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I knew many South Asian Americans in college and grad school. Most of them have this weird notion of what the "Western Dating System" is --- a cross between television, movies, and those funky Bollywood flicks they seem to simultaneously watch and complain about.
The reality is that for a large percentage of people, they are "introduced" to the person that they eventually marry. A lot of already paired-up and older women (and let's face it, it's usually women) are quite active in trying to find good matches for their relatives, friends and acquaintances. The random stranger on the bus or in the bar makes for a good book/movie and interesting television, but it ain't reality for most of the long-term couples I know.
What I have found is that this "matchmaking" activity seems to be waning a bit. I've never lived in New York, so maybe it doesn't happen so much out there.
