Is there something in the air? Several of my friends and a cousin are now on their way abroad to settle down with their foreign boyfriends. In fact, I just came from a going away party for my cousin who is off to Minneapolis tomorrow, with T, her American boyfriend.
It might sound or feel like such a cliche, but I personally don’t think it is.
It was not an arranged marriage, nor was it a marriage of convenience (for the sake of a green card). My cousin and her boyfriend are colleagues at the multinational company she works for. They met, fell in love and now they are getting married. The family met T and he is indeed adorable. I believe he will take care of my cousin and their family well.
I recall some 7 years ago when I was in L.A. visiting my relatives, I was introduced to about three or four foreigners by my cousins and by my friends. They were hoping that I hook up with someone and prayed that I would marry a foreigner and stay in the U.S. for good. I had a lot of fun going out and partying with them, but I did not have the heart to tell my relatives I wasn’t looking to marry myself a foreigner. Not that I had anything against them. I just never found or met anyone I really fancied.
My friends and I used to imagine what it would be like having to live with someone you couldn’t speak to in your native language. Although we all had good English communication skills, it would be quite a task to have to speak English 24 hours a day. What happens if you are mad and just want to scream - “Ano ka ba?” or some other familiar phrase in Filipino? It would probably take a few seconds of translating in your mind the words you want to say and by the time you are done, your anger has dissipated. Of course that would be a very tiny picture of the actual reality people face when they marry someone of a different race or origin.
So I guess that’s me. I personally don’t think I am up to that kind of challenge. A lot of my friends are and I admire them for it. The one thing that I do not like about marrying a foreigner is that I do not get to see my friends and I miss them so much.
To Bes - Wherever you are, married or not I know you are having the time of your life wherever you are (UK or HK)
To Bes(2) - I know you are very happy with J. I am glad I helped you meet him. 
To Gette - Hang in there. I am so happy for the love that you share with T. I hope you are blessed with children of your own soon!