How To Have A Successful Multicultural Relationship
Being in a relationship, any relationship really - faces its own struggles and ups and downs, but when it comes to a multicultural relationship, those differences can make it a little bit trickier to navigate certain situations in the relationship.
When you first meet someone from a different culture, it's all about the excitement and thrill of learning new traditions and ways of living, but no one talks about how those differences can impact the relationship when it turns into a serious thing.
All emotions aside, below are some tips on how to work on the differences that can make a multicultural relationship work.
1. Do not compare to your own traditions
Be open-minded about new celebrations and traditions, that's one of the reasons why multicultural relationships add another level of fun! Just be mindful that some holidays might not look the same as you are used to.
On the other hand, it's okay to feel frustrated if your partner doesn't share the same enthusiasm as you do to certain celebrations- it's a totally natural feeling, but remember to put yourself in your partner's shoes, after all, they didn't grow up with the same traditions you did. If you want certain traditions or celebrations to stick, you have to be the first one to engage in them.
Don't expect your partner to know everything about your culture, be open to teaching them and explaining why these traditions are so meaningful to you.
2. Talk about your family values early in the relationship
What might be acceptable to you, doesn't necessarily mean that it will to your partner too.
If you're ever to grow as a family, you want to make sure that you are okay with the values that come with your differences. It's important to talk about these early in a relationship because no matter how many differences you are challenged with if you don't share the same values it's going to be really difficult to go through significant life decisions as a couple.
3. Visit each other's home countries
There is only so much you can explain about your home, your culture and your people, but reality doesn't truly hit until you get to experience them first hand. Embracing their culture will make you understand your partner on a different level. You will be able to put "a face" to what their upbringing was like and how they were shaped into who they are now.
4. Have open communication with your partner
Yes, it is important in every relationship, but especially in a situation where you are mixing two very different ways of living. You have to be able to express your differences and be very respectful in the way you do it. Be patient, be a good listener and try to understand where your significant other is coming from.
That doesn't mean you have to excuse all of their actions, sometimes you just have to agree to disagree.
5. Don't take everything so literal
Expressing yourself might not sound the same in your head as it does when it hits someone else's ears. A great example of this is humor! They might not get your jokes or expressions the same way you do (even after explaining them), so why not have a laugh about it? There are other people in your life you can share them with.
The best part is that you can share a language that goes beyond cultural understandings, where you create your own way of communicating with each other and laughing at the silly things that only the two of you can understand.
One of the reasons why you should consider yourself lucky to be in a multicultural relationship is how it opens up so many doors and opens your mind to accept new ways of living. Take all the good aspects of both cultures and create a way of living that works for both of you.
Opinions and Perspectives
We keep learning new things about each other's cultures even years later.
The way we view success and achievement varies culturally, but we've found common ground.
Learning to cook traditional dishes together has been a wonderful bonding experience.
We've learned to celebrate our differences instead of trying to eliminate them.
Balancing cultural expectations during pregnancy and childbirth was interesting.
The way we handle stress differently has cultural roots we had to understand.
The article could mention more about handling cultural stereotypes from others.
Cultural differences in expressing emotions was unexpected but we're learning.
Making decisions about where to live long-term has been our biggest challenge.
The holidays are complex but beautiful. We've learned to embrace the chaos.
Different approaches to education and discipline with kids has been challenging.
Sometimes I worry about losing my cultural identity while trying to embrace my partner's.
Finding a balance between independence and family obligations has been tricky.
We learned to appreciate the beauty in our differences rather than seeing them as obstacles.
The article should mention how important it is to stand united against cultural stereotypes.
We use translation apps and lots of patience. It's not perfect but it helps.
The language barrier with in-laws is real. Anyone found good ways to handle this?
Our children are growing up with such a rich cultural heritage. It's beautiful to watch.
I understand completely. We had to have many honest conversations about expectations and roles.
Anyone else dealing with different views on gender roles? That's been our biggest hurdle.
The best advice I got was to create our own traditions rather than trying to perfectly maintain both.
Learning to cook each other's comfort foods was a huge breakthrough for us.
The article makes it sound easier than it is, but the rewards are worth the effort.
We had to learn to compromise on personal space and family boundaries. Very different in our cultures.
Sometimes the cultural differences in parenting styles can be challenging to navigate.
The most rewarding part is seeing our children embrace both cultures naturally.
It's fascinating how different cultures view time and punctuality. We had to find middle ground there.
The article should mention how technology helps maintain connections with both families across distances.
Our wedding was a beautiful blend of both cultures. It took lots of planning but was worth every effort.
I appreciate the tip about not expecting your partner to know everything about your culture. It's a learning process.
The food part is challenging when you're trying to respect dietary restrictions from different cultures.
Anyone else's partner struggle with their native holidays being so far from family? It's heartbreaking sometimes.
Living in a third country helped us. Neither of us was in our comfort zone, so we built something new together.
We write down new traditions we create together. It's becoming our own family culture book.
The hardest part for me has been dealing with different approaches to conflict resolution. Our cultures handle disagreements very differently.
I love how my partner introduces me to new perspectives. It's like having a window into another world.
We struggled with religious differences at first, but found beautiful ways to incorporate both our beliefs.
The part about not taking everything literally saved my sanity. Cultural expressions can be so different!
I've found that respect is the key. As long as you respect each other's backgrounds, you can work through anything.
The article could have mentioned raising kids in a multicultural relationship. That brings a whole new set of challenges.
Food has been our bridge between cultures. We love cooking traditional dishes from both our backgrounds.
Learning my partner's language was a game-changer for our relationship. It showed commitment and helped me understand their perspective better.
Yes, I often feel overwhelmed too. We started alternating holidays between families and it helped a lot.
Sometimes it feels overwhelming trying to balance both cultures. Anyone else feel this way?
I wish the article mentioned more about handling extended family dynamics. That's been the trickiest part for us.
The point about open communication saved my relationship. We had so many misunderstandings until we learned to really listen to each other.
The language barrier can be tough sometimes, but it's made us better communicators overall.
I find that creating new traditions together is the most exciting part. We've started our own holiday celebrations that blend both our cultures.
Honestly, I'm struggling with the family values part. How do you compromise when both sides have such different expectations?
This really resonates with me. Learning to navigate two different cultures has made me more open-minded in all aspects of life.
The advice about family values is spot on. My marriage almost didn't happen because we didn't discuss these things early enough.
My biggest challenge has been getting my partner's family to understand our choices. They're very traditional and we're trying to forge our own path.
Actually I think the article means not to compare them negatively. There's a difference between understanding through comparison and judging one as better than the other.
I disagree with not comparing traditions. Sometimes comparing them helps us understand each other better and find common ground. It's all about how you approach the comparison.
The part about humor really hits home. My husband still doesn't get my British sarcasm, but we've learned to laugh about it instead of getting frustrated.
Having been in a multicultural relationship for 5 years, I can't stress enough how important that third point is about visiting each other's countries. It completely changed my understanding of my partner's background.
I love how this article emphasizes creating your own unique blend of traditions. My partner and I celebrate both Diwali and Christmas, and it's amazing how our families have embraced both!