I met a fellow blogger by the name of Paula in the Thank, Q Community on TheBlogFrog. Paula is from Germany and now resides in the U.S. with her American husband.
After reading a few of her comments on one of the forum discussions, I was extremely fascinated with some of the different values that I learned about her German background. Some of those differences are completely opposite of her husband.
As I read some of the comparisons she made to how her husband was raised and how she was raised, it made me realize how wonderful the story of them becoming husband and wife truly was.
We should all embrace the opportunity to learn something about someone else. We should all embrace diversity.
Below, I have included some of the differences Paula mentioned to me in the forum:
Paula
"I am very independent, confident and well travelled, always ready to go for discussions. I mean for truly and hearty discussing and sharing different opinions. I grew up speaking openly about love, sex, religion and politics. I am used to sunbath nude. He is highly protective, considers a discussion an argument, and nudism is not on his plate. He is used to see plenty of violence, blood and guns on the American TV. I am used to see more tenderness, love and sex. This violence thing gives me shivers."
"I never would consider a person a friend if this person wouldnt have proven himself over many years! He very quickly uses the word friend. Makes me cringe!"
"I am used to health checks as often as I want and need. I have access to one of the most efficient health care systems in the world. He constanly considers what and when he is seing a doctor. Copayments and deductibles are foreign to me!"
I encourage you all to visit her blog, "Love is a Journey" to get the full story!
Quincy, it is so nice that you blog about us. However we arent married yet! We decided to get married in the USA in 8 weeks time!
ReplyDeleteThe best experience in life were alwa<ys when living and working in different countries. Meant I had to open my heart and soul much more, reflect on my behaviours /view points and ensured many laughters along the way too!
Oh, my apologies! I didn't realize that you two were not married as of yet!
ReplyDeleteI thought the story was very interesting and just seeing the differences in how Americans are typically raised and how you were raised was pretty cool.
Growing up in Mississippi in the 80's didn't offer me many opportunities for diversity. When I reached my teen years, my town was basically all black or white people. Few Asians. Few Hispanics. Not a lot of diversity.
So, as Mississippi became more enriched with Hispanics and Asians in the mid-to-late 90's, I finally got an opportunity to interact with new cultures and trust me when I say that I welcomed it. Within the last three years, I've built a relationship with many different nationalities from the Ukraine to the Virgin Islands. Through my job, I've met people from all over the world and I truly enjoy getting to know them.
So, needless to say, I wish I had more opportunities with more cultures as a youth. The advantages the bigger cities offer when it comes to diversity are under appreciated, in my opinion.
I married someone from a very different culture too. I am a white American and he is from the Philippines. Although it didn't work out, our children have a unique appreciation of different cultures, in part because of our different backgrounds. Thanks for posting about this!
ReplyDeleteGreat perspectives! One of my colleagues is Swiss and there aree times he and his wife (raised in NJ) seem like they were raised in 2 universes. As a dad to 3 teens now, he says it is really odd to see the that we'll sexualize 7 year olds in a heartbeat (clothes, halloween costumes), but censor nudity on primetime even among married adults!
ReplyDeletewhere in MS are you? My dad had been on coast until Katrina then up to Southaven outside Memphis.
@ Patti - Thanks. I think people around the country, due to election campaigning, are being divided when we all should be coming together. And your example of multi-cultural races are even more reason for us to learn more about others.
ReplyDelete@ Jersey Diva Mom - Thanks for the comment! We do seem to get things backwards sometimes, don't we? Halloween can be a mess.
I'm located in the Jackson area. I'm very familiar with Southaven! It's a very nice area and it's really growing!
That is very interesting. I have many friends who have married people from different countries. It can be difficult to make work because of the cultural differences, but if the love is there it works beautifully. I wish these two people the best of luck with their marriage!
ReplyDeletePeace,
Michelle ;)
Thanks for commenting, Michelle. It can be difficult because some times the cultures can contradict. Aside from that, I do think anything is possible if two people make an effort and love is involved.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, my BF and I are both American, but he was raised in a really agricultural area and is just shy of being Grizzly Adams, and even though I was raised in the country, I'm a little bit more "finished" than he is. Despite being both American, at times it seems we are from 2 different worlds and we can clash, big time. Three and half years later, we're still working on it and really finding our similarities and focusing on that. Thanks for your post Quincy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Teresa! It's funny how people can both be from the same country or even the same state yet be so different. Coming from a "Grizzly Adams" background would be light years away from someone even in a small town or suburb. Good luck to the both of you!
ReplyDeleteDiversity is the spice of life, how boring it would be if we were all the same & always agreed with each other. I grew up mainly on the West coast, with a Catholic mother & a Protestant father & married a New Yorker who had a Jewish mother & a Protestant father. We've been married 26 years now. We have our similarities & our differences. I wish your new found blogger friend & her husband to be many long years together!
ReplyDeleteStopping by from BlogFrog to say hi!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Samsstuff! You are exactly right when you say variety is a spice of life. Instead of people alienating others for their differences, they should be embracing them.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how even my (American) sister being married to an Irish national (living in Ireland) causes judgement. But they fit together beautifully; a perfect match!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing, Charlene. People marrying pets is something that should cause concern, not people marrying people. I understand protecting one's heritage and all, but a person's heritage doesn't have to die just because someone marries what others may consider an "outsider".
ReplyDeleteI lived in Mexico for awhile and I met lots of American/Mexican couples. I think the biggest difficulty was when they had kids. It is hard to live on both sides of the border and make a go of it... I've seen it draw some couples closer together and force others apart.
ReplyDeleteJenn, it can be difficult to deal with for kids because they each have a different group that could wind up pushing them away. The Mexican side doesn't think they're full-blooded and the American side looks at them as outsiders. Sometimes it doesn't affect the parents, but it can have a huge impact on the kids.
ReplyDelete