Helping Foreign Women Adjust to Life in Your Country

Many men who marry foreign women face certain challenges that prevent them from being able to settle into a happily ever after. Before getting married, they face cultural differences, language barriers, distance, and immigration paperwork.

There are, however, some complications following the wedding. One would think that you’d be done and that it would all be fine moving forward. Eventually, reality sets in and the complications that accompany an international marriage become apparent. You and the woman you met on one of those serious dating sites for marriage have to go through a lot more than you probably expect.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, every problem has a solution. Solving problems isn’t the problem - it’s finding them and as far as life transitions examples go, moving to a new country presents a lot of problems and as such, it also presents a lot of solutions.

The Language Barrier

If the woman that you’ve met dating overseas comes from Colombia, Russia, or some other foreign country where the dominant language is not English, you’ve probably run into the language barrier. There’s a good chance she doesn’t speak English well; it’s unlikely you’ll understand everything she says.

The language barrier is actually one of the most prevalent barriers to international dating for a lot of couples.

Communication, one of the most important pillars of a relationship, can be hindered by inability to understand each other. It can be easy on dating sites for singles thanks to online translations services, but it’s a different story in real life.

Still, many couples have devised shorthand that helps them overcome the lack of a common language by picking up bits and pieces of one another’s language.

However, if you bring a foreign woman over to your country, the people around you will not know your shorthand. They might think her language is just noise. Therefore, in order to help her adjust, you’re going to have to get her language lessons so she can converse with people who speak a language other than your own.

Take lessons yourself in her language, not in your language since you already know it, but in hers to encourage her to take classes. Thus, she does not feel like learning is a one-sided process.

Rearranging the Physical Space

Fitting into the same space is another issue that couples, not just international ones, have to deal with when they move in together. In order to accommodate the amount of stuff two people have between them, they have to rearrange their living space.

She will be more comfortable in the new space if you are an active participant in rearranging the environment. A closet organizer will help you organize your closet, or you can throw out some stuff or give it away. You can do a lot to make your home feel like her home as well by carving out space in it. This will make the adjustment period a lot easier.

Getting Her Around

In addition to helping them with adjusting to life in a new country, you should also help them get around. Your city or town may be familiar to you, but she could have a hard time finding her way around your block.

A good way to help her adjust to these new surroundings is to show her around town and make sure she knows how to get home from wherever she is, if necessary.

Pop Culture Clash

People don’t exist in a vacuum where all they have is their relationship and that’s all. It’s not just that they have things to do, but they also consume media that brings them pleasure. It will, however, vary from country to country which media is popular. It is possible that she will not be able to access the shows that she enjoys in your new country or that she will not be able to understand the media in yours.

Western media is exported to every country in the world, but local culture usually dominates the pop culture landscape. Colombian women will prefer Colombian media, and Russian women will prefer Russian media, and so on and so forth.

However, she may not have access to the media outlets she’s familiar with when she moves to a new country. After a long day of work, she needs something to watch so she can relax. So recommend her your favorite shows so she can unwind after a long day. Then she can at least get acclimated to the local culture.

9 to 5

When foreign women move to a new country, they must leave behind their entire lives, including their jobs. Now, even if you are financially well off enough that you can take care of the both of you comfortably, some people work for things other than money. Their motivation for work is to fulfill their sense of accomplishment after a job well done.

After moving abroad, finding a job can be challenging. Certifications from another country may not be recognized by some countries. Although your new wife may have a college degree, your country may not recognize it, which will make job hunting difficult for her.

Therefore, you’re going to have to assist her in finding something. You should help her find certifications she needs and support her while she gets them.

Social Circle

Friends and family are two more things that get left behind when moving to a new country. Many people must be left behind when moving to another country. But that also means that a person who moves won’t have anyone when they arrive. When they get off the plane, all they’ll have is their partner if they moved to be with someone.

Your new wife is in a similar situation. You are the only one she has and you may not be enough for her. There is more to life than romantic love, no matter how much you love each other. Relationships with family and friends are also essential.

It would be a great idea to introduce her to your family and friends during this adjustment period, and to help her find activities that give her a chance to connect with people outside of you.

Relationships can be hard, especially when you add the element of immigration to them, which is especially hard for the person migrating. There are, however, some things you can do to make it easier for your partner. Remember that foreign women had lives before they meet their husbands.