Natalie:
I guess it all depends on your nature and how you want to initially interact. Also on your social boundaries like you have pointed out.

I used to live with an American couple where the husband was a lawyer with a prestigious firm and the wife was a designer and their home was like a mansion. I was a paying guest for some time. They seem to be so much in love and so social with their friends and all. But i was really surprixed to learn that they first met online. Even i thought online forums were for losers or with 'out of date' people but it does not seem so. Even look at all indians, they seem to all end up on the Shaadi forums.

The lady told me that she always wanted to met this 'mysterious' man and send him letters and all wordy stuff and thus the online site helped her and she met her 'mysterious' man there. She seemed very sociable in real life and loved parties and all but she prefered other means to find the guy.

So i guess it depends on how much effort you want to take upon yourself and also how easy you feel in interaction. If you do not drink and going to bar/club is not your scene. You do not like Nepali gatherings because all programs seem the same and you do not have big friends circle of Nepalis, then what options do you have.

And honestly, i am sure there are lot of Nepali guys who dislike public gatherings too.

Well, hoping for a 'Happy Ending'. Keep us posted.