It doesn’t always need to be easy, they just need to be able to communicate and willingness to listen.
As someone who came to this country at age of 12 without knowing English language, I was able to make some very good friends. It was hard at first, but we were communicating just fine after few months.
39, We didn't have that problem when we were dating, my husband and I. I didn't understand a word he said and I'm sure my English was not perfect either. My joke has always been that if I actually understood his English it might not have worked out so well.
Well, fine. I was wrong, it’s not important to everybody in this topic. I think it’s important myself.
I’m always amazed how one guy in the office married this Japanese woman who was not able to speak or understand English well. He might know some rudimentary Japanese. The marriage last until he died and she had to go back to Japan.
Must love cats. That is absolutely non-negotiable. Love of dogs is a bonus. 
I KNOW our preferences can change over time-of course they can-as we go through life we figure out so much more about ourselves.My ex was the right guy for me at 24, but although his leaving hurt more than I could say, it’s clear that we were both better off. When I met my H at 39 to his 36, I was a different person altogether. When I met him, my non-negotiables were: kind, understanding, accepting (a HUGE biggie, with my baggage, kids, what I knew about me that made me tick, etc., respectful of people, not just me, smart and funny. Looks were never a consideration because I knew from falling in love with someone I knew as a friend who would not have been my “type”, that looks grow on you, and that they most certainly can change. No smoking. That’s what killed both of my parents prematurely and I don’t want to go through that. Of course, nothing illegal. Someone who understands themselves and won’t wake up 10 years later and decide they need to “find themselves”, like my ex did.
I actually didn’t think H was going to work out. He was SO polite, SO cautious, SO laid back that I thought, "Well, he’ll be a good friend someday, but nah, not dating material. But I gave it another shot and that one time, everything just clicked. In another couple of months we were talking marriage, and 5 months after we met, we got engaged. We got married 9 months after we met, and celebrate 16 years next week and 17 years together.
One more thing about looks and overweight people. There was this one guy, before I met H, who was a friend first. We commiserated over missed connections, and lost loves, helped each other through job hunts, and he talked me into taking some risks that improved my life. I suppose I always knew it wouldn’t be permanent-he had too many unresolved issues-but he left me a better person, truer to myself. It helped me know who I was enough that I knew H would be a good match once we got to know each other. There are still times when I mentally tip my hat to the guy, even though we haven’t spoken in almost 20 years. If I ran into him tomorrow (though I have no idea where he is), I would thank him and he would know why. He was quite overweight. Fit, but overweight. Not my type AT ALL. But once I got to know him, it never mattered.
This reminds me of two stories that DS told us many years ago, one of the stories was more than 6 years(I think) ago.
One of DS’s suitemates in college met some girl in another country when he went to another country to work during a summer break (while still a college student.) They became a couple and the girl later traveled here to meet him. But the girl’s English skill is relatively poor (DS met her once or even twice when she visited her boyfriend, as I heard.) Knowing his suitmate very well, DS knew quite early on that the relation might not last. After about two years, they indeed separated and it broke her heart. (He called the shot.) DS once said he felt sorry for her, knowing that his suitmate would end this relation but she was still trying to hang onto this relationship.
The second story happened to DS himself. One girl living in the dorm was rumored to like DS (who did not have a girlfriend then.) She was an international student who likely came to this country around the college age or even after college. Her friends in her graduate program tried to set her up with DS. I heard that DS was called to meet her friends (without her presence) to discuss this “matter”. DS told them that he would not be able to get started on this. An excuse (likely the real reason also) he gave them was that because she and he grew up in a very different environment, it would likely be a lot of challenges for them. I heard the “main character”, the girl they were trying to set up, had a chance encounter with DS later on and she apologized to DS personally because of what her friends had done. She moved out of the dorm the next year. Their ending (well, an ending without the beginning) seems to be better than DS’s suitemate’s.
Later on, DS’s date with someone who grew up in an environment more similar to his (He said her parents even worked in the same industry as I did) was a total disaster in about a month or so. He had a better luck (so far at least, knock! knock!) with his girlfriend whose growing up experience is still not the same as his.
BTW, I notice the kid growing up in US (at least in DS’s circle of friends) paid much more attention to keeping their body in shape. I believe DS would likely work out in the gym 2 or even 3 times a week. I think he weighs about 155 pounds (slightly shorter than 6’.) and he still tries to exercise to reduce his weight. (I actually think he is too thin.)
I am single and would (and have) date a person if they were heavy, etc. I am really not about looks
Jeb Bush and his wife is one example that English fluency is not a key criteria in marriage success.
Oh, but going off of what BB said, MUST love animals. That is the biggest deal-breaker. If he wouldn’t make a good dad to my animals, he is out. Period.
For a guy, is the height important?
How short can a guy be before he is considered too short?
To me, no. He can be much shorter than me, as long as HE is not self-conscious about me being taller.
I have the question about the importance of the height of a guy because of the following:
Several years ago, during a lunch break, several of us got together in the cafeteria area in our company. When I mentioned that somehow DS seems to have had troubles getting a girlfriend over the past several years, a young lady immediately asked the question: How tall is he? It is as if the height of a guy is important.
Height is somewhat important to me. Not too short nor too tall. I don’t think I care for a 6 foot 7 either. I don’t want somebody shorter than me with heels.
Mcat, can a woman be too tall? How tall is too tall?
Too tall is when they refuse to sit in economy class w you.
If height or weight difference creates intimacy issues, I can see how those parameters could be important.
“I had a very good looking uncle and he was a player so I was not looking for really good looking.”
Uh, oh, DrGoogle, I hope you weren’t considering your uncle… 
One of my uncles was said by many to be good looking. He was a player also. (Coincident or not?)
His first marriage was a disaster. The second one was not much better. None of his children in both marriage wanted to have any contact with him. When he had money, he used it on what HE needed, not what his spouse or his children needed. A totally self-centered person.
When his second wife became pregnant and called him to tell him about this (he happened to visit us, so I knew), he said “I really do not know such an old woman can still get pregnant” right after he had got off the call. The way he said it was as if he was really not pleased with his wife being pregnant with his baby. I felt sorry for that unborn baby. (I heard that this daughter of his refused to talk to him starting in her teens.)
I personally prefer shorter women, like 4’10-5’3 maybe. But I’m only 5’8 myself.