I can answer this question on several levels. But I’ll condense my answer to give you an idea of what you could have done and some possible outcomes there could have been. The following is an outline: (1) You could have gone right up to her and ask “ Hi, which country are you from? ” or “ Which language do you speak? ” These are the most practical opening questions you can use in such a situation. Because if she is a genuine foreigner, the chances are that you’ll need to speak English to communicate with her. (If she speaks your language, it will be a bonus.) (2) If she responds to you, then you need to follow up with something like : " You are from _____________? Your English is perfect! I’d love to practise English with you and talk with you." (3) If her first language is not English, you can still say something like “Oh my God, your English is so much better than mine, I’d love to talk with you to practise my English.” (4) Tell her your name as soon as you can. Ask for hers. (5) If the conversation goes well, you need to ask if you can become friends so that you can practise English with her. If she says OK, you must give her your contact details such as Tel. number and email address. Ask her contact details in return. (6) In a situation like this, your ability to hold a conversation is vitally important. If your conversation or language skills are deficient, remember to use ‘open’ questions and not ‘closed’ questions to get her talking. Examples of ‘open’ questions are: “What” “How” and “Why”. “ What is your opinion on our city?” “Why did you choose to come to study in this university?” etc. etc. etc. Finally, there is no need to feel like a loser for not having to get to know the girl on the bus. Remember the old English saying: Beauty is only skin deep. At the end of the day, she might be a really nasty character underneath. And there is the old Chinese proverb : 塞翁失馬, 焉知非福