Is Culture Clash Killing Your Marriage?

Friday, March 30, 2012, 18:38

One of many reasons for marriages breaking up these days is a culture clash. It is not necessary that this will happen only when both partners come from different religions or cultures. Every family has its own culture. The inability to adjust to each other's culture can also be the root of your marriage problem. If you want to save your marriage from the clutches of an ugly end, you must be prepared to adapt.

As cross cultural marriages are on the rise, it makes sense to see how it can lead to a culture clash in the future. Here, are some situations in which you might have marriage problems due to different cultural backgrounds.

When Culture Clash Starts:

1. The Wedding Planners: As Chetan Bhagat says in his novel Two States; 'by the time you have made everybody happy you, wonder if there is any love left'. If you come from different cultures, the wedding customs of both will be different. The wedding thus becomes the bone of contention between the two families. The cascading effect will boil down to you.

2. When The Mothers Call: After such an explosive start, you would expect the two families to find some peace with each other. Alas, you are wrong. Every time either mother calls on you, there will be trouble brewing. Parents on both sides will try make your lifestyle come closer to the one followed by them.

3. No Mirror Issues: No issues can be called minor issues in marriage like this. There will a huge debate over how each festival is to be celebrated and every holiday spent. When you cannot come to a peaceful consensus, culture clash will start putting a bitter taste in your mouths.

4. Is Just The Two Of You: When you fell in love and decided to get married, it was just the two of you. But now that you are married, the whole world comes into the picture. Everybody's opinions are important, and so are their feelings. The two of you are all but neglected in the process. If you want to save your marriage from this mess then stop listening to others.

5. Wait Till The Kids Come: Culture clash becomes all the more pronounced after your kids come into the picture. Till now, it was just the two of you struggling with your differences. Now, your respective families have a fresh source to start a conflict. Which language should the child speak? Which church should they attend? What food they must eat? Everything is a raging battle. If you both do not stick together, the marriage is all but over.

These relationship tips will help you understand the problems of a marriage that is cross cultural.