Villiage Life to Stateside

[adambchildress]

hi i have a few topics on here my wife is from a villiage outside Taishan City they got electricity 10 years ago and a phoone 3 years ago but still have no running water and such they have a woodburning stove and wash cloths by hand.......does anyone come from the same background and if anyone does please share your experiences with coping with the change of environment if you havent yet i would love to hear from your S.O. on their worries about the changes you will face. this means id like to hear from everyone regarding how they are eaither worried for the way their spouse will cope with new surroundings or from the spouse and how they have coped with the changes. good luck cant wait to hear from you.

[skibum]

In China there is a big difference between city people and country people. City people have a much better chance to get an education. They are used to using modern appliances and western toilets. The only problem my wife had was using the vacuum because she did not know that the handle tilted.

 

We will be interested in knowing how your wife handles her new experiences.

[pkfops]

There have been a few threads in the Culture & Language section.

[ptcrusier333rph]

mine going to be stump by the washer and dryer, she never use one or seen one operate.

 

Robert

[jkobman]

Sarah also got a phone in the last 10 yrs. and washed clothes by hand until she got here.

 

I think a lot of the adjustment will be determined by her motivation to adjust to the US and the both of you being patient. Sarah has had to transition from her "in China we did it this way..." to learning a new way, a new US way. Also, I have had to be patient, loving, listening, etc.

 

A few things that might help:

keep the phone cards in force so she can call home

get her in ESOL classes (if she needs them - Sarah started a couple of weeks after she arrived),

get her hooked up so she can go to the store by herself - bus, a neighbor, etc.

I got her a savings acct and a debit card - it had to be a joint acct. until she got her green card

We always refer the house and "stuff" as our home, our TV, our car, etc.

It's also "our" mother, our father, sister, sons....our church, our Pastor....

She now knows the neighbors

She has hooked up with a new Chinese friend at her ESOL class

We did not get CCTV - I think some will disagree = Sarah told me to not get CCTV as we now live in America (I thought "WOW!")

she is studying for her drivers license and took an adult ed class on job-seeking skills

 

I hope this helped, feel free to EMail me.

 

Jeff

[HanLi]

Great post adam, these are the kinds of topics we need so we can continue to develop an understanding of the challenges our SO's face.....

I am lucky in a way, since my wife lived in Shanghai and is familiar with most modern conveniences......... my only suggestion to you is to be patient and provide her with every opportunity to learn more about the differences here...... and to support her when she feels overwhelmed. I have made conscious effort to find her friends before she arrives, a chinese lady I recently met in a class, a coworker from Hangzhou.... I look everyday.... even here on CFL, I am making plans to meet other couples, the transition is going to be tough, be sure to cherish her always......