Tinderella

You have a match! 

The excitement I feel is slightly lesser than what I would have felt if I had matched with Shahrukh Khan. Neither does it mean that I have found the man of my dreams because I have already found him. It is another thing that I can't be with him. 

So what am I talking about here? Oh well, the forbidden dating application that everyone is on and yet won't make it public- Tinder! You are afraid to fit that Tinder shoe incase people find out and you come to be known as Tinderella. But so what, the prince is awaiting in his chariot, you just have to swipe right on the right person! 

And there is no shame in it. Yes, I am on Tinder, have been for two years now. On and off but still. 

So the general sense I get, is that  you can't tell anyone you are on it for fear of being judged. So why are you on it in the first place? Curiosity, boredom, loneliness, being new to town, or are you there for a plain hookup? 

I will tell you mine. I am on it to socialise, to find business opportunities and to find people to show me around when I am visiting their town. I am not on there for a hookup. I go on dates to restaurants and not a hotel room!  So get this straight, if I am on there not to hook-up I am sure there are others like myself too. 

Tinder is also my shoulder to cry on during my healing process post a break up. Not as a rebound but meeting and talking to different people helps divert my mind from my ex.  

So why is it that Tinder is such a taboo? There must be a reason it is practically omnipresent in so many countries right? 

Of course you can use it for whatever you want to, and you don't have to tell anyone the reason because I am sure that the girl in the shared cab giving me that stare of disgust as I chat with my Tinder match is swiping right too!

Ever played a game of chance? Well try Tinder and don't be ashamed of it. You are not a low life if you have a Tinder profile.  However I would like to leave you with a statutory warning: it can get quite addictive!

I had a wonderful chat with Ms. Tinderella over chai.

How long have you been on Tinder?

Tinder and I go back two years. I first got on it in Cairo just out of curiosity as I was single and ready to mingle. I have been addicted to it ever since.  

How has the experience been so far?

I met one of my ex boyfriends through Tinder, formed friendships and travel companions and even matches for casual dates. I have also had some negative experiences, but it has mostly been positive.

Tell me about the negative experiences.

I believe the negative experiences are primarily concerned with men faking their pictures. I walked out of a few dates because I was bored to death and a couple of others because I couldn't bear the stench coming from the guy. I slapped two guys when their real self didn't match their photos on Tinder. But that is as bad as it has gotten.

Can Tinder help someone find their future spouse?

If you are looking at meeting the man or woman of your dreams then clearly Tinder shouldn't be your first choice. But I believe anything is possible. I have met some really nice men, some of them could also be potential matches for a marriage, but they are not looking at being hitched, so I never brought it up. I continue being friends. 

What is your criteria for matching someone?

Since Tinder is purely a photo based application, the first thing that I notice about a guy, is if I find him attractive. However if I am looking for employment, I read their job profile.  

What after?

I wait for my match to write to me. I only write first if I matched the person for employment. We chat on the application and if I feel comfortable I share my whatsapp number. I always have the option to block them later. We chat, and we arrange for a date. I don't save their number on my phone unless we have met and I feel he is worthy of my time and phone memory!  For a first date, we mostly go for hookah, as hookah keeps me occupied in the event my date fails. If I am bored, I don't meet the guy again. If it goes well, then hey, he will surely see me again. 

How many matches can you talk to at one time?

Well I am not in a relationship with any of my tinder matches, so I am free to communicate and meet whomever I want. But if I like one of my matches and consider him to be good boyfriend material, then I try to give him a chance before I move on to someone else. 

Any memorable experiences?

So many actually. A trip to the Red Sea just hours after matching someone was beautiful. 

What has been the best Conversation starter?

I take notice of how my matches break the ice. A boring hi, takes backseat over a cute Tinder line! "Pretty eyes" got my attention, because usually people just comment about my dimples. 

How do you deal with boring chats?

Well, it also depends on you and how you respond and make the conversation fun. For instance this one guy started the conversation with a simple "hi" followed by "how we doing?" To that I answered, "there is no we yet!" Pop came the response "Shouldn't we fix that?" and we are having a great chat chemistry ever since. 

What advise would you give someone who is heartbroken?

Get on Tinder and let the Tinderellas or Tinderunks take care of you! 

Advise to men on how to be at their best behaviour on Tinder?

Be yourself, and don't assume that every woman matched with you to sleep with you. Treat her nicely, as you would if you were meeting a lady on a non-Tinder date and see where it heads. Don't push it and definitely don't lie about your relationship status. And please shower and make sure to use deodorant!