Parental Units

I have been avoiding this topic as I collect my thoughts and figure out what exactly I want to say. The future in-laws dun dun dun. My guy has been very very honest and straight forward since our beginning in regards to his parents. His world and relationship with his parents is completely different then a traditional American parental relationship. The same love is there, the same adoration of their children is there, but the expectation of culture and tradition is as highly present as those two things as well.

We have all heard the stories of arranged marriages and most of think, ' hell I cant even imagine'. It happens, everyday in other countries. Parents arrange a meeting of their children, if they get along well enough , hey they get hitched. Scary isn't it?makes me wonder if we take the choice of love for granted here in the states.

OK back to topic, his parents are traditional, his mother very religious, and his society, not so understanding. His parents know about me, but they cannot take me seriously as I am not there in the flesh. Every so often my guy tells me his mom has set up a meeting for him with yet another girl. It's a beautiful thing that I am not the jealous type, and that I have full faith in him other wise I would be tearing my hair out.

So...his parents do not know everything about me as of yet. And the selective things he has told them has been minimal and truthful. He cannot explain to them some things about me because as a religion, culture, tradition they just will not except it. Like the fact I am white...this will pass. The fact I am divorced...hmm might be years for that to heal. The fact I have a child from my previous marriage..that is never going to be o.k. with them. In their tradition women whom divorce, or are widowed normally are somewhat of outcasts from future relationships. Now not saying this is true to every woman in the current age there but this is what has been tradition for them for thousands of years. Needless to say they are not going to approve once they find out everything about me.

So what can I do? As this relationship grows deeper, the want to have his family adopted as my own will grow. I already have to come to terms with the fact that my child will never be accepted as part of his family because of the circumstances. That in itself is extremely painful. Sigh, I am not sure how to handle this situation now or in the future when things come to a head.

Clash of Cultures

Amongst my aimless holiday net surfing when the presents were wrapped and the children in bed, I came across this photo that amused me to no end. This is exactly how I would feel outside of the USA. Me hypothetically being the blond of course. It also brings me to the question, have we as Americans lost value and moral in our culture when it comes to women's behavior? Or have we always been this flamboyant and the rest of the world are prudes? I certainly would not get caught in that dress, not only because its just not my style but because I am a modest dresser and don't want my junk out for the world to see. Bless the barbie who dawned that dress in this photo, and I would have loved to hear the gossip these other two women had to say!