Living with someone from another culture

[All uphill]

With easy international travel, cycle touring and open borders it's not surprising that some of us have partners or spouses from other countries and cultures.

Prompted by another thread here I thought I'd open a chat about that experience and the things I'd like someone to have told me before I got involved.

I have married twice, each time to someone from another European country. Mostly its been great - sharing and learning and sometimes it's been harder.

 

[Brandane]

Maybe I should try it sometime; because I always seem to manage to make a complete ar*e of it with those of my own culture.
Mind you, there was a young lady from Greenock once ..... now there's a challenging cultural difference, for sure (and that didn't work too well either) .
Possibly, just possibly, it's me .

 

[Peter Salt]

There's this old joke, I'll probably mess it up:

Aliens come to planet Earth and abduct 3 random men. They put them in a room and say: 'Alrigt, which one of you lot is the smartest?'. First guy says: 'I'm a neurosurgeon with 20 years of experience, highly regarded internationally'. The second guy responds: 'I'm a Cambridge University professor, recently shortlisted for the Nobel prize in physics'. The third guy goes: 'I've never married'. The aliens instantly shot the first two.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Is this about teenagers?

 

[Gillstay]

My 4 brothers have partners managed to end up with partners from 3 different cultures and one from Chapel en le Frith. So four in truth.
For a while they were called our imports as at the time people were bringing cars in from Europe. It makes life more interesting and broadens the mind in ways you do not expect.

 

[HMS_Dave]

It's amazing during my travel's how many people i can relate to and aren't too different to me, although that of course is my opinion. You'd have to ask the people who i have interacted with what they think of a fat, middle aged pillock from the midlands with a tendency to trip up on just about anything.

 

[Eziemnaik]

My prettier half is from Argentina - it makes for a lot of socialising with SA friends, mate 5xday, some rather hilarious language hiccups, dinners starting at 11pm, meat consumption that would scare Greta and generally lots of shouting during football games

 

[nickyboy]

mate 5xday

Blimey

 

[Brandane]

Blimey

Surprised he's got time to waste on CC .

 

[gbb]

For a long time, i realised that on the whole, if you meet someone from another country/culture...on a one to one basis, just chat, we all get along. Ive worked in Cyprus, Egypt, Spain and Uruguay. Once past, and sometimes despite the language differences or difficulties, i always got in with whoever i was working with. Egyptians i found extremely friendly.
Being in a relationship could be a whole different kettle of fish.

 

[Drago]

My first wife was Greek. Couldn't stand the cuisine, but made an effort to learn some of the language.

Mrs D Mk2 is fairly normal Anglo saxon, and Im a Kent born Scotsman, of hungarian-Jewish and Breton-Cornish heritage, so theres a lot of culture to choose from.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

My wife's Dundonian - does that count? They have an entire language - circles, cundies n ingin anes anaw. Their society is quite matriarchal - men are called "kettle bilers" and they don't travel well. Something like 70% of native Dundonians don't have a passport.

A strange people, but likeable in their own way.

 

[Electric_Andy]

I lived and travelled with lots of people, German, Japanese, Israeli, Welsh and Greek. The Welsh I found most stubborn. The Greeks were annoying because meeting at 1pm in their language is just after 2pm. And they'll sleep all afternoon and be ready to go out on the tiles at 11pm when I'm nearly falling asleep!

 

[Blue Hills]

My first wife was Greek. Couldn't stand the cuisine, but made an effort to learn some of the language.

Mrs D Mk2 is fairly normal Anglo saxon, and Im a Kent born Scotsman, of hungarian-Jewish and Breton-Cornish heritage, so theres a lot of culture to choose from.

Maybe you could mate with yourself and report back.

 

[Blue Hills]

My wife's Dundonian - does that count? They have an entire language - circles, cundies n ingin anes anaw. Their society is quite matriarchal - men are called "kettle bilers" and they don't travel well. Something like 70% of native Dundonians don't have a passport.

A strange people, but likeable in their own way.

What does kettle bilers mean?