A man started talking to me at the bus stop...

[Deleted]

I was waiting on the bus to Antwerp near where I live, and a few minutes before it arrives, a man from Iraq approached me. the first thing he asked is when the bus would arrive. i replied to him, and a few seconds later, he asked me if i were from Belgium. I replied affirmative, and to be polite, I asked where he came from, because he looked foreign. he replied he came from Iraq, but moved to Belgium 18 months ago.

On the bus, our conversation continued. I learned his name was Sadeq. He was an Iraqi Refugee who used to teach management in Iraq with a bachelor's degree. He fled Iraq because of the war, conflict and the new regime, because he thought they were crazy, like he thought of Saddam. before the war, he trained a football team, but that was 10 years ago now. He also stated that he respects all religions and people, whether they are Christian, Atheist, Jew or Muslim.

I learned where he lived in Belgium. he lives in Liège, and was visiting a friend of his near the bus stop. he was taking the bus back to Antwerp Central Station, so he could take his train back home to Liège.

We got quite friendly. After 30 minutes, we almost arrived at the station, and he asked me if we could share our phone numbers. We did, and he said he wanted to learn Dutch better. he wanted to be my friend, as it were.

I enjoyed talking to him, and, he was very friendly. however, I'm wondering if I wasn't too gullible. My parents agree with me, and said that before I meet him next time, I should invite him over so my parents could talk to him as well.

I've tried to google him myself, but I can't really find any info on him. I'm considering getting someone to run a background check on him, but I don't want to pay for it. is there a way to do this for free?

[Deleted]

That would instantly be creeper warning for me. :|

Never give anyone my phone number, regardless of how much they want it. If they want to talk to me they better give me their number so I can call them if I want to talk.

[DietzThought]

You are quite right to be cautious about this, since it is well known that almost everyone from Iraq is evil and wants to kill everyone who doesn't share his beliefs. There is indeed a way to do a free background check, you should go to the local authorities and report him for suspicous activities. They will interrogate him for a few weeks and maybe turn him over to the Americans who will keep him imprisoned for some years without any reason. And then when he eventually gets out, of course without any compensation, because even if they can't prove it, he probably was at least going to be up to something at some point, then you are quite safe to be friends with him.

[Xanjori]

Are you male or female? A similar age to the man you were talking to?

To me the guy was being reasonable, its hard making friends in a foreign land and honestly I wish I'd try to stay in contact with more random people, just so that I actually had some friends in this country.

Seriously you and your family sound like the people with issues. Whats up when people cant even be friendly anymore.

[vizzle]

Background check...?

Just don't be an idiot and don't go with him down shady streets and empty buildings. You'll be fine.

[Taurenburger]

Oh, that's kind of... Odd.

I wouldn't mind chatting with such a person, but I'd NEVER give my phonenumber to random strangers.

[ProphetFlume]

Yeah, as Dietz eloquently expressed, I'm not quite sure what you're worried about either. Are you thinking of dating him? That seems really paranoid just for someone who enjoyed chatting with you and wanted to continue the experience. Has he been calling a lot? Were you only being polite when talking because you couldn't find a way to end the conversation or avoid giving your number?

[Skippy88]

Ahhh busses. It's just not a journey it's an adventure. It wasn't totally uncommon to start talking to a random stranger but in your case to continue the friendship is a bit weird but once again not out of the realm of possibility. It's really up to you if you want to continue the friendship or not. Maybe give out your e-mail address so you can get to know the person better next time instead of your phone #.

[Taurenburger]

Seriously you and your family sound like the people with issues. Whats up when people cant even be friendly anymore.

Sure the background check thing is not good, but it is quite weird if someone you've NEVER seen before (and at this age difference (I guess the OP is not older than ~20 and the Iraqi guy well in his 30s/40s)) wants your phonenumber. If you want to make friends, go to some sportsclubs or whatever groupthing.

[StayTuned]

You should have asked for emails instead of phone numbers. Different cultures are different but seriously, I doubt you have to make a background check on him just because he is form Iraq. Not everyone from there is a terrorist, you know? And I also doubt you would have created this thread if some random guy from Belgium talked to you.

How old are you, and how old is he?

[Xanjori]

Sure the background check thing is not good, but it is quite weird if someone you've NEVER seen before (and at this age difference (I guess the OP is not older than ~20 and the Iraqi guy well in his 30s/40s)) wants your phonenumber. If you want to make friends, go to some sportsclubs or whatever groupthing.

Yeah, when you moved to a new country and don't know anyone, its not quite that simple.

[Xalzel]

/sigh, I wish we lived in a world here people could just talk to each other without getting paranoid about everything. They guy is in a new land, probably gets treated like shit and needs a friend. just talk to him, if your worried don't go down and dark alley or too his house but I doubt that he is going to kill you.

[Deleted]

Am i the only person who think its sad that you have to think the worst about other peoples and their motives for talking? Not saying that you can trust everyone just because they seems nice - it just makes me somewhat sad that its not possible to trust strangers at all, having to do backgroundcheck, using FB / twitter etc.
and tbh I would never give my phonenumber or add to strangers just because they ask for it, but i wouldnt mind getting their number or add - makes it more safe for me -

[Valort]

Strangers starting a conversation in Belgium?
Once in a lifetime event...

Also, before you meet this person again, consider the age difference and the reason for someone who seems to be quite older than you are for meeting with you again.
Unless I'm wrong and you're 30+, which would make the whole "parents" paragraph a bit odd...

[Togarox]

Sure the background check thing is not good, but it is quite weird if someone you've NEVER seen before (and at this age difference (I guess the OP is not older than ~20 and the Iraqi guy well in his 30s/40s)) wants your phonenumber. If you want to make friends, go to some sportsclubs or whatever groupthing.

I'd say the OP is much less than 20 if he parents want to speak to the guy 1st next time. Probably 12-14 range? Sure it sounds odd to ask someone for their phone number but you have to remember that the guy is from a different country. Different countries have different customs and maybe asking for a phone number from the people you meet isn't something "odd" in Iraq.

OP-If he never contacts you, there isn't much to worry about. Definately no need to do a background check. If he is contacting you a lot, give him your email and tell him to contact you through that instead or tell him you wish not to converse anymore.

[StayTuned]

Strangers starting a conversation in Belgium?
Once in a lifetime event...

Also, before you meet this person again, consider the age difference and the reason for someone who seems to be quite older than you are for meeting with you again.
Unless I'm wrong and you're 30+, which would make the whole "parents" paragraph a bit odd...

Yeah... if you are 18 (or even younger) and he is 40 (which he must be according to this story), gtfo there and forget what I was talking about. He might just as well be part of a human trafficking mafia. There is a big chance he lied about everything he told you. No joke.

[Tommy T]

Poor bloke was just trying to make a friend in a foreign country and he's labelled as a terrorist. Gotta laugh. Are you sure you're Belgian because your exhibiting typical 'Murica behaviour.

[Nerph-]

Sure the background check thing is not good, but it is quite weird if someone you've NEVER seen before (and at this age difference (I guess the OP is not older than ~20 and the Iraqi guy well in his 30s/40s)) wants your phonenumber. If you want to make friends, go to some sportsclubs or whatever groupthing.

Why can't people who just met and had a friendly chat share phone numbers? Why do people need to go to a "sportsclub or whatever" to meet new people? If anything more people should be like this, instead of being drones standining in line waiting to get the bus and then sitting on it like their in their own little world. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him asking OP's phone number to keep in contact. If the guy ends up calling too much or "stalking", you can easily get a phone number blocked from calling you, or if worst comes to the worst, change your own number.

People are way too cautious nowadays, sure there are some people with bad intentions out there but not everyone.

[Ebildays]

That would instantly be creeper warning for me. :|

Never give anyone my phone number, regardless of how much they want it. If they want to talk to me they better give me their number so I can call them if I want to talk.

I completely agree with this.

It has nothing to do with him being from Iraq but more that this man is a complete stranger. I, myself, enjoy talking to people but I have never given that level of access to someone I just met on a bus. But since you gave him your number I would still talk to him but I would not go any place where I would be alone with him or people I did not know well.

I would not invite him over so he could know where I live either. If your parents wants to meet him I would do some place like a coffee shop or cafe not in the area where I live but closer to him since he is fairly new. There are too many news stories that start off with "Well him seemed like such a nice man".

[StayTuned]

You are extremely paranoid.

I wonder if you would make a thread when a girl asked your phone-number after 1 minute of talking?

read again. He's talking about his parents wanting to meet him first, so he can't be much older than 15/16. The guy on the other hand pretends to be a manager and ex football coach from Iraq. I doubt he's younger than 30.

What on earth has a 30 years old to do with a 15 years old?