Talking to Strangers: Brooklyn, NY

Nerve asks deeply personal questions to people we just met.

by Alyssa Carroll

Alejandra, 21

Are you dating anyone right now?
Nope, I'm single. I actually met a guy on this trip to New York, but nothing serious at all. I haven't hooked up with anyone in a long time.

What was your last boyfriend like?
I've actually never had a boyfriend. I don't know if I'm picky, or if it's just that the guys I meet aren't my type. I just haven't met anyone I'm interested in.

What's your type?
I like smart and funny and tall guys. I usually go for black guys, too. I don't know. Looks are definitely important to me. I met one guy in Houston recently who I was really attracted to, but he wasn't that smart. I feel like I meet people who are usually smart or good-looking. I don't really mind though. I like being single.

What's the worst date you've been on?
A friend of mine was getting married, and she invited me to come, but I needed a date to go. That's kind of how it is in Mexico — you need a plus-one as a woman. You can't go alone. So she set me up with her cousin. She has really cute brothers, so I thought that the cousin would be the same, and if not, that he'd be cool, so I didn't mind. I went and he looked like the The Penguin, from Batman. He was almost ten years older than me and only talked about himself the entire time. I tried to have conversation with him but he was so cheesy. At one point I asked him if he liked music, and he told me that everything is music to him — like raindrops and the wind.

What's a usual date like in Mexico?
Usually it's dinner and then a party, or a movie and then a party. We party a lot, so that's usually what we end up doing. It's a fun way to get to know someone quickly.

How are Mexican guys different from guys in the United States?
I think that Americans a lot of the time are kind of boring and just want to sit around and drink and talk. If you go to a bar in Mexico, it's a crazy party and it's really entertaining. But Mexican guys are also a lot more traditional.

Do you like traditional guys?
No. I really like non-traditional. I'm not a big feminist, but in Mexico, the man is the one who has all of the control over everything. Like, we can't even really drive home alone or invite a guy out to do something. As a woman, you're supposed to be invited. People also think it's weird if you call a guy first in Mexico. You're supposed to wait until guys call you or reach out to you. I think it's really outdated.