Language barriers,
cultural and religious differences, divergent traditions, and
social disapproval. These are just some of the hurdles that
Western men and their foreign brides
encounter in their quest for international romance. With all
the challenges facing Western man-foreign bride
unions, one would think that they are doomed from the
start. On the contrary, most relationships between Western men
and their foreign brides have
proven to be happier and more fulfilling than domestic
relationships. These happy Western men-foreign bride
couples are living proof that variety can be the spice of a
Western man-foreign bride
dating life, and that differences allow Western men and their
foreign brides to
gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of each other’s
culture and way of life. Admittedly, successful relationships
between Western men and foreign brides do
require a certain amount of work, but not as much as one would
expect.
Bridging the language gap between Western
men and foreign brides
A possible hurdle that Western men dating foreign
brides may face is language differences. While most foreign
brides speak, read, and write English well enough, the
level of proficiency is such that it generally falls below
native-speaker status. A foreign bride’s
inability to articulate her feelings in a second language may
become a source of frustration Western men’s use of slang and
idiomatic expressions could set traps for misinterpretation.
How can the Western man and the foreign bride
foster open communication when each thinks the other is
speaking in tongues? During the correspondence phase of the
relationship, foreign brides can
employ translation services that will assist them in composing
letters to their Western admirers. Also, taking a course helps
a foreign bride use
the English language more confidently and eventually prepare
her for the life that awaits her in her Western mate’s
country. Of course, the Western man and his foreign bride
should never underestimate the power of body language. Many foreign
brides come from societies where language is accentuated
by facial expressions, gestures, and physical contact. As
matter of fact feelings are always best expressed through
non-verbal communication.
Reconciling Western men and foreign
brides’ differing cultural and religious backgrounds
Cultural and religious disparities pose, perhaps, the
greatest threat to Western men and foreign brides who
are dating or are already married. Should one of them have to
convert to the other’s religion? In which culture should the
children be brought up? Is the relationship worth the trouble
of avoiding taboos and following culturally-conscripted rules
of etiquette? These questions confound Western men and foreign
brides who come from totally disparate backgrounds. To
save themselves a lot of resentment and bitterness later on,
the Western man and his foreign bride must
sit down and resolve these differences early in the romantic
relationship. No one should consider his or her value system
more enlightened than the other. Different beliefs and
attitudes can co-exist, as long as the Western man and his foreign
bride respect each other’s traditions and creed. Western
men and foreign brides
should also take the initiative to learn about each other’s
culture and religion, in order to gain a more profound
understanding of what drives their actions and spurs their
emotions and of what makes them accept their fate or what
pushes them to take a stand.
Western men and foreign brides must
build their own traditions
Traditions are a set of customs and norms that define a
society and guide succeeding generations about how they should
behave. Like culture and religion, tradition holds both peril
and promise for Western man-foreign bride
relationships. The best solution would be to formulate
traditions that incorporate each side’s heritage and highlight
areas where they find common ground. For instance, if the foreign
bride prefers to celebrate New Year’s Eve with her family
but her Western partner feels they should keep that day to
themselves, the couple could segment the day and observe the
special occasion in two places engaging in activities that the
foreign bride has
always enjoyed doing with her family.
Western men and foreign brides find
there is strength in numbers
Raised eyebrows and long stares sometimes greet a Western
man and his foreign bride as
they weave in and out of various public circles, especially if
they are of different races. The Western man and his foreign
bride try to be oblivious to these glances, but their
attempt at ignoring these looks fail. Ultimately, the Western
man and his foreign bride learn
to accept that social interest of their relationship is
something that they are going to have to live with. For all
the vaunted open-mindedness and tolerance that
multiculturalism and globalization have engendered, there
remains a little unspoken concern about unions between a
Western man and a foreign bride,
especially from Western women. Nonetheless, Western men and
their foreign brides are
building alliances with the growing number of similar couples.
By connecting with other Western man-foreign bride
couples, they gain support networks that widen their social
sphere and help improve the visibility and acceptance of
Western man-foreign bride.
couples.
|
