BY PHILLYGRRL I’m sorry, but smooth-talking subway Philly boys ain’t got nothing on the international student. I’ve come to this conclusion based on the inordinate amount of time I spend every week at the Cecil B. Moore stop by 
Temple University. And now exclusively for Phawker readers, the results of my extensive research. (I’d show you my graphs, but I’m saving them for the white paper.) The thing Philly guys get wrong is, they think they have to pretend to know everything to get girls to talk to them. They affect this worldly air that might work in a smaller city, but does nothing to impress the hardened city gal. What does work, however, is the I’m-new-in-the-city-plus-I-
Temple student A: “Are you going to the Central City? How I get to the Central City?”
Temple student B: “Center City?”
Temple student A: “Ah, yes, the Center City. I wish to go to the Center City. You help me, please?”
As they continue the conversation and she attempts to assist him with his navigating skills, it becomes clear that he knows exactly where he’s going and how to get there. I get that. I’m openly laughing. The girl doesn’t get that, she’s seriously trying to help him get home via SEPTA. In the course of the conversation, the boy manages to let on that a) he’s from Spain, b) the big bad city scares him, especially the big bad subway system and c) he needs help, preferably female help. By the time the subway comes, he has completely won her over. He absent-mindedly places his hand on her wrist as he leans closer to tell her how homesick he is. She nods sympathetically as he talks about his classes. They make plans to meet again and take the subway together. Now that’s impressive. And it isn’t the first time I’ve seen this scenario. So there ya go, folks. Charm ‘em with feigned confusion. Girls can’t resist the opportunity to give a man direction.