We are going to a an Irish-Australian wedding this weekend.
We have known the couple for the past two years and really hit it off as the men could reminisce of their homeland, while we women discussed international relationships. Didn’t I tell you I am in an Irish-Canadian marriage? Next weekend also marks our six-month wedding anniversary, so we have been thinking back to all of the Canadians and Irish who made their way to tiny Salthill in Galway to mark the occasion with us.
You see, we were incredibly lucky to have 1/3 of our guests from my side in a foreign country. But really, who wouldn’t want to visit Ireland in March!? My point is, international relationships are hard. Well ok, ALL relationships have their ups and downs. But international ones? Layer visa restrictions, cultural differences and distance from family and friends on top and you get a lively mixture of potential stressors and expectations to juggle, on top of your regular day-to-day ups and downs.
The longer I am an expat, the more I recognise how important cultural identity is (at least to us). We are both proud to be where we come from and to have support from both sides of the Atlantic, when we currently live on the other side of the world, is just the icing on the cake! Now it’s our turn to show support as we toast the happy couple on Saturday and wish them all the best as they start their lives together.
Notes From Another Land 