Season 2 Discussion

[magemaud]

1 hour ago, PinkFlamingo said:

Kind of like a walking boy in a bubble.

I can SO see Paul as a "Bubble Boy." Moops! 

[lucy711]

21 hours ago, Mainer said:

I wonder if these people like hazel are trying to get to other countries other then the US are we smug to think that the United States is so great that everyone wants a piece of it? It’s not even listed in the top ten countries to live in... I mean yes there are opportunities probably more then some places but you gotta work hard to live well and a lot of people live paycheck to paycheck and we do have a lot of poverty too... idk thoughts?

Yes, I think that many people from very poor countries also try to get into European countries that are well-off with good social welfare programs.  I've read that a lot of men from North Africa (like Azan and Mohammed) especially target women from Britain and France who often vacation in North Africa.  I'm sure this type of program could be done with European people as well.  But for all of the faults of the USA, the standard of living here is most likely higher than someone in abject poverty in the Philippines, Thailand, etc.  There are a lot of (false) myths about the USA but people aren't dumb.  If it were that bad they would stop coming here.  For instance- someone like Pedro can work a job that doesn't pay a lot and send over $$ to his mother which will go quite far in the Dominican Republic.

[Granny58]

14 hours ago, Real Eyes said:

I dont think Karine is more attractive than Paul. He has nice features. He just needs to clean up a bit. 

Yes, he has nice features, could do more with himself.  Get pants that fit!  Stand up straight!  Have a cup of coffee or a Red Bull.  

12 hours ago, LocalGovt said:

I would never, never, never go on TV to announce the fact that I'd had sex with a perfect stranger, much less giggle over how many times it was, and start going for #3 or #4 right then and there. I mean, how in the world does she think that's ok?  This woman has absolutely no boundaries. Cringeworthy, Angela...cringeworthy.  Maybe it's the fact that I just turned 53 that her antics disgust me even more.  Others may find her openness refreshing.  I just can't get past her lack of decorum.

this is a woman who arrived in Nigeria with a slash back/bra exposing shirt.  I don't think she has ever heard of decorum.  

19 hours ago, Eric said:

I am really thinking about going overseas and hopefully meet someone I could share my life with... But not crazy enough to bring a camera crew with me! Sorry ahaha

Oh come on...take one for the team. 

[PamelaMaeSnap]

20 hours ago, Former Nun said:

How does THAT work...legally?

Well, maybe he IS!

[Mainer]

I bet this whole show will bring up the people marrying people from other countries 1000 percent! People will watch find it apppealing and start downloading the dating apps 

[Kareem]

9 minutes ago, Mainer said:

I bet this whole show will bring up the people marrying people from other countries 1000 percent! People will watch find it apppealing and start downloading the dating apps 

Yes, especially if they're insane and enjoy  expensive shattered dreams.  

[calpurnia99]

On 8/19/2018 at 10:34 PM, HappyDancex2 said:

I was watching most of Angela's segments through my hand that was covering my eyes.   She's fearless....I will give her that.  But the comment of them banging 2 or 3 times and then her squealing about it while bouncing up and down was cringeworthy.   Boundaries....where art thee?

She is like a 50 year old Honey Boo Boo. And I don't mean how honey boo boo will be when she is 50, but if you took the 5 year old Alana coked out on mountain dew and put her in a 50 year old body, you'd have Angela. 

[Scarlett45]

3 hours ago, SnarkEnthusiast said:

I'm not saying that she's not well cared for now, but Hazel certainly doesn't seem like the most...patient, especially not to a child who's not biologically hers with a disability. It seems like their introduction might not go well.

Ah I see- thank you. 

[Scarlett45]

6 hours ago, gunderda said:

I think John is actually pretty cute.  I'd give him a shot.  But when they showed he lived with his mom I'm like "ohhhhh OK, here's his issue" plus he's a lot shorter than he probably gives off online. Even his friends made a comment about his height.  And I'm willing to bet he isn't as fit as he used to be in those photos.  

Jon isn’t bad looking (and I do acknowledge how hard it can be for short men) but in a heteronormative framework a man has to be either 1. Incredibly physically attractive, 2. Rare (compared to the number of women in his age group in his community) to override not being financially independent well into adulthood, socialization problems etc to be attractive to a woman in his peer group. 

I can see Jon suffering from a TBI after the fight in Uni- the damage wasn’t enough to incapacitate him but he’s not 100% any more. 

[Scarlett45]

On 8/21/2018 at 11:10 AM, Phoebe70 said:

I am amazed that Rachel was able to fly with a baby by herself to Europe.  My husband and I adopted our daughters from China.  They were 8 months and 11 months old (they were not adopted at the same time).  I remember the 14-hour flights with a baby on my lap and it was DIFFICULT. even with my husband helping out.  I wonder if the filming crew helped out, because Rachel didn't seem that frazzled by the time she arrived in England.

I’m from Chicago and flights to the UK are very easy- if I leave here at 6pm or so I’ll make it to London @8am London Time, 2am CST, I just go to sleep. Coming from New Mexico, she probably transferred on the east coast, left in the evening (or at night) and got there in the morning. The baby probably slept most of the way. 

[RedBagWithMakeup]

27 minutes ago, calpurnia99 said:

She is like a 50 year old Honey Boo Boo. And I don't mean how honey boo boo will be when she is 50, but if you took the 5 year old Alana coked out on mountain dew and put her in a 50 year old body, you'd have Angela. 

This! Yes.

[EllaDisco]

1 hour ago, Mainer said:

I bet this whole show will bring up the people marrying people from other countries 1000 percent! People will watch find it apppealing and start downloading the dating apps 

I'm signing up for Colombia Cupid as we speak!

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, calpurnia99 said:

She is like a 50 year old Honey Boo Boo. And I don't mean how honey boo boo will be when she is 50, but if you took the 5 year old Alana coked out on mountain dew and put her in a 50 year old body, you'd have Angela. 

When I first read this, I thought you wrote "put her in a 50 year old booby."  Same thing, though.

[Former Nun]

3 hours ago, PamelaMaeSnap said:

Well, maybe he IS!

Jon is Lucy's father even though he didn't meet her mother until eight months AFTER Lucy was born?

[Auntie Anxiety]

Just now, Former Nun said:

Jon is Lucy's father even though he didn't meet her mother until eight months AFTER Lucy was born?

We’re just supposed to play along and not question how incredibly screwed up the entire scenario is. 

[doyouevengohere]

7 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I wonder why people think this?

 

Not saying you’re wrong by any means, but Tariq’s daughter seems well cared for in her current situation. Hazel’s presence wouldn’t be detrimental based on what I’ve seen, even if she just supports Arie’s (the little girl) routine. 

I think this because Hazel seems very jealous of anyone else that has Tariq's attention.  The whole ex-girlfriend in Bangkok thing........ I could be wrong and she'd end up being the best supportive stepmom ever, but my first impression of her is that she wants all the attention, and that she's not very nurturing or about other people's kids.  She's in this relationship to have money to get her kid back; that is her goal and what she cares about.  Like I said this is my first impression of her and I could be wrong.

[Kangatush]

49 minutes ago, doyouevengohere said:

I think this because Hazel seems very jealous of anyone else that has Tariq's attention.  The whole ex-girlfriend in Bangkok thing........ I could be wrong and she'd end up being the best supportive stepmom ever, but my first impression of her is that she wants all the attention, and that she's not very nurturing or about other people's kids.  She's in this relationship to have money to get her kid back; that is her goal and what she cares about.  Like I said this is my first impression of her and I could be wrong.

I don't think she's jealous of the attention, I think she was upset because if he chose his ex, she'd lose her shot at getting to the US.  She wants the lifestyle, not the man.

9 hours ago, PinkFlamingo said:

I'm not sure how loose (as opposed to normal fitting) clothing keeps the Mosquitos away unless he ties off the ends of his sleeves, waist, neck,and pant legs with rubber bands, hooks up to an air hose, and fills his loose clothes with air. Kind of like a walking boy in a bubble. As a matter of fact this should happen.  I want to see that. I don't know why he hasn't thought of that yet. 

Logic has no place here.  This is the dude who wore a condom, penis pouch, and like three suits to go swimming.

I will say one thing in favor of Grangela.  Unlike a lot of the Americans on the show, she seems totally open to Nigeria and understands that when you meet someone's mother, you freaking eat what you're given (even if you spit a chewed hunk into your man's mouth afterwards).  And I don't really understand how she can be upset that Michael calls her fat.  Does she not know that she is?  He doesn't seem to be saying it in a nasty way, just factual.

[guilfoyleatpp]

16 hours ago, Mainer said:

I have a close relative that travels the world for work, he brought home some girl from Mexico, she didn’t speak English, he taught her out her threw college, she became a paralegal, put him threw the ringer, hates him hates his family has treated him like shit she acts like an entitled bitch, she came from nothing and I mean nothing so poor. She has now robbed him of over 300k divorces him and took his House. She knew what she was doing, she sent all his money back to Mexico... it’s Disgusting

Where in Mexico? How long were they together?

We've seen in previous seasons that a lot of these scammers can't find it in themselves to make the effort much longer than it takes for the green card to be on its way (if that long). I wonder how long Michael will last. He's already talking about either enduring or tolerating two weeks of Angela. That's like Mohammed saying that Danielle is "acceptable."

Someone who got an education and 300k over the course of a relationship probably earned every penny of it. 

[Kellyee]

I know he hasn't been around babies before, but Jon seems a little TOO flustered for the situation. I really started wondering if he has some kind of issue. His job is unskilled manual labor, which is fine. But at his age, that generally indicates either you can't handle more than that, or you have a criminal record so bad that you are not employable anywhere else, or you can't pass a drug test. 

I am shocked at how much these Americans are willing to overlook just to have someone they perceive to be more physically attractive and younger than them. If the red flags in these situations get any brighter, they're going to cover camera lens. I think I actually like Michael the Nigerian scammer better than any of the other prospective fiances this season. He's probably still a scammer though. 

[PamelaMaeSnap]

2 minutes ago, Kellyee said:

I think I actually like Michael the Nigerian scammer better than any of the other prospective fiances this season.

Me too! I actually find myself feeling kinda sorry for him (except for the Trump stuff). He desperately wants out of Nigeria but unlike some of the other prospective fiance/es seeking their green card, he seems well-spoken and intelligent and anxious to get a legit job rather than pop out ping pong balls in a duck sick bar.

I do wonder what immigration options are for some of these folks in countries other than America though ... we're not THAT great these days either (IMHO). Like, why would Jesse want to leave Amsterdam for the US? 

Back in the day, my grandfather actually immigrated from Russia to Montreal, not the US ... he only came here when his older brother with whom he worked in Canada opened a US factory/branch in New York. I'm not sure if he was there long enough to become a Canadian citizen, but they still had a large branch of the company/factory there at least through my teens because I used to go up there every spring with my grandparents when he'd visit them and we'd go out for dinner with the employees (they made flavors for major ice cream companies here as well as scents for major perfume companies and I'd get to taste all the flavors they were working on ... the good old days :) )

I wish I could be a Canadian citizen :/

[Mainer]

5 hours ago, guilfoyleatpp said:

Someone who got an education and 300k over the course of a relationship probably earned every penny of it

She did work after about 5 years being together but she made 15 an hour compared to his 800- 1000 per day. It’s been about twenty years and she got financially where she wanted to

[Scarlett45]

6 hours ago, Kangatush said:

I don't think she's jealous of the attention, I think she was upset because if he chose his ex, she'd lose her shot at getting to the US.  She wants the lifestyle, not the man.

Yes exactly. Jealousy over a woman that would take her place in the social/economic spot she’s trying to fill doesn’t equate to jealousy over Tariq’s child (disabled or no), if having to help Tariq care for his child (who seems to be relatively high functioning and she’s only 6) is a part of her ticket to the USA I think she’d be fine with that. 

 

45 minutes ago, Kellyee said:

I really started wondering if he has some kind of issue. His job is unskilled manual labor, which is fine. But at his age, that generally indicates either you can't handle more than that, or you have a criminal record so bad that you are not employable anywhere else, or you can't pass a drug test. 

This. 

[EllaDisco]

On 8/21/2018 at 10:10 AM, Phoebe70 said:

I am amazed that Rachel was able to fly with a baby by herself to Europe.  My husband and I adopted our daughters from China.  They were 8 months and 11 months old (they were not adopted at the same time).  I remember the 14-hour flights with a baby on my lap and it was DIFFICULT. even with my husband helping out.  I wonder if the filming crew helped out, because Rachel didn't seem that frazzled by the time she arrived in England.

My aunt flew from the Philippines to Canada with a baby and a two year old all by herself.  Rachel seems pretty relaxed with all things Lucy related, so it doesn't surprise me.

[IvySpice]

Quote

I know he hasn't been around babies before, but Jon seems a little TOO flustered for the situation. 

My money says his issue is an anxiety disorder. Which isn't his fault, but he may or may not be able to cope with a bunch more responsibility.

Quote

I think the other issue is that the men are in denial about their worth on the dating market in the USA.  Tarik and Ricky are not a "10," but that is what they seek.  

Thank you for expressing the thesis of the show. Love of unequal hotness is the root of all evil.

[calpurnia99]

I've never been nowhere outside the United States

[gunderda]

On 8/20/2018 at 8:09 AM, LaChavalina said:

I miss the days of seeing a couple that was actually in love--like Danny and Amy--and the drama came form the cultural adjustments they had to make and confronting other people's prejudices. 

I was also thinking that this might be the first season where the couples haven't met naturally in person FIRST.  I do enjoy hearing those stories more. 

On 8/20/2018 at 8:53 AM, kewpiedolls said:

Jon said Rachel looked different from the pictures. LOL.

He probably wasn't expecting the complete mom-bod. But I feel bad for her that she feels insecure about her post-baby body too.

 

On 8/20/2018 at 10:17 AM, libgirl2 said:

At the airport, I noticed Hazel was at first kind of giggly then she met Tariq and was dead in the eyes. 

I liked how excited her friends were to meet him

On 8/20/2018 at 11:39 AM, islandgal140 said:

Did Family Karine harvest the American dollar? Their place looks a lot nicer and more modern than I last remember. 

They traveled to whatever city Paul and Karine were in - what they showed was not their house. 

On 8/20/2018 at 6:34 PM, glitterpussy said:

Jon thinks Rachel is fat. I mean, she just had a baby and everything, but she's no model. Did he ever date models, though?

Well he did play football which I'm sure was some for of professional capacity - and there are plenty of girls that will flock to athletics. I think he could pick up a girl very easily.

 

On 8/20/2018 at 7:21 PM, Ijustwantsomechips said:

Funny how Angela can fly to Nigeria for some pipe, but can’t drive to the nearest Soma for a good bra. 

there's no way she can afford Soma! 

On 8/21/2018 at 3:01 AM, alegtostandon said:

Terik, maybe she didn't kiss you because she does not like or care for you. Isn't she the one who rejected his Skype call because she's too shy? 

She couldn't skype with him but apparently sent him a nice video message while he was on his way there. 

On 8/21/2018 at 11:40 AM, GoGamecox said:

I figured that Melissa didn't exist when the producers didn't do the usual "24 hours earlier" back story on her. But then we all got fooled when she emerged in the end. I wonder if they actually did get any other footage of her or if what we saw is it. 

I was thinking she didn't exist but then realized there's no way TLC would pay for this guy and their crew to go there for a catfish situation. 

On 8/21/2018 at 11:54 PM, HappyDancex2 said:

Aika doesn’t love Josh.

Ehhhhhh I think Aika and Josh are more legit than most of these. He's a decent looking guy.  I know she was honest in saying she wanted to come to America too but it's possible she went looking and actually found a guy she actually cares for. 

12 minutes ago, IvySpice said:

My money says his issue is an anxiety disorder. Which isn't his fault, but he may or may not be able to cope with a bunch more responsibility.

Thank you for expressing the thesis of the show. Love of unequal hotness is the root of all evil.

I was thinking the same. he just seems very overwhelmed and he was very aware that he was getting stressed and needed to take a moment to breathe.

I think he's also really nervous about living with his g/f and mom in the same house - he's probably never done that before.  His cartoon smile cracks me up though. 

[spankydoll]

On 8/21/2018 at 11:13 AM, Booger666 said:

I just checked the TLC website to make sure I was remembering it correctly.  You may have missed it as it is in the previews, right after he calls her fat.  

calls her fat? How about says that she is fat. Because she's fat. Figuring  fat, obesity, overweight, etc. isn't  slur - it's math. Angela should not be putting her hands on his face. I am very concerned about Michael and what his life will be like in BFE Georgia.  I lived in N Florida/ S Georgia for a bit and was amazed at the overt racism, ignorance and crime in that region . And I lived in Tallahassee which the bumpkins refer to as a fancy city. 

[Ijustwantsomechips]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yes exactly. Jealousy over a woman that would take her place in the social/economic spot she’s trying to fill doesn’t equate to jealousy over Tariq’s child (disabled or no), if having to help Tariq care for his child (who seems to be relatively high functioning and she’s only 6) is a part of her ticket to the USA I think she’d be fine with that. 

So what will Witch Hazel do when she has to compromise her standard of living to cover therapy costs, medical expenses, or tuition for Ari?  I think her main goal is to get out of The Phillipines and get her kid back, but her sense of entitlement is ridiculous. No way is she going to come here and be okay with a modest lifestyle or she wouldn’t be worried about the size of his house.  She’ll expect the world just like every other greedy, entitled gold digger with an unrealistic view of her worth on the dating market.  If she comes, she may be in for a surprise with the reality of the cost of caring for a child or children in VA Beach.  All American streets are not paved in gold. 

[spankydoll]

I'm fine with Hazel. I grew up in a wealthy community and there were always girls from poor cities looking to hook up with guys from my town and land them with anchor babies. This is a folie a deux not some unsuspecting ribs being fleeced. 

[doyouevengohere]

I absolutely see the jealously over the ex too with Hazel, but I think she expects to be #1 even over a child.  I don't even remember if Tarqui has even told her about his child.  I feel about her, when she has Tartar locked in marriage; she's going to expect to still come first.  He has custody of his child; it's not like she just visits on weekends. The day in and day out of that is intense and hard.  He is very hands on and probably expects her to be also.  Maybe she'll surprise me, but she seems very selfish to me- like if she's going to sell herself into marriage to get what she wants then she expects to be treated a certain way, she's not going to be happy if she has to give up something so Tacky's kid can afford to have extra. She will not be happy if Tai qwan can't pay for her kid to come over but is putting alot of money into caring for his daughter.  I'd imagine she'd be very resentful. Does she have to go through legal measures to get her son back?  Can Tater afford that?  I hope she proves me wrong, but this is how she's presented herself.  Plus throw in the crazy religious ferver and she might just believe that Tepid's kid can pray away her issues if they just believe hard enough.  Maybe her cold cold heart will melt and she'll totally be the best ever for the child, but she's flat out said money is extremely important to her and it's the basis of this relationship.

Edited August 23, 2018 by doyouevengohere

[calpurnia99]

Pole - I love the way he leaves out entire syllables. I want Krini to take a Pregcy test then I'll tell her dad about my Crimal past. I dont know how the app understands him. 

[Dobian]

47 minutes ago, gunderda said:

Well he did play football which I'm sure was some for of professional capacity - and there are plenty of girls that will flock to athletics. I think he could pick up a girl very easily.

He plays American football in England, meaning it's some amateur football club.  They still have some American football enthusiasts over there even though NFL Europe folded years ago.  He looks like he's only about 5-4.

[magemaud]

34 minutes ago, calpurnia99 said:

Pole - I love the way he leaves out entire syllables. I want Krini to take a Pregcy test then I'll tell her dad about my Crimal past. I dont know how the app understands him.

You may be onto something here. Just how good is that translation app? It could be misunderstanding and inaccurately translating everything Pole says to Krini. And who knows how well the Krini to Pole translation works. Google Translates often totally botches a written translation and no matter how slowly and clearly I speak, my Siri comes up with some hilarious responses to my voice commands. 

[Brooklynista]

1 hour ago, doyouevengohere said:

I absolutely see the jealously over the ex too with Hazel, but I think she expects to be #1 even over a child.  I don't even remember if Tarqui has even told her about his child.  I feel about her, when she has Tartar locked in marriage; she's going to expect to still come first.  He has custody of his child; it's not like she just visits on weekends. The day in and day out of that is intense and hard.  He is very hands on and probably expects her to be also.  Maybe she'll surprise me, but she seems very selfish to me- like if she's going to sell herself into marriage to get what she wants then she expects to be treated a certain way, she's not going to be happy if she has to give up something so Tacky's kid can afford to have extra. She will not be happy if Tai qwan can't pay for her kid to come over but is putting alot of money into caring for his daughter.  I'd imagine she'd be very resentful.  I hope she proves me wrong, but this is how she's presented herself.  Plus throw in the crazy religious ferver and she might just believe that Tepid's kid can pray away her issues if they just believe hard enough.  Maybe her cold cold heart will melt and she'll totally be the best ever for the child, but she's flat out said money is extremely important to her and it's the basis of this relationship.

Took me about four lines before I saw what you did there!

I do agree with your assessment of Hazel.  Something about her game plan seems a bit colder and more calculated than Anfisa's was.

[EllaDisco]

2 minutes ago, Brooklynista said:

 

I do agree with your assessment of Hazel.  Something about her game plan seems a bit colder and more calculated than Anfisa's was.

Maybe, but Anfisa wanted designer clothes and fancy cars.  Hazel wants to live a life where she can see her son.  Maybe she is that cold, but I haven't seen enough of her yet.  She could be quite happy living at home with Tarek and taking care of both children.

[BradandJanet]

I can't believe Mother Jon would let him be named on a birth certificate for a complete stranger's child. That brings a legal obligation, and Mum Jon worries over her boy. Also, isn't there a sister in the family, one who didn't get hit in the head playing football, who might have weighed in on the situation? 

I'm calling foul on this story, but I'm still interested in watching the adventures of Jon and Rachel. 

[libgirl2]

48 minutes ago, EllaDisco said:

Maybe, but Anfisa wanted designer clothes and fancy cars.  Hazel wants to live a life where she can see her son.  Maybe she is that cold, but I haven't seen enough of her yet.  She could be quite happy living at home with Tarek and taking care of both children.

I agree. I know Hazel said she was marrying for money and for her son, but I think she means a nice roof over their heads, meals and general comfort.... I don't think she was thinking about a jet setting life style. 

Edited August 23, 2018 by libgirl2

[CousinOliver]

Speaking for myself, I judge men who are specifically looking for "love" outside of their home country because they're generally looking for either a highly attractive spouse and/or a submissive woman.  Personally, I find wanting a showpiece over all other qualities and wanting to not share domestic chores/having final say/etc. true character flaws.  I'm definitely going to judge the hell out of a man who values those things. Definitely.  

Naturally, if people just happen to meet someone they can create a life with in the course of, well, living, that's a different story.  I know several people who have met their non-US citizen spouses while traveling, etc.  But that's a far cry from the men on this season.  

[Former Nun]

44 minutes ago, BradandJanet said:

I can't believe Mother Jon would let him be named on a birth certificate for a complete stranger's child.

Did she know about it?  Are we sure Jon even knew about it?

[doyouevengohere]

1 hour ago, EllaDisco said:

Maybe, but Anfisa wanted designer clothes and fancy cars.  Hazel wants to live a life where she can see her son.  Maybe she is that cold, but I haven't seen enough of her yet.  She could be quite happy living at home with Tarek and taking care of both children.

I hope this is the case. I don't think Hazel wants a jetset lifestyle, but she does want the money to enable her to get and keep her son. Will she have to go through legal proceedings to get custody of her son and take him overseas?  If so, Tater might not be able to afford it, especially if the father fights for him.

  I just hope he's not so bedazzled by Hazel being an asian Angelina Jolie that he marries her without fully getting to know her and her situation and promises her anything.

Edited August 23, 2018 by doyouevengohere

[MegD]

19 hours ago, SnarkEnthusiast said:

On 8/21/2018 at 6:09 PM, Tuneful said:

Ricky, “Melissa” is a boy. Got MAN HANDS. Wore a choker to cover the Adam’s apple, her neck looks thick, and that troweled-on makeup might cover stubble. From the get go I noticed she had a flat chest sporting two grapefruits. Ricky may be in for a crying game if they meet again and get “friendly.” Ricky looks just like Micky, the little person on “Seinfeld” who was also pursuing show business, except Micky was a ladykiller.

 

Wow, people are really projecting with Melissa. This is transphobic. Trans women are murdered every day because of men thinking that they're "men" and flying into gay panic/penis panic. Trans people are constantly accused of being deceptive and subjected to violence because of it. I don't like all the snickering that Melissa is a dude or the "joke" that he's going to find out she has a penis. All she has is a tacky porn star boob job imo.

I don't think she's underage either, because TLC would never green light that for legal reasons. Lots of adults have braces. She's just ditzy and coasts on her looks to seduce dummies. 

While I agree with you and suspect that she's just underage in the US but legal there, I don't necessarily think that the "she's a he" necessitates Melissa being trans. There are lots of scams out there that prey on stupid people, usually presenting a hard luck story. How many of us have gotten the Nigerian prince emails? We know that she was sending pictures only and texting. There wasn't any verbal conversation. I can see a scammer using a hard luck story and pictures found online to catfish Ricky. They never intended to meet Ricky in person. There was probably no real attraction there whatsoever other than the attraction to the money he was sending so "Melissa's" gender is irrelevant in that case. It was only when Ricky showed up in Columbia that the plan had to change, and change quickly. The scammer went and found the first person he/she could find that looked like the pictures or could be made up to look like the pictures. If that happened to be a male who had more delicate features but was willing to go along with the scam, then so be it. It is not as if there was anything romantic on their part at the end of the evening. It was purely to continue the fantasy and keep the money flowing. It would also explain the over 2 hour delay as that person would have to have a crash course in prior conversations with Ricky. I have several guy friends that when their hair is longer, they can easily be confused as female, not because they are trans or trying to confuse others, just because they have thinner bone structures than most guys. In contrast, I've known females who I've mistaken for males. It happens, especially if you're not paying close attention. Ricky was far more interested in the tits than in Melissa's face. It's always possible that those were part of role, like a prosthetic, since she knew she wasn't going to be getting busy with him or letting him touch her. In that case it would be like a costume, not because she's a trans woman.

I do wonder about her age. The age of consent in Columbia is 14, but one can't work as a prostitute until 18. The US states that it will prosecute for sex abroad with individuals under 18, but that depends on the country reporting it. The town they are in, Medellin, is well known for being a major place for sex tourism, specifically, child sex tourism. There's no way she's 28 like she claims. I suspect she's right at 18 or just under it. I think it's far more likely that this is the case than she's a he or a fill in.

[charmed1]

53 minutes ago, doyouevengohere said:

I just hope he's not so bedazzled by Hazel being an asian Angelina Jolie that he marries her without fully getting to know her and her situation and promises her anything.

Right. Even if Ari didn’t have special needs, she’s still a four-year-old child. This woman is even more of a stranger to her than to her idiot father. It’s highly irresponsible and dangerous to introduce someone into a child’s life without knowing them first.  This. Man. Has. NEVER. Met. This. Woman. And. Intends. To. Bring. Her. Into. His. Home. With. His. Child. Am I the only only one who finds this utterly insane? Who does this? I don’t trust a stranger with my cat. Bish where are your references? Can you clean a litter box? 

Maybe if the genders were reversed, it would be more alarming? If Ari’s mother traipsed around Asia for ass because “Asian guys are hot,” and picked a stranger out from the Philippines because he looked like Asian Brad Pitt, flew there to marry him and bring him back to her home to instantly be the stepfather to her four year old daughter...mmm yeah, no. I don’t see that going over very well with Tarik nor anyone else. I don’t care how poor or desperate Hazel is. She’s an adult with choices who can fend for herself. Ari cannot.

Anfisa and Jorge’s arrangement didn’t (to Anfisa’s knowledge) involve a child. I think that would’ve changed her decision to even deal with Jorge.

Edited August 23, 2018 by charmed1

[EllaDisco]

But why did they need to find a fake "Melissa" if it was all just supposed to be an online money scheme?  So he shows up.  Just cut him off and move to the next one.  Or make up a story about a sick mother in a little village far away and could he please send some money for that.  I don't see why the scammers would suddenly scramble to find a person to meet him.

[spankydoll]

2 hours ago, BradandJanet said:

I can't believe Mother Jon would let him be named on a birth certificate for a complete stranger's child. That brings a legal obligation, and Mum Jon worries over her boy. Also, isn't there a sister in the family, one who didn't get hit in the head playing football, who might have weighed in on the situation? 

I'm calling foul on this story, but I'm still interested in watching the adventures of Jon and Rachel. 

Mom needs to call Angela and get a pregcy test from Maury. Angela is a world travelled now and could find the continent of London pretty easily. And boy will she be a hit in Europe with her MAGA gear! I can just picture her stomping around Harrod 's charging discrimination against 'Murcan 's because they don't carry pork rinds.She could visit the Big Clock, complain about chips being ?, look the wrong way crossing the street and ask everyone what is wrong with their teeth. 

[Owwwww ma leg]

46 minutes ago, MegD said:

Ricky was far more interested in the tits than in Melissa's face. 

I maybe a hetro middle aged woman but what do men see in those awful breasts? They look rock hard and so fake. Now I appreciate I nice cleavage as much as the next person but Melissa’s were so fake and hard looking. Me thinks Ricky has been watching too much porn.

[Drogo]

Just now, Owwwww ma leg said:

I maybe a hetro middle aged woman but what do men see in those awful breasts? They look rock hard and so fake. Now I appreciate I nice cleavage as much as the next person but Melissa’s were so fake and hard looking. Me thinks Ricky has been watching too much porn.

It's like those people who buy fake fruit to put in a bowl on their dining room table.

[Gobi]

1 hour ago, doyouevengohere said:

I hope this is the case. I don't think Hazel wants a jetset lifestyle, but she does want the money to enable her to get and keep her son. Will she have to go through legal proceedings to get custody of her son and take him overseas?  If so, Tater might not be able to afford it, especially if the father fights for him.

  I just hope he's not so bedazzled by Hazel being an asian Angelina Jolie that he marries her without fully getting to know her and her situation and promises her anything.

 

I don't know if there would be a custody fight. There's no divorce in the Philippines, so Hazel was probably not married to the father, and he took the child because he could better care for him. He might be quite happy to give him up.

1 hour ago, EllaDisco said:

But why did they need to find a fake "Melissa" if it was all just supposed to be an online money scheme?  So he shows up.  Just cut him off and move to the next one.  Or make up a story about a sick mother in a little village far away and could he please send some money for that.  I don't see why the scammers would suddenly scramble to find a person to meet him.

Possibly to keep the scam going as long as possible. Ricky's only going to be there two weeks, and Melissa can probably string him along for that, and continue it after he leaves.

Edited August 23, 2018 by Gobi
Content

[EllaDisco]

9 minutes ago, Gobi said:

 

Possibly to keep the scam going as long as possible. Ricky's only going to be there two weeks, and Melissa can probably string him along for that, and continue it after he leaves.

Possibly.  But in that case it seems more likely that she was involved in the scam from the beginning (possibly a friend or relative if not the actual scammers) as opposed to them scrambling to find someone to play the role.  I just think online scammers probably stick to online and others do it in person.  Stick to your area of specialty and things are less likely to go wrong?

[Gobi]

10 minutes ago, EllaDisco said:

Possibly.  But in that case it seems more likely that she was involved in the scam from the beginning (possibly a friend or relative if not the actual scammers) as opposed to them scrambling to find someone to play the role.  I just think online scammers probably stick to online and others do it in person.  Stick to your area of specialty and things are less likely to go wrong?

She did look like the person in the pictures (except for the braces), so you're probably right that she works with the online scammer, and it took time to track her down for the meet.

[libgirl2]

21 minutes ago, Gobi said:

She did look like the person in the pictures (except for the braces), so you're probably right that she works with the online scammer, and it took time to track her down for the meet.

She looked the same but for me it was like she looked like a copy for some reason. And really wearing the same top? Something very weird going on here.