Lucia: Burama says he thinks love should come later in a marriage, but what happens if it doesn't? I just hate the idea of it. I wouldn't want to marry somebody that my parents have picked out, somebody I've never met. It would be really unfair when other girls like you, Isabel, can choose for yourself

Burama: Well, I suppose I know what you mean. But why do you assume it would be really bad? Lucia, didn't you say your parents' marriage was arranged and they are still happy?

Lucia: Well that's okay for them, but they grew up in a different time and they didn't really see other ways.... Okay, I know they love each other and everything, but I know it wouldn't work for me...

Burama: Well, it works for some. There's loads less divorce among people who have arranged marriages, and hardly any single parents, so our way can't be all that bad.

Isabel: So what would your parents do if you said you wanted to sort out your own marriage?

Burama: Well, with my family an arranged marriage is not like it used to be. You don't just get someone picked for you that you meet at the last moment. My parents will show me some photos and I'll meet which ever I want to...Or, I suppose, I might not like any of them! If I meet one or two, and I like them we might meet again, and if the parents and everyone gets on okay.... Well... that may be it.

Isabel: But what if you, liked me - just as an example, of course!

Burama: Difficult - my parents wouldn't be happy with us going out our own.

Isabel: I bet it's different for blokes. I bet they have more freedom than the girls do.

Burama: Well, I suppose you might say that.....

Isabel: I dunno what to say. I think it would be awful to be forced into it. I can see you think it's okay, Burama, but it's really hard to picture myself going along with it the way you do.

Burama: You just have to see it as something different. When you say 'marriage' you have an idea of what marriage is in your head. In my head it's something different.

Isabel: Is arranging marriages something that only Muslims do?