Wife-hunting in Latin America

I often hear Latinas complaining about being unable to find a decent Latino man. However, there are some men out there who are having a hard time finding a decent Latina woman. But, their definition of decent may differ from yours.

While most educated Latinas are looking for a responsible and equally educated man, there are some Latino men who are looking for quite the opposite: an attentive, traditional, stay-at-home woman. Basically, they’re looking for a younger version of their mami, and they’re having difficulty finding that type of woman in this country.

So what do they do? They go back to their native countries in search of a faithful and pure woman. “Ring me up one housewife please, preferably a virgin, because these Americanas are too promiscuous for my taste.”

What, you didn’t know? Latinas in the U.S. aren’t for marrying; they’re just for fooling around!

I’m not sure how these men actually go about finding a wife once they get there, but it probably isn’t hard. The women in our countries are filled with false dreams of living like royalty in the states, when this isn’t always the case. Still, even if they’re aware of this stereotype, they figure it has to be better than the quality of life they’re living now.

Here’s how it all plays out in my head:

The wife-hunter arrives in town and the word quickly spreads: “El Americano esta buscando una esposa para llevarsela a los Estados Unidos!” A big party is arranged, very Cinderella-like, and the prince chooses his princess from the crowd. There doesn’t have to be a spark. Any pretty, young good girl will do. He sweeps her away with him on his economy-class Continental flight back home, where they marry, and he lives happily ever after.  As for the girl, I can’t imagine she’s completely fulfilled, but in a best-case scenario, he treats her well and she’s living better than she was before. Worst-case scenario? I don’t even want to think about it.

For the men who like to browse through a larger selection, and who are willing to pay lots of money, there are various websites to find a Latina wife. These mail-order bride services describe the typical Latina woman as devoted, loyal, and family-oriented: the ideal recipe for eternal marital bliss! They provide pictures and videos, and can even arrange meetings for men to choose their pick from a room full of eager women.

Fortunately, most of the Latino men we date aren’t looking for such a traditional kind of woman.  In general, I think we’re all trying to move towards a more equal balance in our relationships.  Nevertheless, it’s good to keep in mind that there are some men out there who still prefer to have a housewife instead of a life partner. Next time you wonder why he never called the next day, maybe you should consider yourself lucky and move on. We Americanas aren’t looking for that kind of man anyway.