Intercultural relationship is the present and the future of the fairytale happy-ever-after and online dating tops the list in the different aspects of intercultural marriages. According to statistics, online dating resulted to 120,000 marriages a year. That is why a lot of online dating websites [eHarmony.com, Match.com, Chemistry.com, etc.] are banking on “match-making’ trade because there is a huge market for it. In this regard, I would like to share my personal experiences on this subject matter. I will be posting series of articles on this topic alone to guide people who are in serious quest for that “one-true-love”.
All articles that will be posted here will have the following general objectives: To be able… 1.) to know if online dating is the “thing” for you; 2.) to gain knowledge on how to introduce yourself to the global dating arena and explore other options to meet your personal needs; and 2.) to recognize what is the right decorum in conducting your best interest and achieving your personal goals.
The following are the three important factors in online dating and decision-making process.
FIRST: Is online dating… for you? Answer these following questions: Are you in your 30s and still single? Are you looking forward on Friday nights to watch movie marathon on DVD and spending more time at home doing chores on weekends? Is the only guy or gal you know within the 3rd degree of consanguinity? Are going to church, market and town hall meetings your only social activities? Are you avoiding class reunions, family gatherings and even funerals? If your answers are YES to all of these questions, then… online dating could be your best option to finally get hitched.
SECOND: Are you ready to take the plunge? If YES… then learn basic computer applications. It is a pre-requisite in online dating. You don’t have to buy your own computer unit because eventually and hopefully, you might get it for free. There are some cases wherein the person you met online is generous enough to buy you a computer so he/she can get you more committed to him/her. But since that is still in the drawing board, the internet cafés are the official place where you can invest on. But don’t worry… your investment will be paid off once you found someone who is generous enough to send you money via Western Union [Note: This is not a paid advertisement of W.U.] to pay for your internet fees. This practice [if you can call it as such] however, is more prevalent among “men-seeking women” category.
THIRD: Do you know how to use your gut instinct? There is no better way to approach your heart’s concern but with extreme caution, vigilance and basic common sense. Meeting someone online is easy as ABCs but finding out who is the right one is wicked tough if not frustrating. So be sharp and smart enough to know hidden agendas because you also have to consider the fact that sexual offenders and predators are not urban legend. They are online by-standers waiting for the right moment to attack innocent victims.
PLEASE NOTE that this Online Dating 101 is a personal self-help article(s) made by a 40-ish woman for 40-ish people seeking love, relationship and companionship with the aid of the Internet. This tackles personal experience based on personal encounter and limited to personal observations, knowledge and understanding. Please note too that Online Dating varies in age. In this regard, this article is concentrated to people in their mid-30s to late 40s age range who are single, single-again, separated [by choice or consequences], widow/widower [by fate or otherwise], in relationship [but-still-seeking-and-unsatisfied-social-status] or anyone in that age range who are in search of a special connection with another human being from probably half around the world or just a stone’s throw from the neighborhood who are equally daring, enterprising and audacious enough to enter into an unorthodox and unconventional kind of relationship.
So think hard and think twice. Online dating is not for everyone. So be warned. It is not for the faint of heart. So be careful. It could be an option or the missing link to your happiness. So beware. If you have decided to go for it, then the next questions is… are you willing to ACCEPT the challenge? ©
