Loving Abroad #4: A Date with a Romanian Girl

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgCatE600z8]
Romania is famous for being the birthplace of Dracula, but they are also famous for having gorgeous women. I was lucky enough to have one of these lovely ladies join me on my next adventure on Loving Abroad.
Preda Laura, a beautiful Romanian woman, had a lot to comment about her experiences with Romanian and Korean culture.

[caption id="attachment_2282" align="aligncenter" width="379"] Pictured: Romanian girls[/caption]

Korean men aren't really conservative
I watched Korean dramas and I saw so many handsome Korean men treating women very graciously and politely. They would never touch a girl without her consent and even if they did, it would just be the wrist.

[caption id="attachment_2283" align="aligncenter" width="371"] What foreign women think Korean men look like (thanks to Korean drama and K-pop).[/caption]

However, when I went on a few blind dates with Korean men, I had a different experience than what I expected. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a foreigner, but they were very touchy. One of them tried to put his arm around me – on the very first date. The other one tried to hold my hand, and I had only met him for the first time.
I’m not sure if all Korean men are like that or they think that foreign women are easier, but I was a little disappointed to find out that all Korean men aren't like the characters I saw in Korean dramas.

[caption id="attachment_2281" align="aligncenter" width="402"] What Korean men actually look like... You disappointed?[/caption]

Dating differences in Romania and Korea
Korean women are often whiny and complain a lot when they want something from their boyfriends. That would never happen in Romania. If that did happen in Romania, the guy would throw the girl out the door, and there will be 100 more girls waiting for him.

[caption id="attachment_2279" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The door[/caption]

It seems like Korean women are more demanding and aggressive in the relationship. In Romania, men are often the more aggressive ones. Romanian women would only be really aggressive to other Romanian women because they are always competing against each other.
The reason is because there are more women than men, and there are only a handful of handsome men. That’s also why the women are so competitive with each other. It’s to the point that the girls always dress themselves up and wear makeup all the time. They would never go out without getting all dressed up.
I like to dress comfortably when I go out somewhere close or go grocery shopping, but if I do, other girls will make fun of me.

What are some differences between men in Korea and Romania?
In Korea, there are many different types of men. There are those who are cute, those who are macho, and there are those that are just a mix of different styles. But in Romania, there is only one: the tough masculine type.

[caption id="attachment_2278" align="aligncenter" width="362"] Tough as a brick[/caption]

Even if a man is really thin, studious, or just plain nerdy, they try to act like something they are not. There’s so much pressure for men to be tough and cool, so it’s ridiculous to see men try to be something they are not.

What do Romanians think of Koreans?
Actually, no one really knows about Koreans. The only thing they might understand about Korea is Psy’s Gangnam Style, and even then, some people think that it’s Chinese. Romanians generally don’t go after Asians, and when it comes to Asians, most people think of rice, chopsticks, and slanted eyes. There are even jokes about Asians and their eyes.

[caption id="attachment_2280" align="aligncenter" width="395"] Psy - The epitome of Korean culture[/caption]

Living in Korea, it’s hard to think that Korea isn’t at the center of the universe, or to believe that there are countries out there that don’t know much about Korea. The world is full of many cultures that have yet to be explored and learned. Don’t take for granted that people will automatically know about your culture. After all, how much do you know about culture foreign to your own?
Open yourself up to new cultures and be receptive of other cultures. Learning culture gives you power to perhaps even date people from different parts of the world. I hear the women in Romania are quite beautiful. I know where I’m going when I travel Europe (someday). Do you?

Preda Laura is a 34-year-old babysitter who likes art and Korean culture. She has been in Korea for a year and thinks of the country as her new adopted home. 

You can also listen to the entire date on soundcloud at Loving Abroad #4 Audio