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So you’re marrying a foreigner. Half of my immediate family members have done the same. My mother is a foreigner. Her second husband—my stepfather—is a foreigner. And my sister is engaged to a foreigner. We have some rather international gatherings when we get together for the holidays and we have a lot of lost-in-translation moments when someone isn’t sure if they should be grateful, insulted, or just…laughing. I like having so many different cultures in my world. But I’ve also seen the little bumps in the road that come with marrying someone, in your native country, who comes from another country. In addition to all of the other struggles couples face, there is this additional layer of complication. Of course, when you love someone, it’s all worth it. Here’s what you should know if you’re marrying a foreigner.
Humor can be lost in translation
People bond through laughter but sometimes, you don’t know that you’re supposed to laugh at what your partner—with his endearing accent—just said. Maybe he used the wrong word or he used a saying that only carries weight in his country but means nothing to you. You eventually get to know each other, language hiccups and all, so well that you laugh together a lot.
