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Ever since the dawn of the internet people have found ingenious ways of using it to solve innumerable modern-day problems, and the case is no different for love and relationships. Given the turbulent state of world economies, social pressures and busy work schedules, finding a bride can easily become a complicated affair for any man, and this is where mail-order bride services come in. They offer lonely men, with a fair bit of cash, the opportunity to get a wife without having to go through the nerve-wrecking perils of regular courtship and dating. Delving briefly into the concept of the mail-order bride, it involves women who have catalogued themselves at agencies as looking to get married to someone preferably from another country. On the other hand, men looking to secure a bride for marriage get into contact with the agencies, go through the profiles and make a request to be set up with one of the registered women. According to Fortune, the mail-order bride and marriage brokerage industries in America have grown significantly in recent years, with only about 400 agencies having been recorded in 2010, and the number rising to currently around 6,000. The following is a list of the top countries where people seek mail-order brides. Compiled from various sources such as listverse.com, take a look and see if any of these entries come as a shock to you.
10. The Philippines
Philippines comes last on the list as although the mail-order bride industry is booming, organized marriages with foreign men are prohibited under Act 6955. But lack of online censorship, inexistent prosecutions regarding this particular law, and the general poverty levels in the Philippines are some of the main driving forces behind the phenomenon in the country. Also chief among the reasons is that the women are very attractive in terms of both feminine and graceful charm and have high literacy levels, with the percentage being estimated to be about 94 percent, according to the UNDP. But with the high rates of unemployment, marrying a foreigner is usually viewed to also be an opportunity to find work abroad.
9. China
China is a country where the average woman possesses the physical features preferred by many western men. Moreover, they are said to be loyal and hardworking, thanks to the Chinese culture, which highly upholds these values.
The dating culture and marriage: Given the sheer effort needed to pass the Chinese National College Entrance Examination, dating is discouraged among high school goers and for those who do, the romantic experience is nowhere near that enjoyed by their U.S counterparts. As a result, most Chinese teenagers usually have to wait until they have finished school to start so don’t usually have as much experience with relationships as westerners do. Another aspect is that dating is viewed by most to be more of a pragmatic affair than about finding ‘true love’. As such, Chinese ladies will often say that what they are mainly looking for is a man who is financially well grounded, as he will be able to provide for her and the kids.
8. Ukraine
Ukrainian ladies have been sought after by bride seekers for centuries and this has inevitably brought about the age of mail-order brides in the country. So what is the main driving force? Well, poverty levels in the country push the women to seek financial security by marrying financially stable partners from other countries. On the other hand, for men resolute on finding a bride within the continent, Ukrainian mail-order brides are an obvious choice as they possess dramatic cute looks and high levels of education.
7. Colombia
The Colombian mail-order bride phenomenon has mainly been catalyzed by the desire for many women to escape the hardships in the country by gaining American citizenship through marriage. The problems range from unemployment to drug related violence, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives over the years. However, American men also consider Colombian women to be very attractive, which contributes to the phenomenon.
6. Russia
Russian women are some of the most sought-after in the world and it is no surprise that the mail-order bride services have caught on in the country. The situation was originally brought about by the immediate post soviet era period in the 90s, which exposed women to serious economic hardships and unemployment, not to mention the strain this put on most families, making marrying a financially stable man, especially from Western Europe a sensible option for many. This also provided fertile ground for dating agencies and subsequently, the mail-order bride industry.
5. The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a country where the bustling tourism industry and poverty levels have contributed significantly to the popularity of interracial marriage and bride by mail-order services. However, the women are also exceptionally beautiful and essentially the resultant mix between Europeans and Africans. As such, their hair is kind of Afroish, but mostly just curly. Moreover, they possess extremely feminine characteristics and gracefulness about them.
4. Brazil
Poverty and joblessness are the main contributors to Brazilian women choosing to become mail-order brides as this is seen to be some sort of a ticket out of poverty. They are said to be very modest compared to their North American counterparts and very passionate. Moreover, according to the Huffington Post, Brazilians can teach us a lot about living better lives, they are taught to focus on being happy, in fact make it a priority. They are also brought up to exercise and eat well and maintain a strong respect for diversity.
3. Thailand
Thailand is a country that has been in the limelight for quite a while as a sex tourism hotspot and so it comes as no surprise that it has a bustling mail-order bride market. With that said, some of the main driving forces behind the industry include high levels of poverty, illiteracy and brokers looking to make a buck out of the circumstances. Of course, it is also hard to ignore the fact that Thai women have a striking appearance and are deemed to be submissive, which is an irresistible combination for most men.
2. Vietnam
Ever since North American soldiers set foot in Vietnam, the stereotype about the ladies there being beautiful, well mannered and good mothers caught on. Much of it is true as they are exoticly attractive and taught to respect their elders and visitors. Numerous online sources also indicate that they are sensitive, family-oriented, a bit shy and deeply religious, viewing marriage as a gift.
1. South Korea
South Korea is a unique case in that the government not only encourages marrying mail-order brides, but also funds overseas schools that specialize in training them. Of course the main beneficiaries are South Korean bachelors. According to The Economist, recent surveys carried out in the country indicate that as much as a fifth of all the men were married to foreigners. The situation has been brought about by the difficulty of bachelors earning a minimum wage in the villages getting a marriage partner, hence inviting ladies from countries like Vietnam. As such, the country has chosen to regulate arranged marriages and fund mail-order bride training institutions. At the centers, the brides undergo ‘rigorous’ training on marriage life in the Asian nation encompassing cultural values, and the local language. The whole course usually takes a maximum of three days to complete.
Sources: huffingtonpost.com, economist.com, inquisitr.com, bustle.com, worldvision.org, dr1.com, fortune.com