This is a story that may never have reached the English speaking world, with references to both Irish and Polish nationalities in the opening pages. I was intrigued, however, by the author’s comment about the difficulty of finding the right partners in the international dating market, given the large number of nationalities represented in various cities of the world today. That is, until two men with similar ethnic backgrounds decided to take on an Irish partner, and found themselves falling head-over-heels in love with each other in Dublin, one of the world’s most multicultural cities. But what really makes this story worth the read is how the author responds to the nationalities of their potential partners, as well as how they react to being drawn into another culture through the anonymity of internet dating.
Isabelle’s Dublin comes from the perspective of an experienced and qualified online businesswoman, who after spending many years in the highly competitive business world, decided to launch her own business, a marketing consultancy. She chose a niche in an already booming field, marketing a range of digital media products that were suited to her clients’ particular needs. One of her initial goals was to find a partner who shared her passion for digital media and shared her business vision as well. So naturally, the search for a match was one of the first things she did, looking at potential matches via business directories and internet job sites.
Isabelle met her first potential partner in a club on a weekend evening and was immediately drawn by his physical attributes: tall, slim, strong, dark haired and athletic build, with an energetic manner. It didn’t take long to determine that this man was from a different country, probably in Ireland, but that he possessed certain characteristics common to many of the nationalities represented in Dublin. This man was forty years old, and from an unconventional ethnic background: his parents were Polish immigrants who came to Ireland after the war and became British citizens. He also had two older sisters who spoke only Irish, a first for any white person in the city. Though he appeared to be of a humble background, this man radiated success and sparkled with the confidence of an entrepreneur ready to start a successful business.