What's Love Got to Do with It

What is the best scenario for a Japanese woman who is eager to learn English well and quickly?

Well, according to this story at The Sydney Morning Herald, she should buy an airticket to Australia, find her prince-charming--handsome native only--in a bar, and fall in love with him--or at least kiss him--as quickly as she can. It's not just a fairytale. A serious researcher has done a good study of it:

Macquarie University researcher Kimie Takahashi spent five years interviewing young Japanese women studying English in Sydney, and found that almost all had arrived coveting a handsome and courteous English-speaking "gentleman" loosely based on their favourite Western film stars.

Their blue-eyed Prince Charming would help them improve their language skills, boost their social capital and help them construct a new identity, explains Dr Takahashi, an expert in applied linguistics, in her recently-published doctoral thesis.

And the reporter cited an example of a Japanese woman:

"White western men who speak English as a first language are often considered the holy grail of romantic partners by young Japanese women", says the Japanese-born academic, who reluctantly admits that she felt the same way when she left her home city Yokohama for the Gold Coast in 1992.

Hey, what can you say to those Australian-born, Brad Pitt look-alike beach bums.

Lucky bastards?

What would you say to those Japanese men who are left behind?

Well....nothing. Maybe tell them to buy a Tina Turner's CD.

What's love got to do with it?