any intercultural marriages?

1305 Views 36 Replies 21 Participants Last post by tinaq, Jun 28, 2005

peaceful_mama

Discussion Starter · Jun 5, 2005

Mine. DH was born and raised in Sudan, I'm born and raised Midwest USA which is where we now live...

We haven't come across any cultural parenting things yet really, ds is only 7 mos. old. Nothing we disagree on anyway.

Just wondering if anyone else out there is anything like us.....

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lena1984

· #2 · Jun 5, 2005

me!

I am American born & raised. My husband is Somali(from Somalia, Africa) we hae been happily married for a year & 1/2 now and ttc.

Nice to meet you!

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QueenSheba'sMom

· #3 · Jun 5, 2005

so funny

nice to meet you guys, my husband is from ethiopia, and I'm also from the midwest

way to go east africa :LOL

peaceful_mama

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 5, 2005

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xela&theboys

· #5 · Jun 5, 2005

Guatemalan married to American (he's 1/2 French, 1/2 German, born in the US!).

melissa17s

· #6 · Jun 5, 2005

I am from the US and married to a Singaporean (Singapore). We live in a college town with a lot of diversity. With in our household, though, dh and I have found their within our beliefs, ideals, values, and traditions their are more commonalities than differences- guess that is one of the reasons we were attacted to each other in the first place.

cappuccinosmom

· #7 · Jun 6, 2005

.me., what part of the country is your husband from? My dh is Ethiopian too. I'm American, born and raised

We've had a few "cultural differences" but they're usually only an issue when one or the other is angry and looking for ammo. :LOL We have a lot more in common though, than we have with our respective countrymen (and women)

mags

· #8 · Jun 6, 2005

I think I would fall under this category. I am taiwanese american, born and raised in the US, DH was born in south korea, his family came here when he was about 8 yrs old. Even though, DH and I are mostly americanized, there are still a lot of cultural differences between taiwanese and koreans... it's made dealing with my korean in laws kind of tricky, although I cannot deny that I think it also has to do with my mil's difficult personality. Ppl usually think that if you are asian, all asians are the same, but that it so untrue. There are many differences, from values, religion, food, language (duh), customs, ettiquette, etc.. DH and I get along great, it's just there are many times where we think one another's family is acting weird, d/t cultural differences.

QueenSheba'sMom

· #9 · Jun 6, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by cappuccinosmom
.me., what part of the country is your husband from? My dh is Ethiopian too.

he is from addis. his parents are eritrean/tegrinya.

we do have some differences, from language and linguistic misinterpretations to the length of celebrations to behavior in church, ....

on the ap end of things, the match is quite perfect. i feel more comfy nursing and babywearing, for example, around my inlaws than around my family.

but there are still adjustments, like my learning to start every conversation, urgent or not, with a polite hello, how are you how are you doing.

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tinaq

· #10 · Jun 6, 2005

Hi Mamas,

I am the child of an intercultural marriage (Taiwanese and Latina) and my dh is also (Guamanian and Swiss/English-American). We have a lot more in common than not. Glad to meet you all.

Tina

cappuccinosmom

· #11 · Jun 6, 2005

Quote:

he is from addis. his parents are eritrean/tegrinya.

Ah. Dh is from down south (Wolaitta), though he spent an awful lot of time in Addis.

Quote:

on the ap end of things, the match is quite perfect. i feel more comfy nursing and babywearing, for example, around my inlaws than around my family.

This is something I miss since my inlaws are still in Ethiopia. I knew it was good when we visited them and dh's aunt was nursing her toddler, and dh's mother was commenting on how adorable it was.

:

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QueenSheba'sMom

· #12 · Jun 6, 2005

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by cappuccinosmom
Ah. Dh is from down south (Wolaitta), though he spent an awful lot of time in Addis.

This is something I miss since my inlaws are still in Ethiopia. I knew it was good when we visited them and dh's aunt was nursing her toddler, and dh's mother was commenting on how adorable it was.

:

is he oromo then?

they usually nurse till about 3ish in back home, but many habesha use formula here. it has to do with cultural translation. they aim to make things as easy as possible for the moms by helping them out as much as possible, and they think breastfeeding here is a lot more difficult.

but the breast is very much associated with feeding in ethiopia. moms of teenages will bare their breast to them when dissappointed. nip is very normal. very few people use disposable diapers. formula is hard to get a hold of. people use gabis instead of strollers. they don't have baby food.

so you visited ethiopia? we have yet to go. that's wonderful.

are there many habesha in pennsylvania? there are many habesha here. probably half of our friends, half of our diet, etc. are/is habesha, and people speak amharic to the girls when we're out & about.

I'm sorry to jack this post- I probably shopuld have just inboxed you

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katt

· #13 · Jun 6, 2005

I'm white american mutt married to Filipino. He was born in Guam and spent a lot of time all over. His Dad was in the Navy so while he spent quite a few years in the Islands, he's also lived in several places here in the states as well.

tinaq

· #14 · Jun 6, 2005

Katt~ We were Navy brats, too. Dh's step-mom is filipino & his brother is half.

Mags~ Where in Taiwan is your family from? Mom's from Tainan, but she has a brother in Kaoshung (sp?).

Tina

mags

· #15 · Jun 6, 2005

Hi Tina!

My mom has family in kaoshung and taipei, my dad's family is mostly now in taipei, but both she and my dad originally grew up in the taichung (sp) region. I haven't been back to taiwan since I was in college... that stupid "love boat" summer program my parents insisted I HAD to do. My mom just got back from taiwan (and she visited china too, b/c we have relatives who moved their business to china) last wk. She brought back some pretty funny outfits for my DS, lol. You know how a lot of clothing has english wording that doesn't make sense? Well... I don't know why, but that is the stuff she brought back for him, after I told her NOT to buy him anything, b/c I knew she'd choose something weird...

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinaq
Katt~ We were Navy brats, too. Dh's step-mom is filipino & his brother is half.

Mags~ Where in Taiwan is your family from? Mom's from Tainan, but she has a brother in Kaoshung (sp?).

Tina

tinaq

· #16 · Jun 6, 2005

3

Mags~

Oh, my mom just got back from Taiwan, too. Last I went back was '98 for a cousin's wedding. I really wish I could've gone back w/ her. Would've been nice to do all that eating

My mom brought back some interesting things for the kids, too.

Family there sent back baht necklaces (the yellow gold) for the kids, although, I don't think they'll wear them until they're atleast in their teens, I'd be afraid they'd lose them

It's quite a dichotomy growing up in the US w/ Taiwanese parent(s) (or as being bi-cultural period, I would imagine), eh? I feel like I'm living in an Amy Tan book sometimes.

Tina

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gossamer

· #17 · Jun 6, 2005

Although my dh and I were both born in the USA, his mother is mexican and culturally the family is mexican. Which usually is not a problem, but occasionally the differences flare up and it is not a pretty sight. I think in some ways it is harder for me because they are not obviously foreign I can forget that culturally they are.
Gossamer

kamesennin

· #18 · Jun 6, 2005

2

I'm a 4th generation Japanese-American married to a Japanese man. Born and raised in Hawaii until 14--I'm Japanese/Filipino/Spanish/German. My grandmother is from Germany--she has a total accent, blond hair, everything. People are surprised to hear that since I just look Asian.

We just moved back from Japan to WA so my husband and I are still trying to get used to living here. We don't really have any cultural problems and I have a wonderful MIL who sends us great big boxes of stuff for baby!

Putting baby to sleep in a different room is practically unheard of in Japan, probably because the houses/apartments are so small, so Dh doesn't have any problems at all with co sleeping.

Nice to meet all of you!

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tinaq

· #19 · Jun 7, 2005

Ooo, Liane, where did you all live in Japan? Dh & I met there & I lived there as a child and teenager for 7 years. We love Japan & wish we could go back, but I don't think it's in the plans for living there.

Dh's mom is blonde hair/blue eyes (and so is one of his sisters) & it always catches folks off guard that she's his mom, too, since he has a dark complexion & hair.

Tina

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cappuccinosmom

· #20 · Jun 7, 2005

3

Quote:

Originally Posted by .me.
is he oromo then?

Actually, Wolaitta and Hadiya. Don't spread it around, though. :LOL The last time I told another Ethiopian (who was Amhara), he immediately concluded my dh was an uneducated yokel.

:

Quote:

so you visited ethiopia? we have yet to go. that's wonderful.

Yeah, that's where I met dh. And we were married there and lived there a few months before we came to the States. It is an absolutely beautiful country. With beautiful people.

Quote:

are there many habesha in pennsylvania?

Not many here. We just finally got an Ethiopian restaurant in town. Yay! We have just a few college students, and we know a couple who are both doctors. But that's all.

Wanna take it to inbox?

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