In the first place, men and women were created differently from each other and even if you marry a woman from your own country, it still takes effort to make a relationship work. When a foreigner dates a Filipina lady whose background is totally different, it means both must double their effort for things to click. Unless you were dragged to the marriage chamber with a handkerchief over your eyes, you are aware of this and saying "I do" means you have to accept her for what she is, what she stands for. Here are some issues where you differ:
Attachment to her family. For a Filipina lady, family always comes first so the need to be in constant communication with her family is always there. She will always think what is better for her family.
Money. In a Filipino family, the woman usually holds the purse strings and does the budget. One habit you may not understand is a Filipina lady may splurge and spend hard-earned money on fiestas, celebrations.
Food.The Filipina lady may adjust to your taste but she will still crave for her usual rice and viand servings. She also eats foods you may consider bizarre like balut, a boiled day-old chick egg dipped in vinegar and salt, bagoong (anchovy), and tuyo (dried fish). The smell of these foods may be disgusting to you but please do not call the police to arrest her if she eats these (although there is a danger that your neighbors will!).
Growing up with the idea that food is not that easy to find, your girlfriend always thinks of ways to save, so do not be surprised to see leftover food from breakfast reappear at the table for lunch. When you dine out in a restaurant, your girlfriend would probably ask the waiter to wrap what is left to take home. Deep in her heart, she may be feeling guilty and wondering what her family is having for dinner while she is at the plush restaurant with you.
Privacy. When a Filipina lady already considers you as family, she may take things for granted and be offended when you react if she inspects your wallet, emails, and even cellphone messages. To her, it is not an intrusion of privacy but a symbol that you trust her and that since you would be married anyway, there should be no secrets between you.
Time. When your girlfriend says "I will be there around 6 o'clock", do not expect here to be there on the dot. Expect her up to even an hour later as she does not want to appear "too eager". Filipino time is never on time.
Communication problems. Your girlfriend may not be able to tell you exactly what she wants. She is not trained to holler and shout when she needs to and you may not understand what she means when she says something. She may even expect you to read her raised eyebrows and puckered lip.
Permanence in relationship. Your view on marriage and relationships may differ. For a Filipina lady, marriage is a permanent thing and she will not think of divorce when things go wrong. Remember "it is because you are so different from each other that you have so much to share".
One of the most exciting moments in dating Ukrainian brides is planning your first arrival to Ukraine and the first meeting with your online date, face to face. Of course each of you has certain expectations and hopes, and possibly some fears, too. Though, as you would definitely learn later, not all your expectations would come true and not all your fears would be justified.
However, you might also encounter some unexpected problems that you did not give much thought to earlier. Such problems could arise from issues regarding cultural differences. At the onset, this may seem inconsequential, but not addressing them soon enough may be fatal to your relationship. Let us take a deeper look at some of these concerns that you might have to deal with.
Dress Code. Many men, mainly those from the United States, may get the surprise of their life by the Ukrainian ladies dress style, which almost borders to immodesty. Ukrainian women are aware that they have beautiful bodies and are not uncomfortable in showing them off. But this liberality in dressing style does not mean that they are the same way towards sex. Many women would not agree to have sex on their first date. Some would not even have sex with a man, who they are not betrothed or married to.
Your Ukrainian bride may be in for a surprise as well, as many American and European men are fond of wearing very casual or sporty outfits, such as corduroy pants or denim jeans and shorts. Such clothes are considered by Ukrianian women as very inappropriate outfits for going to dates such as dining out and theaters.
Smiling and chewing gums. Both can be considered to be a part of American culture. People in the USA always smile and they often times use chewing gum. In Ukraine people also love to smile and they use chewing gum, but do it differently than in the US. I have heard many times Americans say that Ukrainians are a bit sullen. That is not true. People here love to smile and to have fun, but it is not a part of the local culture to smile at people you do not know on public transportation, on the streets, at stores or other public places. If you would smile here as much as you do in your home country, people may think you are not in your right mind. Your Ukrainian lady may think the same!
As to the chewing gum, people here, especially the elder generation, think it rude to talk to someone and to chew on a gum. People may get irritated by such practice. They consider it to be a nasty habit.
Flowers. Your Ukrainian lady would really love to receive flowers from you on your first date, but never give her a bouquet with an even number of flowers, as this is only for funerals. Do not give them yellow flowers also, as yellow symbolizes separation. So, if your lady is quite superstitious, she may consider it as a bad sign for the relationship and therefore you'll loose your chance.
Both Peter Finch & Peter Tate are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.