would you??

I had the shock of my life today, and if you know me you would know that when i get shocked i stay in "shock mode" for a while, and i can't rest until i let it alllllll out.

Apparently, a friend of mine and a few of his friends think it's a good idea to practice "online marriage". Basically, it seems there are websites especially designed for foreigners to contact gorgeous young ladies (and i stress gorgeous and young) from eastern europe for the purpose of marriage in exchange for a few thousand dollars. According to the "buyer", the girls do not get any money, but the agency does. According to my friend, who seems to be fed up from the women of his western european (presumably quite modern!) country as being "too independent" and for having "an attitude problem", he prefers to marry someone who (and i quote) "would appreciate more what he has to offer, and would not pack up and leave as soon as the riding gets rough". My friend and his friends think that it is a perfectly okay and modern way to meet people (young and gorgeous), and they actually feel that they are social caretakers since they will be helping the people in need in poor eastern european countries, and at the same time finding a nice girl (gorgeous and young) to fall in love with, marry, and be merry.

I think not. I was critisized as fairly judgemental when i called this love story a "business transaction". Well isn't it? isn't the guy going online, browsing a catalog of the merchandise, picking a few that are of his taste, trying them out for a few months (they get 3 months to get to know the loves of their lives), then finally picking one to be for happliy ever after. Oh and before i forget, paying a few thousand dollars to close the deal.

I have utmost respect for those women. If I were them I may have done the same thing. I may have taken any opportunity to get me out of that hole and into a place where i and my family back home can live a better life.

But how will this ever result in a healthy union?! it's a business transaction for God's sake! after the lovey dovey era is over (2 yrs max), all is left is the differences in culture and social standards and dreams and background and interests and values. and one day while they're having a heated arguement he wouldn't help but blurt out that it was him who brought her there and that's what matters and end of story.

I wonder, isn't this the whole point of this transaction? the feeling of power? isn't this exactly what my friend and his friends are pissed off at, that women these days can stand up and leave when they have had enough because they can. and these are the europeans who are still thinking this way! they feel better when the woman comes in a package with submissive feelings , because without him , she would still be back there and not here where he is, sleeping in his house, and living his life.

what do you think? would you do it?