside cats. Another family was found for her thank goodness.
Second experience was a young lady I accepted. I had been called and asked to do this by another organization as they had been "given my name". Things did not go well at all. This student was to spend her senior year of HS with me. I would drive her to school and then would get a call two hours later that she was absent. She would not obey a request or any house rule at all. I finally told her that I would have to call the organization and have them find her another host family as the situation was not working. She got so angry that it was scary. During her temper tantrum she told me that the only reason she had come to our ugly country was to get away from her family especially her violent stepfather (gulp!). She then went onto to stay I was going to cause her to be sent back home and that she had gone through so much to get to the US because the first two organizations that she applied to had turned her down as they said she was mentally unstable. Oh that was great to hear.
Evidently her mother had a friend who had a friend who worked for another organization in Italy and lets say that "arrangements" were made to have this organization accept her for their program. Things got so bad I almost had to call the PD. The organization allowed her to move to a family's house who daughter she had become friends with. This girl dated sailors in their late 20's, went to RAVE parties and did drugs. Evidently they did not check this family out either. My birdbath had redpaint poured into it 24 hours after she moved out btw.
So dear Fodorites, I think getting together with most of you seems like not only a safe bet but makes for happy experiences also. But of course all of us need to be cautious and use good common sense. To friendships!!
Jul 26th, 2005, 01:09 PM
#30
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think most people tend to think I'm odd for meeting fodorites sight unseen, but as the sagacious (salacious?) Kal D. Kahuna once told me, the wierdos & trolls never show up. Whenever I explain this to my friends, they raise an eyebrow or two but I'm still alive....with fabulous photos to show for it.....so I guess the proof is in the pudding.
The best is finding out what a truly small world it is. kalena & lcuy knew my family + family friends before we even met in person! Then I ended up working in the same place as kalena for a little while last year.
Talk about strangers! I just came back from a wedding in Sonoma. The hotel room was going to be expensive, so three of us who knew the bride agreed to be roommates. We were all strangers, but we figured we knew the bride so it would be OK. By the time the 3rd girl arrived, it was 3 a.m. and the two of us were already asleep. So she went straight to bed, with me in it. The next morning when we awoke, I sat up in bed and extended my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Melissa!" That must be the winner for "strange ways to meet new friends." (Needless to say, the 3 of us got on very well and were perfect roommates.)
The best is finding out what a truly small world it is. kalena & lcuy knew my family + family friends before we even met in person! Then I ended up working in the same place as kalena for a little while last year.
Talk about strangers! I just came back from a wedding in Sonoma. The hotel room was going to be expensive, so three of us who knew the bride agreed to be roommates. We were all strangers, but we figured we knew the bride so it would be OK. By the time the 3rd girl arrived, it was 3 a.m. and the two of us were already asleep. So she went straight to bed, with me in it. The next morning when we awoke, I sat up in bed and extended my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Melissa!" That must be the winner for "strange ways to meet new friends." (Needless to say, the 3 of us got on very well and were perfect roommates.)
Jul 26th, 2005, 01:32 PM
#32
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,419
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The way I look at it: there is no troll who can stand us
P_M, thank you for starting such an interesting thread where Da Kal gets jealous.
Melissa, what's the name of this hotel? I think I know a couple of single guys
P_M, thank you for starting such an interesting thread where Da Kal gets jealous.
Melissa, what's the name of this hotel? I think I know a couple of single guys
Jul 26th, 2005, 01:56 PM
#33
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My husband doesn't think it's weird but we met on jdate.com, an internet dating site for Jewish singles.
I know some of my friends and certainly my mother would be weirded out if they knew I developed friendships this way so I don't tell them--or I tell them so-and-so is a travel friend. They assume it's someone I met on a trip and I don't explain otherwise.
As for meeting other Fodorites, I've only met really nice people, no make that amazing people. I do think it's smart to get together in a public place
A few years back, I was posting on the Latin Am. board and started corresponding with a man who spends quite a bit of time in Buenos Aires for business, a city I was planning to visit. It turned out he was going to be back in the States and his apartment was vacant...he offered it to me, free of charge. My MIL thought I was utterly nuts but I knew it was ok--and if it wasn't, I was prepared to go a hotel. DrDawggy, if you see this post, I still owe you a big thank you dinner!!
I know there are wackos out there but like others have said, you can usually sniff them out--and I also don't think 'those people' are going to be as interested in Fodors as perhaps some other BBs. Maybe chatrooms might be more interesting to them??
I know some of my friends and certainly my mother would be weirded out if they knew I developed friendships this way so I don't tell them--or I tell them so-and-so is a travel friend. They assume it's someone I met on a trip and I don't explain otherwise.
As for meeting other Fodorites, I've only met really nice people, no make that amazing people. I do think it's smart to get together in a public place
A few years back, I was posting on the Latin Am. board and started corresponding with a man who spends quite a bit of time in Buenos Aires for business, a city I was planning to visit. It turned out he was going to be back in the States and his apartment was vacant...he offered it to me, free of charge. My MIL thought I was utterly nuts but I knew it was ok--and if it wasn't, I was prepared to go a hotel. DrDawggy, if you see this post, I still owe you a big thank you dinner!!
I know there are wackos out there but like others have said, you can usually sniff them out--and I also don't think 'those people' are going to be as interested in Fodors as perhaps some other BBs. Maybe chatrooms might be more interesting to them??
Jul 26th, 2005, 02:10 PM
#35
I've not attended any get-togethers, but I believe my friends and family do find it a bit strange how often I refer to discussions on this board. Kind of like the people who talk about TV characters like they are real life friends!
Jul 26th, 2005, 02:11 PM
#36
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey OWJ, you just reminded me of something!! You know who F&F (friends,realtors) are right? When they qustioned me about why I went to Atlanta etc. (she would make a good cop btw) I told the truth. To stupid to do otherwise I guess. So more questions etc. etc. I tried to talk about how much I loved Atlanta and Charleston etc. what a great week I had and so forth. More questions. Finally the BIG question. Answer: well they met me at the airport and we drove to Buckhead and we stopped and had a late dinner and then they drove me to the hotel.....the look on both F and F faces! Total horror. I thought "what?"
Later I realized that "oh yeah, I got in a car with a couple I had never met before, it was nighttime and dark and I was in a strange city and...." Too funny!!! But here I am to tell about it! And it was a fantastic week.
And the funny thing is I am more or less a cautious type. At least I think I am.
Later I realized that "oh yeah, I got in a car with a couple I had never met before, it was nighttime and dark and I was in a strange city and...." Too funny!!! But here I am to tell about it! And it was a fantastic week.
And the funny thing is I am more or less a cautious type. At least I think I am.
Jul 26th, 2005, 02:28 PM
#37
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I definately think one needs to 'screen' anyone they're going to meet by emailing or phone calls BEFORE getting together 1-on-1. If you email or talk enough, you just kind of know...either that or I'm naive and lucky that my gut hasn't failed me.
I have a new question for all of you--did any of your friends/love ones get addicted to Fodors b/c of you? My husband has been lurking for awhile and recently started posting! He better get his own sign on so you guys don't think I'm Sybil w/multipersonalities
I have a new question for all of you--did any of your friends/love ones get addicted to Fodors b/c of you? My husband has been lurking for awhile and recently started posting! He better get his own sign on so you guys don't think I'm Sybil w/multipersonalities
Jul 26th, 2005, 02:33 PM
#39
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OWJ, I'm in the opposite camp. I've tried to get both my husband and sister interested...to no avail. They both have registered screen names, but don't use them. They prefer that "I" do the travel research.
I've also tried to get a couple of friends interested in Fodors and they don't catch on, either. That's why I have to have may Fodors friends and my "regular" friends.
I've also tried to get a couple of friends interested in Fodors and they don't catch on, either. That's why I have to have may Fodors friends and my "regular" friends.
