Admiring from afar

I just receive a surprise admirer today. There is a guy who never talk or acknowledge me in office, unlike my other colleagues. Suddenly he asked a colleague whether i have a boyfriend or not. It' s a surpise coz he didnt seem to make an effort to actually know me. And this i think a problem with the guys here. They are very shy to approach the girl that they like. Used to have a friend who is interested to a girl for 3 years without telling her. Imagine that! 3 years just looking for a far, without making an effort to know her. Why dont he just tell her how he feel, i dont understand why. Then when we girls go for guys from other places, people ask why dont u date local guys. How to date local guys when they are so shy to tell how they feel towards us. I like a guy who can tell that he likes me, and he's going after me. Easier for me to respond :-)