It has been often said that it is better to pick a partner who shares your interests may it be sports, books, fishingbut carried to the extreme, it causes people to narrow down the type of people they would even consider going out with.

It is perfectly understandable that people who share something tend to stick together, from sports enthusiasts to the Chinese people that in whatever part of the planet build their own little towns to the Afro-Americans on the block. Culture and language binds similar peoples, but isolate others what happens is a spiral of forging bonds and widening gaps, forcing the same people to look into the same things.

Fortunately, the recent years has seen different cultures and traditions infused, either spurred by proximity, global economy, or technological advance. However, in dating, people prefer to go out with familiarity. This is all good, but there is also a lot to be gained from a cross-cultural affair. For one, although some people still squint when they see odd-matched couples (a petite Chinese girl with a bulky redheaded man or a blonde girl with a lanky Indian guy), it is great to see that however slow our progress is in accepting that deep down we're all just humans breathing the same air, we are moving in the right direction.

Slowly, cultures, beliefs, ideas and recipes are being shared together, contributing to a merging of traditions and thought, and at the same time enriching individuals with a better, wider understanding of different ethnicities. And, if in the end, it does not work out, look at the bright side. At least you learned a few Yiddish phrases or experienced some excellent Japanese cuisine.