Segment 1: The Globalization of Love.
On this edition of The Doug Noll Show we speak with Wendy Williams, author of The Globalisation of Love, a book about multicultural romance and marriage. Wendy has lived in 6 different countries and has worked internationally for 18 years. She is Canadian, married to an Austrian, and lives in Vienna, Austria with their daughter. Wendy’s book is based on dozens of interviews with multicultural couples from around the world and includes chapters on multicultural weddings, religion, race, food, language and children.
Segment 2: The Increase in Multicultural Relationships.
Wendy was born into a multicultural environment and grew up in a multicultural family. At an early age she recognized cultural differences. She says there is no specific “formula” for what makes a multicultural relationship work. It’s all about the individuals involved. Her advice for young people getting into multicultural relationships is to start asking questions very early in the relationship and become educated about your partner’s culture and his or her reactions to certain situations. That way, instead of assuming your partner is stubborn and big-headed, you realize they are just acting according to the cultural norm for the society from which they come. Sit together and ask questions. Listen. Don’t make assumptions.
So why are there so many multicultural relationships these days? Wendy believes the increase is due to having more opportunities to meet. People are traveling more for business and pleasure. The internet is also a big factor, as technology has enabled people to stay in contact cheaply and conveniently. With ongoing globalization, society is becoming much more accepting of multi-cultural relationships.
Segment 3: Meeting the Parents.
Imagine meeting the parents for the first time: you are jet-lagged from flying to a new country, you don’t speak the language, there’s the issue of accommodations, and you go from being complete strangers to sharing a bathroom together very quickly. Often the native family wants to impress the incoming person and goes overboard with local activities and celebrations, which just adds to the pressure. Family relationships can be quite intense, and you can imagine the conflict that can arise when a family is not educated about other cultures and lifestyles.
Segment 4: The Path to Peace.
Multicultural children usually go through a period of questioning, “Who am I? What am I? Where do I belong in the world?” Wendy has found that they usually gravitate toward one parent or the other, which can be difficult. On the other hand, these children grow up knowing a world of differences which enables them to be very open and accepting of different people and ways of doing things. The globalization of love is the path to peace. Multicultural families prove every day that their families are “ambassadors for world peace.” They promote acceptance and tolerance. The modern multicultural relationship is defined by the individuals within it, not by society.
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