Opinions by Adults

Ten years ago, on-line dating was still an alien thing here in my country, the Philippines. But today, Internet cafes are sprouting like mushrooms in all possible areas, including in the most remote places, as only aboutone of the 10 households has an Internet connection. The big chunk of that equationgo to these cafes and pay $.25 per hour just so they couldpick their prospective boyfriends through the many on-line dating sites.

It's the American dream, orhowever one prefers to call it. These Filipino's save what little they earn to afford the computer rental. Most of the times their own parents have to provide the money for them to do it. In a way, on-line dating is helping the Internet cafe industry here. But more so, it becomes a direct connection of thesewomen to their dreams.

Hundreds or probably thousands of Filipino's have actually found their foreigner-husbands through on-line dating. It may be considered as a speed dating, which is a far cry from the old Filipino tradition of courting a woman for months or even years just to win her heart, although slowly the Filipino community is accepting the fact that happiness lies not in the ways or the period it takes to get a husband or a wife, but in ways beyond that.

It is in the long process of on-line dating that the two get to know one other. It is during this stage that they discover and adore each other,exchangesweet words, and sometimes fight. The same with the real relationship in the real world. They don't go out on a real date, though.

So it's not about how peoples spend long hours in chat rooms to adore their lovable partners in some corners of the globe, it always boils down to the feelings. If foreignerstruly findtheir Filipino girlfriends lovable, then lovable they are. As for the Filipino's, many may say they only adore their foreigner-boyfriends because of their money, it may be partly true. But more importantly, these women, once they have committed to something, they will really stick to it. Because that is a part of the old Filipino tradition that has not yet died even in this computerage.