Do cultural differences present significant challenges to your overseas romance?

[GrayTech 0]

Feel free to expand on your answer in a comment on this topic.

[pluis 2]

I voted for:

It creates some bumps sometimes but nothing significant

I think I can attribute at least a part of it to my husband having lived in my country for several years before we even met and decided to move to his country. Also, we're both from western countries, so while there are differences in culture, they're not vast.

[duraaraa 203]

The cultural difference, to me, is one of the major pluses to our relationship. I did live in Mongolia, and got very used to the Mongolian culture and way of thinking, and in many ways, I like it better than my own country's ways. The thing is, my fiancee has never been to the U.S. and doesn't speak English, so while it isn't a challenge for our relationship, until she and her kids learn English, it will be a challenge for them to fit in.

[Caryh 5,206]

I think just general differences as people and learning to live as husband and wife were bigger issues than anything culturally. Homesickness was certainly a much bigger issue than culture.

[kev_n_jena 89]

The guilt of wanting to support her family is about the only "cultural" difference that has caused any problems. I'm not sure if that qualifies as some would deny it's a cultural thing and more of an idividual or family issue.

Kevin

[dwinge 34]

It may have caused some minor misunderstanding initially, now it is something we embrace.

[Jacque67 7,328]

My fiance lives in NY , so sometimes I find his outlook on life overly aggressive. However his approach to life also interests me. We enjoy adapting to each other. It is a growing experience for us both.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I had to get in the habit of taking my shoes off and putting on "tapochki", slippers. Not too much else. There are a few superstitions to adjust to and a few habits, such as the method of handling food (Ukrainian women are not too careful about refrigeration) but the culture of Ukraine is not so terribly different than ours.

Ukrainian food is mostly tasty and not much different than American food. Not very spicy though. They have some things I don;t like so I don't eat them. Ukrainians do not like fast food, processed food or food in boxes or cans. Our grocery cart doesn't look much different than anyone elses but for the lack of cans and boxes and frozen stuff.

Men married to FSU women can go on all day about the funny things their wives do, but in reality none of it amounts to anything important or difficult to deal with.

Any differences in culture and habits have been more "interesting" than a "problem", actually.

[Azsara 110]

My fiance lives in NY , so sometimes I find his outlook on life overly aggressive. However his approach to life also interests me. We enjoy adapting to each other. It is a growing experience for us both.

I like this, Its really sweet and very mature

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

The way my wife doesn't use the letter U in words such as colour and flavour presents our biggest challenge and leads to heated debate....

[Jawaree 717]

Those who come from the same regions don't seem/need to have probs re: customs

unless the individual is just a type of person that nit-pick, of course different countries

have favorites dishes just prepared in a different way but the basic items used R the

same. Some European country & the Brits spell some words different as in color, harbor

etc and some do believe in silly folklores they grew up hearing,thats not bad but but I would

never totally cross to a totally different culture as in religion change, silly habits, or or customs

with circumcisions for my daughters or early marriage ....hell no

[Jacque67 7,328]

I think the biggest challenge is living with someone of the opposite sex, regardless of their nationality- lol.

Or even living in close proximity of a fellow human being. I am a hermit!

[Shiobhan 235]

Even the guy from around the way you may marry and then butt heads with how things

were done in his home that differs from yours, my husband thinks a decent Sunday meal ought

to be prepared in the home , even if we plan to eat out (rarely on a Sun) We reheat on Mons. so

that's fine...so there will be differences from wherever, big custom issues and maybe language

barriers would keep me from start dating that person in the 1st place.There 'd be no marriage

[berber_wife 90]

Culture, surprisingly, has not presented any real challenges thus far.

I attribute that to him having traveled extensively in Western countries before he met me and me having had lived in the developing world for two years (although not his country). Thus we instinctively get where the other person is coming from.

We've only known each other for two years though, and we're not yet married, don't have combined finances and don't have children. We want children in the future and I do worry about cultural issues popping up then-in fact I think its inevitable that it will happen. I just hope that we will continue to be strong enough to get through it.

[Dieseltu 19]

Personally I don't see any problems at all for me. Just normal stuff.

My opinion is the biggest problems are , Picked the wrong spouse. Couple is incompatible, Language barrier, Immigrants missing the family , food issues, And foreigners who wont adapt to the country they moved too. Adults wont have problems because they already know they are compatible. They already picked a suitable spouse. Who has abilities. To learn. or knows the language. Or is educated enough to adapt well. Child adults will have problems. Such as married for the wrong reason. Or married an overly emotional person. Some countries cultures make unrealistic demands on immigrants and families who move here. Such as the Phillipines. Where they expect huge financial support for family members.

if you eliminate all the problems caused by people making wrong decisions. Everything else is easy enough.

I think the biggest challenge is living with someone of the opposite sex, regardless of their nationality- lol.

Or even living in close proximity of a fellow human being. I am a hermit!

I can buy that.