’90 Day Fiancé’: Why the Moment Paul Staehle Asks Karine Martins’ Father for Permission to Marry Her Is So Eventful
In season 1 of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, Paul Staehle meets his girlfriend, Karine Martins, for the very first time. However, they have some issues communicating, considering they don’t speak each other’s languages. That goes for Karine’s parents as well, and when Paul asks Karine’s father if he can marry her, it’s more than an eventful experience. Read on to learn why.
Paul Staehle speaks with Karine Martins’ father
It’s been an experience so far in Brazil. Paul has already met Karine’s parents, and it’s hard for them to communicate because of the language barrier. Karine and her parents speak Portuguese, while Paul speaks English. They have come to rely on the translator app on Paul’s phone to properly communicate, but it’s still a difficult task.
Although Paul isn’t yet sure if he’s “ready” to propose, he recognizes this will be his last chance to ask her parents for her hand, and he takes his shot. “I’m not sure at this moment in time if I’m ready to propose or not,” Paul tells producers. “But we’re about to leave Karine’s village. So this is going to be my last opportunity to ask her parents for their blessing to take their daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Paul is unsure if Karine’s father “fully approves” of him. Paul tells Karine that he wants to speak with her father, José. Paul walks over to Karine’s dad and shakes his hand. He tries to reference that he’d like a moment to ask him a question. Somehow, Karine’s dad understands, and they walk off privately.
“I was surprised by him having appeared in my daughter’s life,” José explains to the cameras. “We are natives of the Amazon. It’s hard to familiarize ourselves with the American.”
Why the moment Paul asks Karine’s father for permission to marry her is so eventful
They sit down in chairs off by themselves, and Paul gets to typing on his phone. He tries to say the words in Portuguese, but José doesn’t understand. “I understood very little,” he says back to Paul.
Next, things get really eventful when it’s clear that this attempt at communication isn’t working. Paul gets on one knee with his hands outstretched in front of him, and says Karine’s name as he does this. Next, he gets completely on one knee again and makes a motion with his hands like he’s putting a ring on his own finger.
Luckily, someone hands José his glasses, and he glances at the phone. “Can you give me your blessing in my asking for your daughter’s hand in marriage?” he reads from the screen. José calls over to his wife, Gracilene, who borrows the glasses to read the words Paul has written.
Gracilene types in the response: “We give you our blessing.”
Paul hugs Karine’s mother, and it seems like it all worked out in Paul’s favor. Paul even hugs Karine’s father as well, despite the unique way Paul at first tried to ask José for his daughter’s hand in marriage.
Things were very eventful and kind of awkward because Paul and José couldn’t properly communicate. Paul was making gestures while trying to explain his intentions to marry Karine. However, eventually the message comes across the right way, and Paul gets the answer he’s looking for.
