Hey guys,

I like to be referred to ad lid, with an L. I'm a 23 year old Dutch student, currently studying in Madrid for a 6 month period. After this I'll be heading to France for an internship, before going back to Holland.

How did I get into the game? Well I can't really say that I'm in the game yet. I used to be rather dorky when it came to picking up girls. It wasn't until I moved to Mallorca, where I worked for two summer seasons, that I started to really get some. However, the girls there were way too easy to really justify calling it playing the game. It was in Mallorca though that I got introduced to the game.
I had a friend on the island whose appearance wasn't one to be proud of. He was extremely skinny and looked rather geeky. Still this guy picked up many fine looking girls. In fact he picked up many more than I did, even though I don't think of myself as a bad looking guy. I think it was a mix of jealousy, envy and plain acknowledgement that triggered me to ask him how he did it. He told me about the Neil Strauss book The Game and that he read it, among other books, and made notes, went out and tested stuff in the field, reflected on his work and improved over time. This got me quite interested, so I went to read the book and got some nice advise out of it. However still, I didn't see it as some kind of pick up bible. Just a book with some nice advice and things that I actually already knew, but never really knew. I bet you know what I mean.
I tried sarging using the methods explained in the book, but felt rather uncomfortable doing so. In the end I just went back to my original AFC game and got lucky from time to time. As I said before, the girls there were easy so I didn't really feel the need to step up my game.

That was four years ago and I think I have matured a lot since then. I don't feel much for those Erasmus parties full of drunk and annoying students who are out of their mothers cradle for the first time in their lives. I feel like spending real quality time with the women I actually enjoy being around. This, however, has proven less easy than I had hoped. I'm quite shy and hesitate a lot when it comes to approaching women. Also have I noticed that the Spanish women here in Madrid are much harder for me to reach.
I have come to see Madrid, and the whole world/life for that matter, as one big playground. I like doing new stuff, meeting new people and saying yes to things. Impulsive is my middle name. Adding the game to that playground only seems the natural thing to do to make it more interesting.

I've started chatting with a friend from university, who is currently studying in Finland, about picking up and we have advised eachother. Newbie advise though. We pointed me to some interesting reads, including several threads on these forums. Having read some of it, I really feel like improving my game and peing part of this amazing community. Hence me introducing myself now.

Next to picking up women I have what some would describe as an obsession for bikes, or bicycles. I love riding my road bikes and have recently decided that I needed a new challenge in this. Thus, I signed up with a triathlon club in Madrid and picked up running and swimming as well. Especially in the water I suck hard. There is enormous space for improvement, and with help of the club and the coach and a lot of personal input I'm confident I will improve. Next year I wish to do a longer distance triathlon and in the late season or at least in 2016 my goal is to finish an Ironman, in under the average time. I think goals are important to keep one motivated. Just as I have my goals with the game. I intend to improve my game in order to improve my general experience of this playground called life.

I hope that together we can make this happen for me, and for all the other (soon to be) PUA's out here.
Thanks for reading and see you around!