If you are interested and meet the requirements, send a message ("I'm interested") or phone directly to Jose at 081..."

This is an excerpt from a classified advertisement that appeared in The Namibian on Friday, December 8.By yesterday morning, the man who placed it, 33-year-old Jose, said he'd received more than 50 replies from interested women, although he's only met two of them personally.

"I've responded to most of them though.

I just haven't found what I'm looking for yet," he told The Namibian.While international magazines and newspapers often feature personal advertisements, it was unusual to see an ad for 'A Woman To Marry' in a Namibian newspaper, on a page filled with properties and cars for sale.

So why go this route? "I just find the normal way of doing things - going to a bar or whatever to meet someone, to not be good," says Jose.

Saving himself the trouble of having to sift through a room full of people to find his perfect fit, Jose makes his requirements perfectly clear in six short bullet-points.

His dream lover "must speak and understand northern languages; must be 22 to 30 years old; be well educated or alternatively be studying at a Higher Educational Institution; be without or with not more than one child; have overall cleanliness (not only on the body), and be social and flexible."

Too picky? Maybe, judging from his comments on the ladies he has met so far.

"They looked like they were impressed," he boasts, "only I haven't been as impressed as they were".

Those who have answered his call aren't necessarily desperate for love though, he acknowledges, as many of the women he's met through the ad started off wondering if he was in his right mind.

"They (initially) phone because they're curious.

They think I can't really be serious," he says.

"But I'm still waiting.

I haven't found the right one yet.

In exchange for the love of his perfect candidate, Jose offers the chance to be with "a normal man of 33 years, with two children" and employed in the public service.

Things didn't work out with his children's mother, needless to say, and he's never been married.

He's also quite careful not to reveal too much information about himself to the public, refusing to divulge his last name or to provide a photograph.

The reason for this is simple, he says.

His family.

"They don't know," the Ohangwena resident laughs.

"They would rather I go about this in the traditional way," he says.

They probably wouldn't be too impressed with his initiative, he says.

"We can talk about a photo when she (his dream lover) contacts me," he says.

So for those interested, Jose is only taking calls until January 2, 2007.

And remember, "I don't want a lion in the skin of a sheep", reads the conclusion of his ad.

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