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Intercultural relationships in Singapore

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Priscilla

Hello,

We invite you to share some fun anecdotes and information regarding intercultural marriages and relationships in Singapore. This will provide some insight to current and future expats regarding relationship norms in mixed relationships and marriages in Singapore.

What are some of the best things about being in an intercultural relationship/marriage?

What are some challenges that you have faced or are currently facing? How do you address them?

Are intercultural relationships/marriages common and accepted in Singapore?

What are the benefits to being in an intercultural relationship/marriage?

Do you have any fun or interesting anecdotes to share regarding dating norms and rules for intercultural relationships/marriages?

Thank you for sharing your experience,

Priscilla

beppi

Singapore has a very mixed and multicultural society.
That said, most Singaporeans tend live and love within their cultural background - the Chinese majority among the Chinese, the Malays among fellow Malays and the Indians among their kin. Therefore the number of intercultuiral relationships, while still huge in absolute numbers, is small as a percentage of the population.
But a general tolerance between the goups allows intercultural couples to find their own way in life, without much interference (except maybe some nosy auntie who thinks you should have taken a more suitable partner and can be ignored).
For Muslims (primarily Malays), there is also some social pressure not to marry outside of the religion. Although this is not reflected in law (All religions can intermarry freely!), most non-Muslim partners choose to convert, at least on paper. But there are also others: When a guy I knew wanted to marry his Malay girl and her family approched him to ask about conversion, he answered "I really thought about it, but then I decided to love her as the person she is and not force her to become Christian." The matter was never talked about again and they are a happy, mixed couple today.

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