Just when I thought my life was getting less complicated (I quit Match.com, I broke up with Francois) it surprised me yet again. I am now balancing a few different numbers in my address book. I’m going to introduce you to three international men I’ve been talking to so far (seriously, should I apply for a job at the United Nations?):

1) Payam, a Persian guy who danced with me at a party a few weeks ago. 24 years old (yeah, I seem to get them young these days). Ph.D. student in Engineering. Cute as a button. Goofy smile. Fun dancer. His signals are both weak and strong: He emails me constantly, sets up pseudo-dates with me (going out dancing, seeing a movie, getting dinner) but also will go a few days without contacting me and once joked about having a girlfriend (WTF?). My verdict? Not totally into me but interested enough to test me out. Probably young and inexperienced with relationships too. Why I’m interested? He’s cute, funny, is a fellow foodie and can teach me to dance salsa. Why not?

2) Itzli, a Mexican-American guy I met recently. Friend of a friend. Don’t know how old he is, but I’m guessing between 23 and 25. Soon-to-be grad student, which is how we started talking. Quiet, but wickedly silly. Wears glasses (swoon). First-generation college student, received multiple academic scholarships, listed “doing research” as one of his Interests on Facebook. Yeah, he’s smart. But also plays guitar (double swoon). Was going to hang out with him on Saturday night, but he called too late and I was already out. My verdict? Interested in me but given his impending move to grad school and his lukewarm responses to a couple of text messages and emails, I’d say this one, like Payam, is on the fence. No worries, I’m very much on the fence about all of these guys. Why I’m interested? He’s the first Latino guy I’ve been interested in for a while, so there’s that, but yeah, I do have a thing for the lanky, glasses-wearing, guitar-playing grad student type.

3) Giang, a Vietnamese-American guy I met at the hotel we were at during the conference. He was the bellboy. My girlfriends and I spotted him and zeroed in on him like vultures. We collectively flirted with him all weekend and so it was mildly surprising when, on our way to the airport, he stopped me and said, “I’d really like to get to know you.” I gave him my number (did you hear that, Alex, I gave HIM my number!) and he actually texted me the next day. Nice touch? He called me a “cutie pie” AND spelled and punctuated everything correctly. Yay him! When I asked when he might be visiting SoCal next, he replied, “I don’t know. You tell me?” He even called the next day. He’s 27 years old, an interior designer who’s obviously currently between jobs, moved north to take care of his sick mother and Oh, and he surfs! Finding an Asian surfer is like spotting a four-leaf clover. My verdict? He’s interested. Duh. But there’s a seven-hour drive between us. Why I’m interested? Cute, family-oriented, athletic, artistic and considerate.

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