Let’s talk about love!

I just finished reading the second book by Franz Wisner: How The World Makes Love (it’s my mudik book actually). It’s interesting to read about the man that has been dumped days before his wedding and make his way around 53 countries honeymoon-ing with his brother, now trying to get love lesson from countries all over the world. Franz and Kurt back to their traveling adventure once again!

Here I understand that love has been interpret differently on different culture & faith. He started his journey to learn about love in Brazil. Where love seems to be all around. But the fact was unpretty. Divorce is one major problem. Infidelity is one of the biggest reason. Then he flew to India to learn about love because he read Kama Sutra and thinks it’s a good idea to go to India to get more knowledge. But fact is, Kama Sutra has been a practical joke in India. No one actually read it. It’s just another book.

In India, relationship was mostly arranged. You get married because someone has recommend you. Seeing Indian and Arab way of loving the new stranger they met on the wedding day, makes Franz realize that there’s such of form of love. He thought he must need to think thousand times before he make a new commitment after the failure of his almost-wedding, but knowing that commitment could build love, he immediately take action. You’ll get more personal insight and relationship stories of him in this book.

Interesting fact was when he went to New Zealand. The life priorities for UK people was: Love, Friends then Career. US people as you might have guessed: Career, Love then Friends. But in New Zealand, you put your friends first, then career and love at last. In New Zealand, you go to cafe/bar to chat with your friends. If you try to wink at someone, everybody will stare at you in disbelief. I guess it’s pretty much the same here in Indonesia.

In Indonesia, love, relationship & marriage define as:

• When man say he love a woman, after months of approach attempts. Woman is rarely to declare love.
• Going out on Saturday night, watching movies, eat out, the guy must pay.
• Sometimes they go on a home date, watching tv/DVD at the girl’s parents house, where the parents are usually joining them.
• Not having sex before marriage. You simply don’t kiss on the street like in Brazil.
• Mother start talking about marriage after her daughter have a month of relationship, simply because the his daughter age is almost 30.
• Your auntie or uncle could match you up over a blind date.
• You’ll get married and invite 1000 people minimum, mostly people you don’t know. Parents usually pay.

Maybe you know more about Indonesian way to love? Let’s hear from you!