4 perks of being in an interracial relationship

After living in Asia for almost a year, I found something that I wasn’t expecting to find on this side of the globe: my better half. We have been on vacation to my country, her country, and some other places; and despite a few disagreements, we have never fought. Based on our experience, here are a few things that you can expect to gain along the way.

1. You will discover new cuisine, a new culture, a new history you might have never heard of before

Let’s start with the obvious. When you date someone who is not from your own country, you will end up learning and trying things you maybe didn’t even know existed. Whether it’s a new type of cuisine, a part of History or Geopolitics you are unfamiliar with, or even a whole new country (I met a guy from Belize once, no offense but seriously how many of you know about Belize and can place it on a map??). Dating a foreigner offers an amazing wealth of information and will expand your horizons and general knowledge effortlessly.

Who wouldn't want to try that?

Picture from planetwandering.com

2. You can stay in another country rent-free

Alongside the opportunity to discover a new country comes the perk of being able to stay there more-or-less rent-free. Let’s face it, traveling is probably the best thing in the world, but it comes at a cost. Staying at a hotel in Paris can seriously dent your budget, especially if it’s for more than a day or two. But visiting your sweetheart’s family and being invited to stay at the parents’ house and meeting the relatives can be quite a relief, if you don’t mind the potentially awkward conversations like: ‘’So, what are your plans for the future? When are you gonna tie the knot?” And if you choose not to stay with family, you can always crash a friend’s couch for a couple of days, right?

3. You start learning a new language

For all language aficionados out here, that one is a big plus. If you’re lucky enough to find someone who is willing to teach you their native language, or at least some phrases, it’s a great way to add a language to your collection. If English isn’t your native language, you can even double the benefits. In our case, my gf being unable to speak French but at a native level in English, we converse in English all the time. Though I wasn’t so bad at it before, obviously my vocabulary and idioms improved tremendously and she makes a point of correcting me when I make a mistake so I don’t really have a choice in the matter. Furthermore, I’m also trying to learn her native language, at least from time to time. And even if I am far from being able to have a conversation, we can now use some of these little expressions and words that are so hard to translate from one language to another, but are sooo useful to express ourselves! Imagine talking to someone in English who doesn’t understand what OMG means…

4. You learn to communicate better and not to take the obvious for granted

When dating a foreigner, there are obvious concerns and worries that can be raised, regarding cultural or religious differences, for example. It’s not always easy to be with someone who grew up with values, habits or customs different from yours. It can raise your awareness of your own misconceptions and stereotypes, but it can also lead to conflicts and miscommunication. Not to mention that at least one of you will be speaking in a language that is not your mother tongue, which also doesn’t help when it comes to expressing yourself and explaining your frustrations. If communication is the key to a successful relationship, extra efforts have to be made when you are a mixed couple. So, PDA is tolerated in your country? You might wanna check with your partner if they are comfortable with it. Giving orders is not too direct in your native language? Your partner might feel bossed around if their own language uses a lot of polite phrases like “Could you …?” even when talking to family members. These are small details that can easily be discussed with your partner, and once clarified, will make you even stronger together.

In conclusion, despite some occasional misunderstandings, this relationship has offered us a lot of new and valuable experiences, laughter and growth. I can’t wait so see what else I’m going to learn from our love and friendship.

How about you? Have you ever been in an interracial relationship? What have you learned from that?

#dating #perks #relationship