Raising a child is difficult. And when you are not on your own turf, it is even more difficult. You are forced to re-think your own values and traditions.

I find it more and more difficult to show my son the importance of the values and traditions I grew up with, especially when everyone else around him grew up believing in something else.

In addition, my husband and I have found ourselves disagreeing about silly little things; issues which should have been non-issues had we realized beforehand that it was just a matter of cultural differences. We've learned (after years of bickering) that there are just way too many issues wherein we will never agree. That there are times when we should just agree to disagree. Compromise is a must if decisions are shared between 2 people of different cultures.

We have weighed the pros and cons of each others' culture. We have assessed our values and compromised on some to make our own culture in order to try to give our son the best of both worlds. Hopefully, this will become our son's culture which would dictate his intrinsic values.

No, our work is not done yet. Constant re-assesment is needed (read: more bickering). More fireworks expected to erupt in our anyway already loud home.

Wish us luck!