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Vacationing with a friend who is preoccupied and unappreciative of it? (by Sparky)

 Sparky (0)  (29 / M-F / Massachusetts)
21-May-22 12:20 am
Vacationing with a friend who is preoccupied and unappreciative of it?

So I'm a thirty year old gay guy and I recently went on vacation to Miami with my female best friend who is also in her thirties.
Before I get further into it, she has this guy she talks to (has been on and off for 7 years) and their relationship with each other is very toxic. Basically he has been screwing her over and playing games with her for 7 years; they either stop talking, or she pushes him away because she doesn't want him to have enough of a chance to hurt her again. But then some time later (be it a week, a month, 6 months, etc) she runs back to him because she hates being lonely and is the type of person that always needs a guy in her life. He wants nothing to do with a relationship and just uses her for sex, however, he makes very good money which she is focused on because he could (in theory) give her a very nice lifestyle, the fairytale life that she wants such as paying her bills, having a big house and she could possibly be a trophy wife and not have to work. That is her fixation and she is on a mission to have it so she keeps running back and trying to push things and thinks she can change him. I always very diplomatically give my advice within reason and try to support her but at the same let her make her own decisions hoping she'll learn one day.
Fast forward to before vacation, they were on their "off phase." She said she realized how toxic he is, that his whole aura/vibe is bad, he tried to get with her other friends and then cried to me stating that he emotionally abuses her by playing mind games, forced her to have sex when she didn't want it and all this stuff. So we go on vacation and suddenly she is once again talking to him. She spent a great deal of her time while on our vacation texting him, skyping him all through the day and snap chatting him constantly. To top it off, she then was worried about and preoccupied with trying to plan and book an all inclusive vacation to Jamaica with this guy (while she is already on a beautiful vacation); as we are in the hotel room and I'm trying to have a conversation with her or we are out and about sight seeing, shes busy on her phone looking through travel websites and calling travel agencies and not showing any interest in anything around her. She (from my perception) devoted more energy and showed more interest in trying to fix her issues with him and establish that vacation with him than she did trying to be involved in our vacation we were on. I felt she was so disconnected and and not present in the moment and felt the whole being off planning another vacation thing was rude. It seemed she was not appreciative of the trip she was on and the experience she could have had. It made it worse to me that this was all with the same guy she cried to me about weeks earlier for emotionally abusing her which is what totally blew my mind.
I very nicely asked why she is going to go down that rabbit hole with him again since she always ends up hurt; especially while she's on vacation. Her answer was that it's because she's feeling isolated, lonely, depressed, needs some male attention and is craving romance. That comment kind of bothered me because it made me feel like my company as her best friend travelling with her was not valued and was totally unappreciated (like, why would she be feeling lonely?). Also, in my opinion, you go on vacation to get away from your life stressors, triggers, dating problems, etc so why is romance even at the top of your mind or priority while vacationing?
I ultimately didn't say anything on vacation and waited until the day after we got back. I was very diplomatic and respectful in my approach but was honest with her how I felt. I explained I felt my company was not valued and that she appeared very detached mentally. I very nicely added that it was especially bothersome for me that what she was so preoccupied with was the guy who treats her terrible and the very guy who she cried to me about weeks before. I also explained that it can be perceived as kind of rude and disrespectful to be more concerned with booking a vacation with somebody else while you are currently on vacation with someone. I made it a point to let her know that the reason I brought all of this to her attention was because as her friend, I notice when something is off or there's a change in her. This was my observation of the situation and as a friend who cares, I felt it'd be better to communicate and be honest. My intention of bringing this up was NOT be mean and make her feel attacked and start an argument.
Well it didn't matter. She snapped at me, said that I'm mean, I have some nerve to tell her any of that, said I'm not a true friend if that was my perception of her on vacation, and then said it's not my business if she takes the time to book 6 other vacations while I'm on vacation with her; she did not see her doing so as rude at all. She also said I sound old school and am acting like some strict father talking about "appreciating things." Needless to say she said (all because of that) that she thinks we've grown apart, stated that not everybody in you life is meant to be permanent (implying me) and no longer wants to continue the friendship and talk. I tried to reach back out again she played the victim role and said, "Since I'm such a horrible friend and terrible person (which I never once said), you must only be reaching out for your own selfish benefit and are not respecting my boundaries. Don't message me again."
I felt (and still feel) so bad and she really had me thinking I was crazy so I ran it by 2 other friends and they agreed with me. They felt how my friend was acting and the things she was doing (booking another vaca) was very rude and I was valid for feeling bothered by it. They said fact that she appeared unappreciative, then the way she reacted when I said something and wanting to end the friendship just because of that, that it seems just just very spoiled and has some other issues going on.
It all makes sense what they said but I still feel bad and am upset I likely lost her friendship. What is your opinion? Was I wrong? Could I have done something different? Would you find it rude and feel some type of way if you were on vacation with your best friend and while there, he/she was busy making plans for another vacation with another person who doesn't even respect them or care for them like you do?
TL;DR: Went on vacation with best friend, she seemed preoccupied/ detached much of the time and didn't seem appreciative of the trip or my company. She spent much of her time messaging and Snapchatting with this guy (who just weeks earlier she cried to me about and said he abused her) that she has talked to on and off for 7 years and he constantly plays games with her. They were on their "off phase," she said she blocked him but then decided to reach back out to him on our vacation. She on the phone and/ Snapchatting with him all day every day and was then distracted with trying to book another all inclusive vacation with him while on our vacation because she said she's "lonely" and is craving male attention. It made me feel that my company as her friend was not good enough and was unappreciated. Also, I felt being preoccupied with booking a vacation with someone else while you are currently on a vacation with a friend is kinda rude. I nicely brought this up to her, she flipped out and won't talk to me anymore. Am I wrong for how I felt or for saying anything?


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