Questions tagged [germany]
Questions that have a specific focus on people in Germany or German culture.
115 questions
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How to make aquantainces into friends - same gender [closed]
I (w24) do have friends but all of them are men. I have aquaintances who are women and I would really like to be friends with some of them. If I ask them to hang out, they never reply or have time - I ...
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4
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2
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761
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How to get rid of (my own) dominant behaviour in the work place?
(I'm told that) I'm a rather dominant person in a work environment. This is a known and outspoken issue since my superior is a distant but long term friend of mine (20 years plus). From time to time I ...
- 160
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1
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348
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How to offer financial support to acquaintances?
I have two kindergarden age children and the acquaintances are parents of the other children. I frequently meet them on the playground and there is friendly chatter. People talk about life and their ...
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4
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2k
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SARS-CoV2: When conflict arises over wearing masks, what should I say? [closed]
In Germany, due to the Corona pandemic, the government requires everyone to wear a mask over their mouth and nose in public when within enclosed spaces like supermarkets or public transportation.
...
- 269
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1
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320
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How can I convey negative feedback in a positive and constructive way?
Imagine walking into a restaurant to look at a menu and instead of saying "I'll have a think about it" and wander off, you instead said "actually, I've found a place for cheaper so I'm going there now"...
- 393
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3
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1k
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How do I start a casual relationship while backpacking?
I'm a 24 year old Canadian man on an extended holiday abroad. Most people I meet are from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ireland. The country where I am is irrelevant because I rarely meet people ...
9
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1
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1k
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How to gently ask my neighbor not to use my bins for their waste?
In the past months, there were several occasions when I found foreign waste in my personal bins. I cannot say, that was my neighbor for sure as I never saw anyone. But the waste type and content made ...
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5
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997
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Do I need to keep on asking my coworker if I can lower the window blinds (in a German company)
I am doing my internship at a German company (while being a student from the Netherlands) and my German skills are limited. On sunny days, I get blinded by the sun and want to lower the window blinds. ...
- 73
51
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4
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28k
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How do I get my boyfriend to remove pictures of his ex girlfriend hanging in his apartment?
Background Information: We have been together for 2.5 years. We do not live together, but visit each others apartments around 5 times a week. He is in his early 30s and I am in my mid 20s. We live in ...
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12
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4
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7k
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How to tell my mother not to visit?
I left my mother's home to live on my own 8,5 years ago. Since then, no one in my family has visited me once. Some years ago, my mother even dismissed my idea to visit me when I suggested to do so, I ...
- 3,105
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How can I convince my girlfriend that relationship and her doctorate is possible?
Background
I have been dating a Japanese woman in Japan for two months now. Until now we've regularly met each other on weekends and were talking during the week, mostly with instant messaging. I ...
- 149
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2
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3k
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How do I inform my boss that he offended me?
I am a man in forties. I work as a scientist in Germany, but I am not local.
My boss at the university uses words "stupid" and "idiot" in relation to me in front of other people or in a direct ...
- 141
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286
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How to stop family members from giving me pictures of their children? [duplicate]
I want to know how to politely ask family members to not give me pictures of their children.
Every year I try to find suitable presents for my family members only to receive the exact same present ...
10
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1
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How to approach a person that does not respond to me after I was potentially rude to them?
I am an 18-year-old German, I live in a small (~100 citizens) town neighboring a somewhat bigger (~2000 citizens) town. We have our own small local fire-station but we do not do regular training. To ...
anon
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2
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1k
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How can I let my male friends know how much they mean to me?
I (male in my mid-20s) recently found a girlfriend and another really close female friend, which I highly value in my life. I found that I can openly share my feelings with both of them, and after ...
- 1,531
6
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1
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925
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How to tell long distance girlfriend we both did wrong without her closing up again
I've been with my long-distance girlfriend for 8 months now, we are both in our mid-20s.
Last weekend we had a disagreement in an online game session:
Once she went online I asked her to play a ...
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2
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5
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661
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How to properly criticize a poor (scientific) work?
My question:
Are there ways to point out errors of somebody's scientific work without sounding harsh or as if I am discrediting that person?
A lot can be found about criticizing well and proper ...
- 131
12
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2
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1k
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Asking people to meet outside of work/gym/etc
Lately I feel like all the people I meet only get and stay acquaintances to mine. I don't have a huge friend group and would enjoy forming new friendships, going out more with people, etc.
If often ...
- 1,531
4
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2
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1k
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Approach friends about getting un-invited last minute with terrible communication and rude behavior?
Last weekend, me and 4 friends (let's call them Alice, Bob, Cody and Danny) wanted to go to another friends place (which I don't know) to have some drinks. The friend, at which the gathering was, also ...
- 1,531
11
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4
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964
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How to designate, that I'd prefer having a conversation in english, when someone aproaches me in my native language?
Given an international (work-) environment, I have plenty of coworkers1 not speaking German. It happened already many times to me, that I was having a English conversation with someone not speaking ...
- 2,532
8
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2
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1k
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Handshake Etiquette when wearing a Bandaid
How should one behave in situations that require a handshake but are wearing a bandaid on their hand or one of their fingers?
Many people will find it unhygienic or at least unpleasant to touch a ...
13
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3
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2k
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How to find out, if it is ok to hug (opposite sex)?
I am male and I regularly hug my good male and good female friends. At the very least when saying Hello and Goodbye. I have the feeling that is not uncommon here in Germany.
Now, I have a a small ...
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1
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How can I ask my flatmate why she's upset after I mentioned feeling like a third wheel?
A few days ago my flatmate [22, F] and me [26, M] went to a party. She was asking me which of two guys she should hook up with. It was more jokingly, at least I thought and she also told me it's just ...
12
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2
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1k
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How to tell a colleague that touching my behind at the christmas party was not ok
During my company's Christmas party one colleague got extremely drunk. He then went to me, put his arm around me and his hand on my behind. I found this both annoying and highly inappropriate and ...
- 121
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2
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597
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How to ask a host to fix something, they consider due to their lacking knowledge, not flawed?
I am living for 2 months now in a pension and will probably stay there for 3~4 more months. The host provides WLAN. Sadly the WLAN is blocking some websites and a vast amount of ports required for ...
- 2,532
15
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1
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1k
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Non-disabled people parking on handicap spots
This morning, when I went to the local bakery, a woman (maybe around 25 years old) parking on the handicap spot right in front of the store. To me, she didn't look disabled at all. Granted, not every ...
- 1,531
3
votes
1
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4k
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How to ask to join friends to vacation?
I recently overheard two of my friends, that they are planning to go on vacation next year together with another two or three friends of us. Well, overheard may be the wrong word in this context, they ...
- 1,531
2
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1
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464
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How do I find the causes of the issues between me and my siblings?
My siblings and I have a rocky relationship and I want to find out what the causes for the issues are. The last times I've asked them about this I've got responses like "Everything is fine" or "There ...
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56
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12
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22k
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How to say no to an extremely pushy friend
My friend, which is also my coworker, likes to organise events for his friends. He invites a lot of people, but always expects everyone to join him regardless of if they have already planned something ...
- 561
3
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3
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578
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How to improve relationship with uninterested coworkers?
I'm not sure whether this is a question for the workplace or IPS board, but I think it's more of a inter-personal than work related issue. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
About three months ago I ...
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2k
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How do I tell someone I won't drive them anymore, when they have no car?
Background: To get a technical diploma I started to attend school last week again and will be there till may next year. I'm currently 22 yo and I'm generally a very agreeable person. The school is ...
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How to deal with a boss that privately texts an (uninterested) coworker
At the annual summer party of our company I have introduced a friend and colleague of mine to my supervisor. My colleague is from another department at another office and we have known each other some ...
- 113
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2
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1k
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Address friends overly "agressive" way to get attention back on him when around girls
I often go out on weekends with a few friends of mine, we're all around 18-21 years old from Germany. One of them (lets name him L.) really is a chill guy. Me and my friends aren't really that good ...
- 1,531
14
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6
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47k
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How to convey (non-awkwardly) that its my birthday? [duplicate]
First off, I know that this question is very close to mine, but has no answer that would match my needs.
Secondly, I find it shocking how many people answer for a workplace situation. This question ...
- 3,964
22
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5
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11k
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Etiquette when riding a taxi in Germany?
So I just recently rode a taxi again in Germany and I was wondering about the proper etiquette if there is one. I rode a total of like 3 taxi in my life and I never was sure on how to behave (I always ...
- 3,964
3
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2
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2k
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How do I help break the ice between Alice and Bob after past drama?
Let's call my friend Bob and the story girl Alice.
Background
I was in class with Bob and Alice. Some day Bob posted a picture of a gun (not his; from the Darknet, because he was drunk) in our class ...
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2
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2k
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How to talk to friend about changing his behaviour towards his girlfriend?
A friend of mine, let's call him Bob, is in a relationship with a girl, Sarah. He is 24, she is 19. They live together with her 4 year old child. They often struggle financially and I, as I'm better ...
- 477
6
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2
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1k
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Using my own training plan without upsetting stubborn trainer
I've been working out at the local gym where I live for about half a year now. Since my town (if one can even call it that) is pretty small, the gym is too. There aren't a lot of people and therefore ...
- 1,531
32
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8
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13k
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Reclaiming my desk fan when the office I lent it to is also really hot
I work in a mid sized company. Due to company policy, we're usually not allowed to have personal electronics at work (all electronics in the offices must be tested every year, it's a licensing / ...
- 10.7k
4
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5
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8k
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How to ask the girl I am dating if she likes me?
I am mexican working in Germany (31), I got to know an amazing german lady 3 months ago (26), we started texting eachother since, it is awesome, we always have something to talk about and we both love ...
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1k
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How to reject a friend who comes only when he needs help without being rude
Currently, I am living in Germany, and I have an old friend (he was my neighbor also in country of origin) who moved here a few months ago, and by luck, he is living now not far from my home.
...
- 1,535
6
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3
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1k
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How to find out if my text messages are appreciated?
This might be a very basic thing for many but love is definitely not my strong subject at all!
There is a girl I like very much, long story short, we started to text each other around 3 - 4 times a ...
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28
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6
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10k
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How to ask a store clerk to leave you alone without being rude?
When I go shopping (I am not doing that often, only sometimes when I really need some new clothes), I'd like to take my time, look at all available stuff, and thinking about what I need and what not, ...
- 1,535
5
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2
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3k
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How to get to know a service staff without interrupting her work? [duplicate]
On friday night I was out with some friends of mine, we often go to a hookah lounge (which are quite common here in germany, I don't really know about other countries - basically you can smoke hookahs,...
- 1,531
11
votes
2
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548
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Grandpa has dementia, how to include him in conversation?
I'm not sure if this is a question that can be asked here (or even answered) but I'd like to try.
My grandpa is almost 80 and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's a little over a year ago. Since then ...
- 211
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4
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4k
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Asking a girl you love (without being rude) to be your girlfriend when you're married [closed]
I know a girl from the internet (we both live in Germany), and looks like everything is fine between us (we are talking every some hours, smiling, flirting ..etc).
I am currently married, but, as my ...
- 1,535
1
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2
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1k
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How to ask a girl for a relationship [closed]
I'm dating a girl with the goal of finding a girlfriend. She told me before that it's weird for her to kind of be in a relationship but not properly. I thought she meant that the beginning phase of a ...
- 215
5
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2
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848
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How to refuse an invitation without offending good friends?
We have long-time friends, a married couple. We don't see them very often, maybe four to five times a year.
Two of the opportunities to meet them are their birthday parties. During these "parties&...
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3
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2k
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How to tell my boss about his lack of hygiene
I work in a small consulting company. I love what I do and I love to work with my boss who is a kind of genius in our field. He is a quick thinker and can be very technical and smart. He is good and ...
- 163
10
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2
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1k
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How to talk to a friend claiming to go on a rampage?
My friend (m, 23) invited me (m, 23) to a house party and after a couple of beers he talked about a club in our city which he does not like.
He stated that the club is bad because the security ...
- 209