32-year-old East African man, proud to stay true to my values and still waiting for the right person?

Hi everyone, I’m a 32-year-old man originally from East Africa, and I’ve been living in the Netherlands for about 10 years now.

I grew up in a very religious and traditional family, and because of that, I’ve chosen to stay a virgin until marriage — not out of fear, but out of respect for love and commitment. For me, intimacy is something meaningful that I want to share with the right person.

Over the past years, I’ve had a few relationships, but they didn’t last because I was focused on my education and building my career. Now that I’m in a stable place in life, I’d really like to open my heart again.

I’ll be honest — I sometimes feel unsure about dating here in the Netherlands. I’ve heard that relationships can be more open and direct when it comes to intimacy, and I wonder how to stay true to my values while still being open to love and connection. Has anyone here experienced something similar — trying to date in a new culture while keeping your values and emotional boundaries? How did you make it work?

Bedankt voor je antwoord.

32-year-old East African man, proud to stay true to my values and still waiting for the right person?
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