Cultural Differences in Marriage

Begin by seeking knowledge and understanding of each other's culture. Then you can move into acceptance and appreciation. Your cultures are different, and one is not right and the other wrong.

Cultural exploration is especially important before a couple marries and has children. Your cultures will affect most aspects of your relationship. Areas affected include family relationships, roles of women and men, communication skills, physical hygiene, role of religion, importance of education and careers and clothing/manner of dress. Knowing each other as partners includes knowing each other's culture.

When you are in a committed relationship/marriage, it is wise to have your cultures be a source of harmony rather than disunity. Some ways that you can do this are being sensitive to each other's needs and choices, nurturing appreciation for each other's culture, being flexible, focusing on loving one another and having both a spirit of adventure and sense of humor.