Home Preps to ease Cultural Differences

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

Hey Guys/Gals Just curious what preps you folks are doing to ease the cultural transitions of your new significant others?

[evoria 19]

For my husband the most difficult thing to get used to was the food. Before he came I found international markets and tried to learn from friends from Ghana how to cook the foods he was used to. I do pretty good, he still prefers me to cook. Of course I take him to different restaraunts to try to find somethings he likes. From Asian to Italian the only successes I have had has been Famous Dave's Ribs, one dish at an Italian place and Burger King. Its been a year, that is all I have found that he likes.

[Tintin and Mike 127]

Not much adjustments for us as we're both Filipinos. Only thing I have to explain to him is how different things are run here in the US as compared to the Philippines

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

Foods:

My love knows a lot about the west because she works at a French hospital and works with them. She also speaks English and French well, but I know she doesn't like western foods, I am from South Louisiana and the seafood here is similar and so are the ways we cook them. Cajuns can easily be Asians for all the rice we eat. And I’ve heard it said on more than one occasion, “A Cajun will eat anything” and not always in a complimentary way hehe. My openness to not eating any western food on my first trip there put her at ease I think when it came to foods. On my second trip I was invited to eat dinner every day with her family. They were initially concerned if I would eat the foods and Linh told them “Don’t worry about him, he’s normal” I loved it when I heard that, but sorry I digress a bit. I love to cook like most Cajuns and paid a lot of attention to the foods and the ingredients. As well as preparations, and even the appliances used to cook them. I do not own a quality large Hot Pot, and so I ordered one on Amazon. I am also an avid gardener and recently added things to my kitchen garden to make my trips less frequent to the local VN market. I am also been stocking up my pantry with can and dry goods that are commonly used in her everyday eating. I am also subscribed to web site Vietnam foods and several YouTube Vietnamese cooking channels, like yummies for dummies.

I would love to know what others are doing in regards to food… Bill

[ScottThuy 140]

Buy plenty of hangers, Find the local Vn markets... wait to buy foods etc and do that together so she is able to take ownership of the tasks rather than feeling like she is walking into a prepped hotel...

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

Buy plenty of hangers, Find the local Vn markets... wait to buy foods etc and do that together so she is able to take ownership of the tasks rather than feeling like she is walking into a prepped hotel...

Thanks for your reply, hangers, I think that is with the gender Lol. I agree with you on her taking ownership of the the shopping tasks, as well as her redecorating the house to her tastes to make it her home. Problem is I live outside the Baton Rouge city limits and it is 20 minute drive to the VN section of town. She drives a scooter everywhere in HCMC and that is a city of convience, everything you want can easily be found nearby. I will have to teach her to drive, I have a 2002 Grand Prix as a "learner car" for her to drive when she gets here. It is in really good condition, my daughter used it as her learner car until I bought her a new one. It's a solid and safe car so I don't have much worries. I thought about getting her a scooter as well but I live on a busy hwy and fear for her safety, Americans don't stop when someone pulls out. Unlike HCMC were millions of scooters can roam aimlessly. I guess I'm concerned of her feeling caged without the freedom of travel she currently enjoys even if it is a temporary thing. I guess I need to find out about Louisiana driving requirments, learners licences, motorcycle endorcements ect.

[JRF 117]

One of the first things we plan for my wife to do upon arrival from VN is get her driver license. It will be an adjustment - people in So Cal drive fast - but not nearly as chaotic as traffic in Vietnam (hmm...I guess the 101 in the Valley is pretty chaotic).

Same with food - she prefers VN food (and we never eat Western food in Vietnam, too expensive and almost always bad to my taste) but realizes that she is going to have to adjust to new foods. I think the biggest adjustment for her will be the seperation from family. Skype is a great thing but let's face it, it doesn't match being there in person. Like many Vietnamese women she is very close to all of her extended family. I think that adjustment will be far harder than anything else. Oh, that and living with me. Can't forget the basic adjustments involved when you start living with someone else.

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

I think the biggest adjustment for her will be the seperation from family. Skype is a great thing but let's face it, it doesn't match being there in person. Like many Vietnamese women she is very close to all of her extended family. I think that adjustment will be far harder than anything else. Oh, that and living with me. Can't forget the basic adjustments involved when you start living with someone else.

This is a good point we only briefly discussed. she has an old desktop tower computer running windows xp. She will need to get a new computer and to teach her parents how to use it to use Skype. I have an account same as my profile name here, but rarely use it, we use Yahoo as it seems to be easier and it keeps chat log to the beginning of time. (our time hehe). My niece is moving to Vancouver and been getting all her friends to use Viper, I don't know much about that but may try it as a secondary option. Linh is very close to her family as you described also. Linh and her brother support their parents.

[JRF 117]

We just started using Viber last fall...free calls and text messaging. It's been great (can use it over 3G) for those times when you can't use Skype (or Yahoo).

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

We just started using Viber last fall...free calls and text messaging. It's been great (can use it over 3G) for those times when you can't use Skype (or Yahoo).

Awesome! ok I will download this and try it, thanks!

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

hehe, this is one cultural difference I didn't know existed until my first visit to Vietnam.... it's the Bathroom Bum Gun. hehe

I started looking because without going into detail I'm sure it will be used. I couldn't even find one in any homecenter, not even their catalogs.

but I searched online and found Home Depot has them that can be ordered online and delivered to the nearest store.

[degreeofhope 2]

Yeah i just use Viber. i can talk anytime anywhere.

i never use skype and i dont intend to. because Viber is too great.

[degreeofhope 2]

the first thing my wife did after she came here was she re-organized my kitchen cabinets to her liking. she even moved my computer desk and tidy up the place.

she moved anything that is an eyesore to her.

and i love it. i'd rather see her do that instead of just sitting in the house like a duck.

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

the first thing my wife did after she came here was she re-organized my kitchen cabinets to her liking. she even moved my computer desk and tidy up the place.

she moved anything that is an eyesore to her.

and i love it. i'd rather see her do that instead of just sitting in the house like a duck.

I so look forward to that! I been divorced for over 7 years and my place has become a bit masculine due to all the hunting and fishing activities I do.

[BatonRouge Bill 2]

hmm, Linh ordered new linens for the bedroom online to be shipped to the house hehe, brighten up the bedroom. I love that woman!

I guess i'll be painting the bedroom soon hehe.