About Families in Cross Cultural Perspective

Women are moving to other countries in greater numbers to work as independent labor migrants, particularly from the Global South. Recent studies that surveyed 139 Filipino migrant domestic employees revealed that family favored women who adopted the "gender" script (Paul, 2015). It has been noted that these women break down gender stereotypes and make this appeal out of a sense of obligation. In this situation, the migration benefits them first before benefiting their families. On the other hand, there is a situation where women travel as the sister, wife, mother, or child of a resident immigrant. For such scenarios, it is deemed as a con to the women since they are migrating subject to their brother’s/husband’s/father’s preference rather than their liking (Blank, 2013).

Another example here would be in the event that women are allowed to migrate to a different country in the name of duty, but in essence, they are allowed to migrate but attain a different title in their households; they are considered as supplementing their family or personal income; this is more of a disadvantage than an advantage to women. However, it has also been observed that some women opt to migrate to get way from familial expectations and unhappy or abusive marriages. This appeals to many of them as an advantage though it has also been seen that they end up renegotiating with the culture they left behind later in life (Kidman, 2017).

In the recent years, it is evident that international immigration policies have favored the female gender. The recent years have witnessed many women moving to other countries in search of employment opportunities. The labor group in most developed countries consists of women from other parts of the world. The process became immigration totally makes it easy for women to move to other countries. That has left the male species disadvantaged because they lack access to better opportunities, unlike their female counterparts. From and economic point of view, the immigration policies affirm that women should be allowed to move overseas, most as household workers to boost their financial muscle (Paul, 2015).

The family is very critical towards making decisions. Research indicates that most women before seeking for better opportunities either negotiate with their family or other make independent moves. From research, it is evident that only a few women involve their families when it comes to making labor decisions. With motivating factors such as being influenced by friends living overseas, most of them make that bold step to migrate on their own (Kidman, 2017). Additionally, in cases where they are married, the majority considered their husband’s views rather than the extended family. From the evidence, it is correct to conclude that deployment of labor through family negotiations favors the female gender because of the favorable immigration policies that exist for them.

Question Two

Borrowing majorly from the movie “God Grew Tired of Us”, we see that the three men, now in their 30’s, highlighted in the movie are soft-spoken. However, even after staying in America for almost a decade now, they are still seen not to be very engaging with the natives of their new country. As it can be seen, they feel the pinch of being cut off from their culture and do miss their relatives a lot. One of the “lost boys” is seen to go back home for the sole reason of marrying, which depicts that he considers his tribal association with high regard in comparison to his current country of residence. To this “lost boys”, their family is back at home where they originated and not really where they are currently residing as newly embraced immigrants (Blank, 2013).

Migration can be forced, or in most instances, people just choose to move out in order to find better opportunities. In instances whereby it is forced, the victims are likely to undergo changes regarding their families. For instance, a person can be forced to move overseas to work because of family complications. Some of the complications include the need for financial support or one making a move to get away from unfavorable situations. Such occurrences happen in most cases and that ultimately changes people’s attitude towards their families. For instance, people forced to work overseas are likely to develop hatred towards family because it forcefully drove them into the situation. On the contrary, one that willingly left to look for better opportunities abroad is likely to be supportive of the family back at home. Therefore, the status of migration significantly influences how a person treats family.

According to Kidman (2017), when a person has a view regarding family, the entire family ultimately gets caught in the situation. A family is a big unit, and many people play a central role in decision making. For instance, if a woman is forced to work overseas; her marital status will significantly determine her attitude towards family. If a demanding husband influenced the move, love and affection are likely to reduce. On the contrary, is parents were involved with the move, she is likely to cut link or offer little support to them because the forced her out of their home. All these experiences clearly affirm that immigration, whether forced or not forced has significant impacts on how the victims treat their family. Personal attitude towards other people changes depending on treatment or how the new environment influences their perception towards people and life.

Question Three

When talking about obligations, it is observed that despite all the help the “lost boys” got from the IRC, they were expected to fend for themselves within a year, even if that would involve doing jobs that pay minimum wage. Also, they are seen to always remember their folks back at home, and they would rather limit their expenditure and lifestyle but send as much as they can back to their relatives (Kidman, 2017). Whether these monies are for investment or simply daily upkeep that is not highlighted but is essential to note that somehow, these immigrants start living more for their people and less for themselves in a bid to accomplish their deep-within developed obligations (Blank, 2013).

Every society has a different social structure and obligations that are entitled to people. For instance, in most societies, men are regarded as the primary pillars and providers of the household. Therefore, in a scenario when a woman leaves home to work as an immigrant to support her family, the family role totally shifts to the female gender. The woman finally takes over everything because situations drive her to make a move. Moreover, when exposed to new environments, immigrants are likely to meet new laws that govern how genders coexist. In some cases, most of them are likely to adapt to these laws, and ultimately they lose their original identity with family regarding how they treat each other. Additionally, such experiences are likely to impact on family obligations that people possess and in the process, other issues are likely to arise most of which are damaging (Blank, 2013).

Change in social circumstances one of the biggest challenges facing immigration. When one of the family members moves abroad in search of better opportunities, change within the family is likely to take place. For instance, in a situation where couples are married with children, one of them moving abroad implies that the fundamental family roles switch to the remaining partner. If there is no proper agreement between the two parties, then there is a high likelihood of others issues arising. Moreover, experiences abroad are known to influence values. Coming in contact with a new environment comes with many changes. Most people are likely to adopt these changes, and in the process, their families find it hard accepting them. For instance, people working in the Middle East are likely to convert to Islam in the long because of their long-term contact with Islamic culture. Such changes when experienced are likely to impact on family (Blank, 2013).

Question Four

Coming from a war-torn country into to one that is highly modernized meant struggling to use the new electric appliances that the “lost boys” would find a dare need to know as part of their basic life. In reflection to food, they are met with mega supermarkets to shop everything from clothes to foods to almost anything portable (Kidman, 2017). Being the only people who have made it to the land where dreams come true, it is evident that the immigrants had to work their way into the system, gain attainable wage and assist families at home even as they distinguished the difference in culture and somewhat integrated themselves to fit in (Blank, 2013).

Adaptation is one of the common traits exhibited by human beings. People are likely to accept certain situations because there is no way out of them. For instance, immigrants moving to Islamic countries are faced with the challenge of adapting to Islamic dressing code. Most of these laws affect women. Therefore, a woman from a Christian setting is forced to observe Islamic rules because it is the only way she can survive the environment. In some cases, people tend to resist change because they are conservative to their ways of life. That is why the world is diversified when it comes to social lifestyle. Most people will migrate with their ways of life. Additionally, in these new areas that they move to, they are likely to find other immigrants with a shared interest (Paul, 2015).

Culture is the most complex entity in human life. Despite the urge for globalization, finding a common cultural ground remains impossible. People have different ways of life instilled in them as they grow up in a specific environment. Mode of dressing, beliefs and other practices differ across the universe. Immigrants end up being affected when they move to new areas. Some adapt while the rest resist, sticking to their ways of life. However, in environments where situations are tough, immigrants struggle with coping up with the new ways of life (Kidman, 2017). Some embrace both of finding what is best in the new culture and ultimately adapt it. However, despite the different experiences, everyone has struggled with adapting to new cultures or doing away with their inborn way of life. All these struggles immigrants face are unavoidable because they are some of the challenges expected when people opt to move to new places.

























References

Blank, B. (2013). International Violence: Family Legacies of Oppression and War". Global Families: A History of Asian International Adoption in America. C Choy.

Kidman, N. (2017). God Grew Tired of Us. 2016 Full Documentary Narrated by Nicole Kidman". 

Paul, A. M. (2015). Negotiating Migration, Performing Gender. Social Forces, 94(1), 271-293.