Cultural Discussion - Romantic Meetings

Cultural Discussion - Romantic Meetings

Think about the many ways in which people meet a romantic partner in your country.

• Where and how do people usually meet their boyfriends or girlfriends?
• Which way do you think is the most natural and comfortable?
• Which ways do you think are possibly dangerous?
• Which way do you think is best for meeting someone who could be a good future spouse? Why do you think this way is best?

Meeting Places:

Here is a list of places people might meet a romantic partner. As you consider each place, answer these questions for each one:

1. Is it a good place to meet a romantic partner? Why? Why not?
   
2. Is it a safe place to meet someone? Why? Why not?
   
3. Is it a usual place for people to find a boyfriend or girlfriend in Japan?

Places:

• a bar
• a church
• a library
• the Internet
• the office
• a classroom
• a dating service
• a club meeting
• a friend’s house (a friend of a friend meeting)
• a blind date
• a train

Meetings in the Movies:

In the movies, people meeting in many unusual ways. A famous movie critic in America named Roger Ebert calls these types of meetings a “meet cute”. He calls them this because they are unrealistic and never happen among real people.

Here are some examples of “meet cutes” from television and movies. Read each one and discuss how realistic or possible each is in real life.

• A girl is browsing for books in a book store and the book she needs is on a high shelf. She jumps up to reach the book and knocks it down onto the head of a boy. The boy becomes her boyfriend.
• A man is out jogging and he stops at a bench to tie his shoe. A woman is sitting on the bench reading talking on her cell phone and her dog is near her. The dog tries to bite the man while he is tying his shoe. They become romantically involved.
• A pregnant woman rides a cab to the hospital when she is ready to have her baby. Her baby arrives too quickly and has to be delivered in the cab by the cab driver. She later marries the cab driver.

Can you think of any “meet cute” moments from any movies you have seen?

Why do you think these types of unusual meetings are so popular in movies?

Do you know anyone in real life who has had an unusual meeting like the ones above?

The “meet cute” situations assume complete strangers will meet and become romantically interested in each other. Do you think that strangers do this? Would you do this? Why? Why not?

What about you?

• Has a stranger of the opposite sex ever tried to start a conversation with you? If yes, how did you respond?
• How did you feel after the experience?
• Have you ever tried to start a conversation with a stranger for any reason? How did you feel about the experience?
• How did you meet your boyfriends or girlfriends?

This material is (c) The Home Sensei