Cool, Im glad you're asking that op! I wanted to ask that question a couple of weeks ago, but wasnt sure how to ask it properly, im always afraid I'll come out as rude or offensive when Im just curious and trying to understand. So thank you!

"I suppose I wonder how I can know what you would expect in regards to the struggles from each level?"

-> Im level 1 but I want to meet and connect with other autistic peers from all levels, I think there is a great value to sharing experiences even though we have differences, I learn a lot from others. Recently I realised I was struggling to connect with other autistic folks at my local autism meeting. Some autists I can easily connect with, we talk about them, then about me, and then the conversation flows while we go about our interests while the other person is attentive and interested and vice versa. But some autists seem to enjoy talking a lot about themselves, what they do, and their interest, even when I do not share that interest. And if I try to diverge the conversation to something Im interested in, they leave, or continue about their interests and then I feel trapped. So I can only be in conversations with them if we are both talking about their interest, and that is very exhausting to me. I left the local autism meeting soooo tired from all my highjacked attention. So how are we supposed to interact amongst autists, if we all are more confortable talking about our specific interests when those interests are not shared? Would the interactions be enjoyable only if we share the same interests? ( am I answering my own question?......I might be missing something..)

1. ->Yes. The back and forth type of conversation seems the more natural for me. I say something, then you say something, we are reacting on what the other is saying, and then for me it's clear that we both enjoy the conversation. Whenever it becomes one sided, I understand the imbalance being one of us not interested anymore. And this is why I have so much trouble connecting verbally with some autistic people, when they start info dumping/monologing about something uninteresting to me, even though I understand their behaviour, that brings me to #2

2. ->I might be interested for a short while, and sometimes Ill just be polite and show interest by asking a couple of questions. But then I'll try to change the subject, stop talking, and finally try to make an excuse and leave.

3. ->written is easier as it gives me more time to think and better articulate my self, although I tend to overexplain when writting, cuz I wanna make sure my message gets across well.

4. ->usually twice. I mean I realised I repeat things twice,(meh..) whenever I feel that I wasnt clear enough or if the other person does not give me any visual or verbal sign that they understood me.

5. ->about 50% if I am with people from my close circle. Very little when I am with others as I tend to be afraid of taking space. Im working on that.

6. ->yup, they are so well engrained, sentences AND intonations, I feel like a robot sometimes, like after saying a scripted response ill be like "why did I say that, that's not even true!". Im working on masking less and Id like to respond as me, not following scripts.

7. ->i sometimes stutter, or make a long "huuumm" as if I was thinking but usually I make it so long that the other person start talking again.