Schadenfreulein

Libby’s father is almost acting like a jilted suitor the way he’s pouting about not having been asked for permission to marry his daughter or “advice” - whatever that means to him.

I was just about to say this. I'm pretty sure it's a special needs swing. My son has autism and tends to move erratically, so to keep him from falling off the swing, the local playground installed one very similar to that.

"Wedlock" So quaint.

Yup - as soon as he realized he wasn't getting that massage, the tone changed right away.

Totally knew you were a keeper :)

Maybe they're using the money and the buffalo to start up a mozzarella business. Or maybe the it's a miniature lap water buffalo - like those Vietnamese pot bellied pigs that were trendy a while back. I'm not even drinking right now :)

Absolutely - couldn't agree more. I think what I was trying to convey was that any "jealousy" should be playful. Also, you sound like a total keeper :)

....which is why he still lives in Brazil - hopefully with Karine's retired cop father

No kidding - too much complacency is just annoying. I think most of us want our man to be a little bit possessive - just not neurotic or controlling. But basically saying, "Nah, I'm so not worried about anyone giving you a second look, babe. You go on and have fun." That would irk me too. Question me about what I'm going to wear and what time I'll be back? No. Just barely perceptible nostril flaring when some other dude is clearly checking me out or trying to chat me up? Absolutely essential.

Oh, I know. I was just searching for two examples of housing that would be the most polar opposite. We didn't get to see much of where Paul lived, which is probably his mom's house anyway. But there's definitely scope for a "Spouse House" style spin-off with Paul, Karine, Sean, Abby and (of course) Chris all living together... I freely admit that I'd be watching...

Yes, that all makes perfect sense. I suppose the reason that the spouses from impoverished countries don't believe that poverty exists in North America is that their definition of poverty and ours are a long way apart. I have noticed, however, in a lot of the cases that once they arrived the foreign partner often seems disappointed that the American person lives in an apartment, or a very ordinary or small house. It's as if they're expecting more grandeur somehow. In any case, if you moved from, say, Karine's family home in that remote part of Brazil into Sean's half finished house, I can see how it would feel like a big step up. But you might also be thinking, "This is it? No chandeliers? No Jacuzzi tub? I thought all Americans had those." I don't know if I'm making sense anymore...

Sweet mother of babbling God...

People from poorer countries feigning affection to someone from a richer one in order to gain citizenship is nothing new. People who are socially awkward or otherwise unsuccessful in their home country's marriage market looking to poorer countries to go shopping online for a spouse is nothing new. (I liken it to those guys who go to Japan to teach English so they can finally get a girlfriend.) So why is it that so many of these prospective spouses - particularly the women - seem convinced that they're getting anything other than the dregs of the dating pool after it's been drained and dredged? I get that the First World standard of living that they see on tv and in movies looks luxurious in comparison to their own. I also imagine that some of these online shoppers probably make promises they can't keep (Jorge). But it's hard to believe that all of these (mostly) women are so completely naïve that they really believe that the man showing interest is wealthy by North American standards. Those kind of men aren't likely to need to shop online for a wife or girlfriend from overseas. (They're more likely to be sex tourists like Chris.) None of these women strike me as stupid, yet they believe that a guy like Josh is going to live in a waterfront palace. I suppose what doesn't add up for me is how seemingly intelligent (maybe not educated, but definitely not stupid) people can have such a skewed idea of what average working or middle class life in North America really looks like. Yes, it's likely more materially comfortable than their current home, but how do they get to thinking that they're going to be moving into Trump Tower or the Ewing family ranch? Can anyone shed light on this? It's been bothering me for a while.

Poor Olivia can drive...

Thank you. Not a look I personally favour, but hey - you do you, Josh :)