[aleks]

I apologize if this seems like a weird early post but I have a simple question attached to a weird happening and didn't know where to put it.

A japanese girl came to romania 2 days ago to visit a friend she has here. She's never been to romania before and I went to drive her from the airport. I know her friend but she couldn't come because she had a night shift. So I went to the airport and the plane came at 1:00 AM, she knew I'd be waiting so it wasn't a problem finding her.
Anyway, we went in the car and started driving. Everything was good, we were talking, she seemed very interested in our culture since she was never outside Japan (talking in english obviously).

The awkward thing happened after a few minutes of driving thru a forest when she said "Do you know that japanese girl that was killed here a few months ago". At that moment I remembered that about 6 months ago a japanese girl was taken from the airport by a guy pretending to be a taxi driver, driven into the woods and raped/tortured/killed. And needless to say I fealt really awkward at that moment since I'm a romanian guy driving an asian girl thru the forest at midnight and she just happens to mention a dead japanese girl.

And I would have kept quiet about it but she quicly realized what I was thinking and started apologizing and then I apologised for making her think I thought that and so on. And it was weird. There was an air of silence all the way to the destination after that. We both tried to start a new conversation but didn't quite work. It wasn't like I was upset or she was upset or anything like that, just that it was weird.

I'm writing this because next week I'm supposed to take her back to the airport and I am a little worried because I don't know if I should mention it again, or let it go ( I'm thinking of letting it go) but what if there is the same awkward feeling again, then should I mention it? I don't quite know.

[CHANDLERS WISH]

Sometimes what comes out of our mouths is our thoughts. In-other-words we speak before thinking and I'd say that is what happened.

Also, though she didn't / doesn't know you and more than likely there was a slight fear on her side, hense the comment which I am sure she is at ease now as she made it to her destination alive.

Fear creates a lot.

Smile nicely when you pick her up and ask her how her time was and the conversations should just flow from there. She would be over that situation and feeling safe.

[jns]

I agree with CW, ask her about her time in Romania. Hopefully she has been able to see some of the attractions. Do not bring up the conversation about the dead tourist if she doesn't bring it up first. Be the perfect gentleman. It is not your fault she had that terrible situation on her mind but it's not her fault she brought it up. Her anxiety was probably through the roof and she had never met you before. Maybe in the next week you could ask your friend if you can be invited to something your friend and her Japanese friend are doing together, just so the ice is broken a bit before taking her back to the airport.

[AL0tT0Handle]

If it gets weird, I'd joke about it... Joke about her seeking revenge and killing you or something! haha