Dating someone who grew up from a different race and culture is quite a challenge. Any relationship in itself is hard to maintain.
Interracial relationships may present their unique challenges but are worth a try. Love sees no color.
First and foremost, you should know where to look. You’re lucky if you encounter the perfect man or woman at the gym, grocery store or concert. Fate may get you introduced to a friend’s friend from another country.
However, leaving love to chance could take longer than you want. It’s now easy to make the first move by going on an interracial dating site where you can filter your choices and find a like-minded match.
Once you’re ready to meet up and take it to the next level, here are seven tips to help your relationship blossom:
1. Preserve Common Interests
Get to know each other as individuals. The idea is you get to enjoy doing what you do, uphold your personal values and explore your interests with someone who shares the same. Look ahead into the future with a similar belief system, morals, principles and goals. The commonalities will enable your relationship to thrive.
2. Celebrate Differences
The beauty of an interracial relationship lies in the uniqueness of your cultural backgrounds, regardless of color or race. You’ll be exposed to a culture you may be entirely unfamiliar with. Learn from each other as you discover new customs, traditions, rituals, languages and different ways of life. It’s about gaining a deeper understanding of your partner, everything that’s linked to his or her life, and together making it work.
3. Maintain Good Communication
Being open with each other is essential in any relationship. Acknowledge cultural differences, then approach them directly, honestly and with respect. If unsure or confused about something, ask in a respectful way. You can never go wrong in treating your partner the way you would like to be treated. Of course, communication has to be two-way to be deemed a healthy partnership. Don’t shy away or keep things from your partner. Take time to entirely lend your ears when it’s his or her turn to talk.
4. Expect Sacrifices Along the Way
Embarking on this interracial/intercultural milestone in life entails the willingness to sacrifice. Different backgrounds and roots mean a plethora of differences. Both parties will have to compromise certain things at one point or another. The sacrifices are often linked to disapproving families or religion. You should be willing to sacrifice for the sake of your relationship and partner.
5. Never Go to Bed Angry
Be patient in explaining and helping your partner navigate through your culture and all extended relationships. However, don’t assume most of your disagreements are caused by cultural differences. Resolve any conflict that has led to an argument while you can. Sounds like a cliche, but letting the sun go down with your anger can shove ill-feelings deeper along the way. Slight annoyances and irritation may soon turn into resentment.
6. Forgive and Start Over
Many couples don’t realize how petty something can be and that the argument merely is not worth having, so lighten up! There are times when you have to wake up, not literally, but in the sense of snapping out of a senseless or fruitless quarrel. Apologize when you’re wrong, learn to forgive and start with a clean slate.
7. Continue To Grow Together
As months or years go by, your current situation, work and your lives may lead you to different paths. Decide if you’re in it for the long haul. Once you commit, you’ll be in the journey together. Give your partner room to grow while supporting each other towards a deeper and more meaningful relationship.
Cultural differences aside, some problems interracial couples face are seldom about their partner and their upbringing. More often than not, it’s due to family pressure, their neighbors, religious community and even comments hurled by insensitive strangers who negatively judge other people.
Can you help whom you fall in love with? It shouldn’t matter how much others may disapprove or what they say. What’s important is you deal with all the stigma and challenges as a couple. Security is key to having a healthy and successful interracial relationship.
Considering the challenges faced by interracial couples what are the unique challenges faced by interracial blended families? We would love to hear from you.
