Very silly show but very real issues

I'm kind of addicted to this show...I realize a great deal of it is staged, but I'm fascinated by it because I actually moved to another county for "love" and some of the ground that is covered here is quite accurate.

When you're in a long-distance relationship, your #1 goal is figuring out how to be together. Throw becoming a legal immigrant/resident in another country into it, and you are completely distracted from figuring out what should be the priority in any relationship - getting to really KNOW the other person. Figuring out if you're truly compatible. Assessing whether your relationship can handle the stress of one of the partners giving up everything and being thrust into a completely different place and culture. I think the couple that really exemplifies this for me is Lauren and Alexi. I think they are the most "genuine" of the couples but I also see a very rocky future for them (most of the others I just think have no chance whatsoever). I don't think they REALLY know each other - how could they? Having the time pressure of the K1 visa is just bananas.

After 5 years I couldn't do it anymore. There were major compatibility issues (because we didn't take the time to REALLY get to know each other) but I've always said that even if our relationship was PERFECT, I would have left. Some people can tolerate living in a different country for life, and a few even thrive, but I was part of a big community of ex-pat wives and 90% of them longed to return to their home countries...

If I would have seen this show before I might have given more thought to my situation. It was an ENORMOUSLY costly (financial and emotional) lesson.



Laissez les bons temps rouler!