#intercultural couple

[katiajewelbox]

“Recognize when things no longer serve a purpose and begin to harm you. You let it go not because of arrogance or pride but because it doesn't fit into your life anymore. So close the chapter, learn the lessons and shake off the dust. Don’t waste your life. Move on.” (Mufti Menk)

This post is a highly personal story and pretty atypical from what I share on social media, but I feel it is crucial to be open about what has recently happened in my life to satisfy people’s curiosity. A heartfelt thank you to the folks who have given me emotional support during this journey so far.

As some of you may know, I was in a long-term relationship that recently ended. The person I once loved found me at Imperial College several years ago. At first, it seemed like a perfect match. We had a beautiful friendship as well as many shared values and goals in life. Our bond seemed so strong that we made plans for our future life together. However, we ended up being long-distance during most of our relationship due to the pandemic and other complications. We diligently stayed in touch and kept each other company during this stressful time while staying hopeful about our future as a couple.

However, things drastically changed between us in the last year. When my Dad became sick and passed away, my partner completely let me down in terms of help and emotional support. That made me feel very alone in the relationship when I needed the strength of a loving partner. This year he did travel from his home country to the UK to spend time with me. We had a lovely time, but sadly it turned out our life goals had significantly diverged during the time apart.

His life now revolved around his career and building wealth. He made it clear that he expected me to leave the life I have built for myself in the UK to relocate to his home country and later to follow him around the world while he built his career. He also pressured me to take unreasonable personal and financial risks for the sake of “our” future, which made me feel unsafe with him. Over the last year, he became less open in our interactions and seemed to be hiding many important things in his personal and professional life from me. When I was struggling with depression last year, he was cold and sarcastic towards me. In addition, he become more critical and judgemental towards me, while showing hints of possible coercive controlling tendencies.

Over the course of our serious conversations about our future plans, I came to a heart-breaking realisation – I did not love or trust him anymore. I tried to be open minded and explore the possibilities of taking a leap of faith with him in our potential life together, but there were too many red flags to ignore. When I imagined my future with him I felt dread, and when I imagined my future without him I felt free and hopeful. After much reflection and soul-searching, I realised that we had to go our separate ways and I decisively ended the relationship. He was shocked and disappointed, but in time he may find someone who is a better fit with his socioeconomic background and culture. At least, he will find solace in his career, which is his real love in life.

I am sharing this story to encourage anyone who feels trapped in a situation by social expectations or fear to reclaim their freedom. Sometimes, what seemed perfect at an earlier stage of one’s life can turn out to be a nightmare as people and situations evolve. I feel much more optimistic about my future now that I am free to pursue my dreams and be true to myself.

Art Credit: AI generated composition based on the French Impressionist style by Katia Hougaard and DALL E.

[misespinas]

My grandfather immigrated from France to America, my father's a heritage French speaker. His first language was French, he almost exclusively spoke French at home, and he lived in a French immigrant neighborhood as a child

Then he married my mother, moved out, and had children. His father moved to a different state, my father then lived in a neighborhood where there were zero French speaking people. He stopped practicing French and nearly thirty years later (today) he now struggles to speak French

None of my siblings, including me, speak French. It was just not what we did in our house, though my mom spoke French as well. There has been a noticable language barrier at times with my grandfather

I now date a heritage Spanish speaker who has lived in neighborhoods where people spoke Spanish, gone to schools where people also know Spanish, etc. At times I wonder if we were to get married and have children, would his parents have a similar barrier with their grandchildren that I have with my grandfather?

I almost feel guilty when I think about it, but it is incredibly irrational. I just wonder if this is a shared experience for anyone else who dates someone from a different culture

[writingwithcolor]

Naming International POC Characters: Do Your Research.

This post is part of a double feature for the same ask. First check out Mod Colette's answer to OP's original question at: A Careful Balance: Portraying a Black Character's Relationship with their Hair. Below are notes on character naming from Mod Rina.

~ ~ ~

@writingraccoon said:

My character is black in a dungeons and dragons-like fantasy world. His name is Kazuki Haile (pronounced hay-lee), and his mother is this world's equivalent of Japanese, which is where his first name is from, while his father is this world's equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. He looks much more like his father, and has hair type 4a. [...]

Hold on a sec.

Haile (pronounced hay-lee), [...] [H]is father is this world’s equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. 

OP, where did you get this name? Behindthename.com, perhaps?

Note how it says, “Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. Check marks indicate the level to which a name has been verified.” Do you see any check marks, OP? 

What language is this, by the way? If we only count official languages, Ethiopia has 5: Afar, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, & Tigrinya. If we count everything native to that region? Over 90 languages. And I haven't even mentioned the dormant/extinct ones. Do you know which language this name comes from? Have you determined Kazuki’s father’s ethnic group, religion, and language(s)? Do you know just how ethnically diverse Ethiopia is? 

~ ~ ~

To All Looking for Character Names on the Internet:

Skip the name aggregators and baby name lists. They often do not cite their sources, even if they’re pulling from credible ones, and often copy each other. 

If you still wish to use a name website, find a second source that isn’t a name website. 

Find at least one real life individual, living or dead, who has this given name or surname. Try Wikipedia’s lists of notable individuals under "List of [ethnicity] people." You can even try searching Facebook! Pay attention to when these people were born for chronological accuracy/believability. 

Make sure you know the language the name comes from, and the ethnicity/culture/religion it’s associated with. 

Make sure you understand the naming practices of that culture—how many names, where they come from, name order, and other conventions. 

Make sure you have the correct pronunciation of the name. Don’t always trust Wikipedia or American pronunciation guides on Youtube. Try to find a native speaker or language lesson source, or review the phonology & orthography and parse out the string one phoneme at a time. 

Suggestions for web sources:

Wikipedia! Look for: “List of [language] [masculine/feminine] given names,” “List of most common [language] family names,” “List of most common surnames in [continent],” and "List of [ethnicity] people."  

Census data! Harder to find due to language barriers & what governments make public, but these can really nail period accuracy. This may sound obvious, but look at the year of the character's birth, not the year your story takes place. 

Forums and Reddit. No really. Multicultural couples and expats will often ask around for what to name their children. There’s also r/namenerds, where so many folks have shared names in their language that they now have “International Name Threads.” These are all great first-hand sources for name connotations—what’s trendy vs. old-fashioned, preppy vs. nerdy, or classic vs. overused vs. obscure. 

~ ~ ~

Luckily for OP, I got very curious and did some research. More on Ethiopian & Eritrean naming, plus mixed/intercultural naming and my recommendations for this character, under the cut. It's really interesting, I promise!

Ethiopian and Eritrean Naming Practices

Haile (IPA: /həjlə/ roughly “hy-luh.” Both a & e are /ə/, a central “uh” sound) is a phrase meaning “power of” in Ge’ez, sometimes known as Classical Ethiopic, which is an extinct/dormant Semitic language that is now used as a liturgical language in Ethiopian churches (think of how Latin & Sanskrit are used today). So it's a religious name, and was likely popularized by the regnal name of the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (“Power of the Trinity”). Ironically, for these reasons it is about as nationalistically “Ethiopian” as a name can get.

Haile is one of the most common “surnames” ever in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Why was that in quotes? Because Ethiopians and Eritreans don’t have surnames. Historically, when they needed to distinguish themselves from others with the same given name, they affixed their father’s given name, and then sometimes their grandfather’s. In modern Ethiopia and Eritrea, their given name is followed by a parent’s (usually father’s) name. First-generation diaspora abroad may solidify this name into a legal “surname” which is then consistently passed down to subsequent generations.

Intercultural Marriages and Naming

This means that Kazuki’s parents will have to figure out if there will be a “surname” going forward, and who it applies to. Your easiest and most likely option is that Kazuki’s dad would have chosen to make his second name (Kazuki’s grandpa’s name) the legal “surname.” The mom would have taken this name upon marriage, and Kazuki would inherit it also. Either moving abroad or the circumstances of the intercultural marriage would have motivated this. Thus “Haile” would be grandpa’s name, and Kazuki wouldn’t be taking his “surname” from his dad. This prevents the mom & Kazuki from having different “surnames.” But you will have to understand and explain where the names came from and the decisions dad made to get there. Otherwise, this will ring culturally hollow and indicate a lack of research.

Typically intercultural parents try to

come up with a first name that is pronounceable in both languages,

go with a name that is the dominant language of where they live, or

compromise and pick one parent’s language, depending on the circumstances.

Option 1 and possibly 3 requires figuring out which language is the father’s first language. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned national ubiquity of Haile, you will have to start from scratch here and figure out his ethnic group, religion (most are Ethiopian Orthodox and some Sunni Muslim), and language(s). 

But then again, writing these characters knowledgeably and respectfully also requires figuring out that information anyway.

~ ~ ~

Names and naming practices are so, so diverse. Do research into the culture and language before picking a name, and never go with only one source.

~ Mod Rina

[metamorphesque]

Hello there!

I hope in spite of ~the world~ you have as good a time, as you can today. I come with a bit of an ask for help with this. I hope it's all right with you, since you shared a couple of posts with funding campaigns and I have practically no experience with what follows. Please feel free to answer publicly if you feel this might be helpful.

Some days ago I was approached with a message on here, from a person currently in Gaza, trying to fund a relocation and asking me to share the post, in case I could not contribute. Now, while personally I would not be in a pickle to do that, I am nowhere near qualified to do any kind of vetting beforehand. Would it be a person from where I currently live? Sure, that's very easy and possible to do, language and culture/context are no barrier. This however does put me in a difficult position, as you probably could imagine. My first instinct is to help - my first rational thought is: this is the internet.

Would you be fine with me relaying the message to you? Or could you maybe point me towards some peeps with experience in this field? Thank you so much in advance!

PS: If it were possible, I'd absolutely love to chat about literature and intercultural influences over some black tea and sesame cookies with you. Sending you some of the last warm breezes and the smell of pine trees after the rain your way. :)

Hi, dear!

I’m in a similar position and don’t feel qualified to vet these requests either.

When someone approaches me to share their fundraiser, I usually look for specific information about who vetted them. Sometimes, they mention it directly and provide links to sources, such as posts where they're recognized as a legitimate fundraiser or their listing on vetted fundraiser lists. I always check these Excel lists (mentioned down below) and blogs [@dlxxv-vetted-donations, @90-ghost, @gaza-evacuation-funds ] dedicated to verifying these campaigns, and if nothing comes up, I generally don’t share it. I know this method isn’t foolproof, but it’s the best approach I’ve found so far.

What has the world come to, huh? It feels as if we're living in a terribly written anti-utopian novel. How can one escape these pages?

By the way, how did you know that sesame cookies are my favorite? Sending you handfuls of our Armenian sun, for it’s been quite hot this past week—perhaps summer isn't ready to be defeated!

[spurgie-cousin]

The Unification Church is confusing. Is it a Korean cult? In some pictures, the crowds look mostly Korean, but in others, they look mostly white.

The Unification Church was founded in South Korea around the time of WWII, and spread pretty rapidly there and in neighboring places like Japan until the late 60s and 70s when it started to branch out to Russia, eastern Europe, South America and eventually the United States (esp in areas with big south Korean populations).

One of their big things is to "promote intercultural, interracial, and international cooperation through the Unification world view" which sounds innocent enough, but it's just a PC way to say that they put a big focus on finding people to convert. Once they find someone who they deem convertible (preferably of a different race compared to the majority members of the church) they pull a "Married at First Sight" and marry then to a random church member, in a huge ceremony with tons of other couples, where they basically get married and converted officially at the same time.

So that's why sometimes you see large homogeneous looking congregations with only a small bit of diversity, or vice versa, because diversity is the main thing they're looking for when looking for converts and some church are better at it than others lol.

[lilolilyr]

Tagged by @toboldlynerd and by @die-schwanenkoenigin , thank you! <3

15 Questions for 15 Friends

ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Not to my knowledge

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Probably today? About fanfics or memes or something? Oh! I remember, it was this post.

DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

No and don't plan to!

WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY/HAVE YOU PLAYED?

As a kid I did Judo for a while, then horse riding, unicycling, and handball

I did and, while not regularly atm, still really like to dance :) took standard&latin classes from age 14-18 and again in the last couple years, modern dance both during my bachelor's and the first years of my master's degree, and a semester of pole dance

My absolute favourite: aerial silks ♡ I've been doing it on and of since I was 11, depending on whether I could take classes or find a place for my own silks in the towns I lived - I'm still trying to find a place to practice again at the moment, but I went to classes in a studio last year and even was part of a performance in December, first time in ages :)

DO YOU USE SARCASM?

:}

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

No idea?? Vibes?

WHAT'S YOUR EYE COLOR?

Brown

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Happy happy happy happy happy

ANY TALENTS?

I can wiggle my eyebrows separately. Also my ears.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Germany

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?

At the moment mostly reading&writing fic and making origami butterflies, but theoretically also cosplay, photography, travelling, literature, psychology, and much more

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?

No :( but the neighbours' kitty likes to come over a lot, and today a different neighborhood cat came over: a young and incredibly clumsy and anxious orange cat, he's hilarious but I had to gently shoo him away because Disl (the regular visitor) probably wouldn't take kindly on an interloper and I don't want them to start throwing handspaws

HOW TALL ARE YOU?

160sth cm I think 165 is in my ID

FAVOURITE SUBJECT?

In highschool English (as a foreign language) and literature&theatre, in university (try to figure out my degree from these I dare you) intercultural relations, marketing psychology, venue management, and I don't remember what exactly it was called but it was basically a seminar on intersectional feminism?

DREAM JOB?

Getting paid for reading fanfic all day. :]

Tagging, if you want to do it, @lavendelhummel , @cryhardanddanceharder , @ladydedlock , @raindropsandteaandtears , @mindflamer , @asstraightasau-turn , @mimi-mindless , @smittyjaws , @banashee , @nbie , @existentialvoidofexistence , @katharinaste , @grayisthewarmest , @sharkbatez , @gunsandcherries , and everyone else who sees this :) purlturtle yes you too :)

Blank copy for easier copy-pasting:

15 Questions for 15 Friends ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? DO YOU HAVE KIDS? WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY/HAVE YOU PLAYED? DO YOU USE SARCASM? WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? WHAT'S YOUR EYE COLOR? SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? ANY TALENTS? WHERE WERE YOU BORN? WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES? DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? HOW TALL ARE YOU? FAVOURITE SUBJECT? DREAM JOB?

[jamneuromain]

JAM RAMBLES

Happy June!

I have just got my tesol certificate and soooo ready to apply for jobs and whatnot! --I'm going to plan the TKT and CELTA for my second half year when I'm available.. especially CELTA.

And I have recently joined a Stop Procrastination Training program for the sake of my personal wellbeing. It's a lil expensive but I really need to do something to deal with my procrastination -- and on the other hand, it's slightly relaxing to know that there's some one (like, half of the program attenders and almost all of my tumblr moots) out there in the world procrastinating more than I do lol

On a more serious note, the job application I ranted about a couple of weeks earlier finally got a reply (of some sorts). I got a call earlier this week with a frantically apologizing hr -which, tbh, it wasn't his fault- but the uni has decided that this hr would be the fall guy, so...

It was not the best outcome we anticipated, but it's just ... this, for now.

And I've got an interview slot later this week for a rather large company. They don't pay well but they have this position overseas.

To be honest, I am still debating on whether I should apply for a PhD. I'm not good at doing research, but I'm not bad at writing papers or conducting classes, the latter one I really enjoy. But to attain a position as a college english lecturer, PhD seems like a must in most places. Also that the particular field I study, Intercultural Communication, is a rather new and less-supervised and ... uh Language and Liberal Arts field that doesn't come with a lot of professors and universities to choose from, not to mention that HEAVILY TUITIONED places like UK/US is a big hard no for me. So for now, I'm going to apply to those lecturer positions which demand less (like in Japan, that sometimes doesn't need a phd to apply for this position, AND ALSO IT LACKS YOUNG PPL WHO ARE OF AGE TO WORK, LIKE, A LOT? I think the chances are high) and we'll see how this goes. If it runs smoothly, than yay. If not, I probably have to endure another four (or five) years of academic life.

Stay hydrated and stay positive, I guess!

[alinefrank]

LA LUNA Y EL MAR. #2

Namor x MayaFem! Reader

PART #1

hi!

I have to clarify a few things before you read:

I’m not Maya but I tried to be as respectful as possible by integrating different details of the culture.

I don’t speak Maya but I used a Spanish-Maya translator from the Mayan Intercultural University of Quintana Roo who helped me to be able to make the reader speak Maya, I apologize if there are any mistake.

Since English is not my first language, I use DeepL translator so that the text is in English, I apologize if there is any grammar mistake or if there are parts that are meaningless. Let me know if you see something.

DISCLAIMER: The protagonist is Mayan by birth and speaks Mayan as well as English (although in the original version it is Spanish but it is translated, anyways), the name of the reader town is not mentioned because I didn’t think of anything.

COMMENT, LIKE AND REBLOG IF YOU LIKE. LET ME READ YOUR OPINIONS.

PART 3

I couldn't stop thinking about him.

That bothered me.

A long time ago I was no longer an inexperienced child who got excited when she felt butterflies in her stomach, even then I should have protected and cared for my people, but I have grown up and I should have learned to do it without distractions.

It was probably the times I dreamt about that man that caused me to not be able to get him out of my head.

Or even the insatiable desire I had to go swimming in the sea, with the slightest desire for him to be there.

It was ridiculous, this situation.

Even the council and my warriors asked me what had happened that afternoon, but I could not explain the situation logically so I simply played it down and gave them no further details.

I could not let a man who proposed to me to be his queen in such a disrespectful way, come and affect my thoughts day and night.

Even the goddess Moon had abandoned me and was not watching over my dreams and my rest as she let that underwater man break into my mind and play with it at night.

A few weeks had passed since that meeting and the day had come to commemorate my birth.

I could no longer think of that Namor.

I shouldn't.

People were laughing and dancing in my honour, families had cooked delicious dishes and offered them to me, it would be disrespectful not to give them the attention they deserved.

The atmosphere was festive, it had been that way for a week before the big day.

I was surrounded by my council as I watched children run and dance all around, couples enjoying each other's company and warmth as musicians brightened up the night.

As the moon was about to reach its highest point, out of the undergrowth, he appeared.

Namor was in front of my people and in front of me.

Behind him were some of his soldiers, they were blue and had a strange mask on their faces, all carrying weapons that looked lethal, very similar to ours.

The people were startled at the sight of the fish men and began to panic, with just a wave of my hand, I shushed them.

The jungle went completely silent.

All that could be heard was the crackling of the fire and the footsteps of one of the fish men, a woman wearing beautiful orange headdresses and animal bones.

“K'uk'ulkan, máako' u Talokan, taalak u solicitar junp'éel múuch'tambale' yéetel le ko'olelo' Ix chel" ("K'uk'ulkan, lord of Talokan, has come to request a meeting with Mrs. Ix chel").

This one walked to the front, he wore a beautiful cloak with finely made embroidery, it seemed to contain threads of gold, on his head was a beautiful arrangement resembling that of a feathered serpent as his name described it and precious jewels covered his chest.

He raised his hand and some of his men left at the foot of my throne, bread, chocolate and brandy, together with some jewellery made of Jade and some beautiful flowers that I had never seen before.

His audacity was impressive.

It was beginning its courting process on the day when all my people were gathered, praising and celebrating me.

Something that deep down inside made me tingle.

I got up from my seat, and walked down the steps that separated us, he offered me his hand as he looked at me like a hungry animal, I took it and headed towards my people.

"K'aame'ex le yu'ulabo'ob yéetel ma' cha'ake'ex u máansik utsil!" (Welcome the guests and don't stop enjoying yourselves).

It took them a few seconds to integrate.

A little girl ran up to the woman who spoke when they arrived and after saying something to her that I couldn't hear, took her hand and led her to her family.

When I saw this, I turned and my eyes went to Namor.

"Follow me, let's talk somewhere more private."

He nodded and started walking beside me.

My council looked at me worried and waiting for some indication but I just nodded my head and headed home.

"Teech ka wilik ki'ichpam" (You look beautiful).

Namor wasted no time in scanning my figure.

My voluminous black hair fell down my back adorned with the snake-like headdress I wore at important ceremonies, my gold jewellery and our star mineral, Jade. My white suit contrasting with my skin tone and my two wristbands shining with the light of the fire that illuminated our path.

When we arrived at my enclosure, an underground Cenote away from the hustle and bustle, I turned to him with the intention of reclaiming his boldness.

"Your people and mine are in danger."

My blood froze and my claim was forgotten.

"You can't come, with guns and warriors to tell me that my people and my territory is in danger, I need an explanation, now!"

"A few days ago my people discovered a machine 150 kilometres off your coast, they were extracting that mineral that you love so much and that has kept our people safe."

My heart froze.

"My people finished that thing, but if they have more, it will be a danger”

"Wa ku kaxtiko'ob asab, ku talo'ob in lu'um yéetel tia'alo'." (If they look for more, they will come to my land and yours.) I told him understanding the seriousness of the matter.

"Yaan k k xu'ulul yéetel leti'ob" (We have to finish them off).

"Ma'" (No)

I said forcefully

"Bin tuméen leti'ob chéen k ts'áabal ti' talamilo'ob, acabaste yéetel le amenaza, Teene' yaan in meentik k'ek'eno' wa ku tal waye'" (Going after them only puts us in danger, you ended the threat, I will do the same if they come here).

His gaze darkened and he clenched his jaw, his mouth didn't say it but he disagreed with me, it was obvious he wanted us to attack together.

"Ma' u páajtal k p'atik vuelvan" (We can't let them come back).

"Ba'ale' mina'an je'el u páajtal k bin in ch'a' le, lelo' ya'ab talamilo'ob, utia'al a máak yéetel utia'al utia'al u mía" (But we can't go looking for them either, that's too much danger, for your people and for mine).

"I didn't think you would allow the audacity of those men," he said to me with disguised annoyance.

"I allowed your insolence about bringing me premarital gifts to my village, with all my people present, even though I told you I did not accept your ridiculous offer."

His face changed from the scowl he maintained, to a half-laugh of pure coquetry.

"I apologise for making my first proposal in such a hasty manner."

"I should punish you for daring so much, when I already told you no."

Deep in my breast, that act of rebellion fanned the flame I had longed to quench.

His shoulders slumped and he said nothing for a few seconds.

"Come with me to Talokan," he begged, "Meet my home and see all that surrounds me.”

I hesitated for a second

"You live under the sea and I can't hold my breath that long" my excuse seemed to have worked as it took him a few seconds to regain his speech.

"It's true, you couldn't go like that, your bones wouldn't resist the pressure of the ocean, you would die of hypothermia and your lungs would collapse" he said as he brought his face dangerously close to mine.

"And how do you think I will meet Talokan?" my eyes connected with his and one of my hands rested on his chest.

I felt his breath on my face and if I did not wish to marry him and believed him to be a barbarian as he had repeated to me for the last few weeks, my attitude did not conform to this and neither did the urge to attack his lips.

"In suut ta wo'olal sáamal ken le k'iino' ka'ansaje' táan hiding u, Taas wéetel le loolo'obo' tin kíinsa'ab tu táan a trono ka conociás in wotoch ti' le ka le ujo' ilumine k beel" (I will return for you tomorrow when the sun is setting, bring with you the flowers I leave in front of your throne and you will know my home when the moon illuminates our path).

His voice hypnotised me and noticing the dangerous proximity, I tried to move away, but a strong hand grabbed me by the waist.

"I will bring no soldiers or weapons, it will just be you and me at the place where our meeting was first interrupted" his way of speaking was appealing in every way.

It took me only a second to realise that maybe it wasn't wrong once in a while to go back to my youth and escape from the council and go to the beach.

Satisfying my more primitive senses such as the desire for adventure was something I had put aside a long time ago.

"I'll see you there," I said.

He smiled and shook my hand to return to the celebration.

[...]

It was a lot easier to escape the council than I thought it would be.

All my people were tired of the celebration and security had been reduced so that my soldiers could spend time with their families.

I took those strange flowers and wrapped them in my white dress, heading for the beach as the sun began to turn orange.

When I arrived I dropped them on the beach and waited only a few seconds.

As promised, Namor came out of the sea and walked towards me, holding a mortar in his hands.

"Ma' tin wóotaj in meentik a pa'atik" (I didn't want to keep you waiting).

"K'uchen chéen jump'íit ka'ache'" (I arrived just a little early).

He gave me a smile full of innocence and began to crush the flowers while explaining why doing this was essential for me to get to know Talokan.

"Will I become the same as your men?" I asked with the mortar in my hands, holding it to my lips.

"Its effect will allow you to go to Talokan, you will become a mutant like me but the moon goddess gave you the role of protector and I will not prevent you from fulfilling it, no matter how much in love I am with you."

Her words reassured me and provoked a slight smile on my face.

"I trust you, K'uk'ulkan" and I took the mixture she prepared for me.

When I finished it, he wiped the corners of my lips and held out his hand.

"Ko'ox" (Let's go) he encouraged me.

Our hands intertwined and we both stood up, just as he said, the moon illuminating our field of vision and giving a pearly hue to our brown skin.

We walked together to the sea and when we reached the shore, he turned to look at me and wrapped my hands in his.

"If for some reason you don't feel comfortable there, let me know and I'll walk every ocean on the planet so I can please you".

My heart did a flip and I just nodded gawking.

When our feet stopped touching the sand, we began to swim into the depths.

My lungs began to itch and I wondered if the mixture had worked, but as I was about to return to the surface, I felt a change, my skin burned for a few seconds and the lack of air was no longer a problem.

"You're ready to visit Talokan," Namor admired.

We descended and descended to a point where the sunlight no longer reached, my body was unharmed, Namor made a movement with his hands and a swift current appeared.

"When he held out his hand, I didn't hesitate for a second and it was the best decision I could have made.

We moved quickly and aggressively to some extent, my head was spinning and being the first time I was here, I felt disoriented.

When I finished, I regained my stability and that's when I saw him.

A beautiful city lay before my eyes.

The magnitude of it was incomparable.

The first thing I saw was a beautiful throne that had the teeth of a shark as an ornament, which made it look big, terrifying.

Imposing.

"I brought the sun to my people" Namor, who at some point stood behind me, approached my back and grabbed me by the waist, with that grip, he made me turn around and appreciate everything around me.

"Jats'uts" (It's beautiful) really, there was no word to describe what I was seeing.

"Yaan in ka'ansik teech tuláakal" (I will teach you everything) he took my hand again and we swam together.

The people of Talokan greeted Namor and showed him their respect, it was clear that he loved his people and cared for them, some of his warriors greeted him and exchanged information about how everything had remained peaceful.

"I hope you don't mind if we move a little away from the centre, it's just that I want to show you something, a little more private," we swam a little more in a quiet silence.

When we reached what looked like stairs, Namor came out first and held out his hand to help me out.

I walked out of the water and smoothed my dripping hair and the dress tightened around my body.

"Le wíiniko'obo' Talokan, tu beetaj le ba'ala' teechi'" (The people of Talokan, made this for you).

He extended to me a beautiful costume typical of the city.

"Kin ts'áik ti' teech kúuchil utia'al a ts'áik ti' teech" (I'll give you room to wear it).

Namor withdrew and I was able to get rid of my wet clothes and put that work of art on my body.

When he returned to where I was, he praised the way I looked and guided me through the building, which was lit with a dim light that gave it a cosy aura.

We passed a beautiful frame that divided the two rooms, and as we entered the second room, I noticed how the walls were filled with beautiful paintings.

It took me a second to realise something.

It was our history painted on the walls.

The first was the meeting between our versions as children.

Then there was the image of him flying in front of me.

The third was the journey through Talokan that we had made just a short while ago.

The fourth was our wedding, my face was painted red.

And the last one was a beautiful painting divided in half where one half was representing his village and the other half mine, in the middle of it, we were both with a baby.

"Ta boonaj wáaj le ba'ala'." (Did you paint this?)

I turned around so I could see him, his eyes were shining and it took him a few seconds to react to my question, when he did he nodded embarrassed.

"Kaj in pintar tu ya'ab k'iin paachil" (I started painting it a long time ago).

He stood next to me.

"How did you know this would happen?" the trip to Talokan was something that had just happened.

"I didn't know, I just wished for it."

His breathing was calm, he stroked the painting and turned to look at me, noticing that my attention was focused on the last phase of the story.

"Ba'ax ku yúuchul." (What's going on?)

"It's just that, you and I are not a couple, yet" my fingers ran across the painting and for the first time in many years I felt embarrassed and wanted to run away.

"But we will be," he said confidently, bringing his face close to mine.

"How can you be so sure of that?" I leaned closer to him and the atmosphere felt magical again.

"I know that you too feel how our hearts dance in the same tune from the first moment our eyes connected," his strong arms wrapped around my waist.

And that's when it all came crashing down.

I kissed him.

And it was the best decision I could have made.

Our lips connected and all the stars in the universe shone brighter.

My hands caressed his chest and his hands rested on my back, he began to caress me in a loving way and I felt everything I had repressed the centuries I have lived, was released.

"J-oken ti' teen a pixan" I said breaking away from his addictive lips. (Give me your soul.)

"In wíinkilililil, pool yéetel pixan le a tia'al tak u u yáax súutukil le ku kaxanta'al k wicho'ob" his words made my heart flutter. (My body, mind and soul are yours from the first moment our eyes met.)

It was a fact.

I was in love with Namor.

[...]

The sun was beginning to rise and we went back to the beach.

We got out of the sea and he came closer to me to kiss again, or so I thought.

"P'úulech tin wéetel" he took my face and looked at me eager to hear an answer. (Marry me)

"Forget the colonisers and forget the war, if you ask me to, I would never raise a weapon again, unless it is to protect you" his voice showed the purest sentiment.

It was laden with love.

"Ma'alob, ts'o'okol k beel" (All right, let's get married).

And for the first time in my long life, the idea of marriage didn't seem so overwhelming or terrifying.

He kissed me again and I let myself go.

The rhythm he was keeping enveloped us in a harmonious dance.

"I must go," I said to him once I broke away from him.

"I'll be back in a few days to talk to the council and your people.

I nodded and we said goodbye.

He returned to the sea, but not before seeing me once more so that he could sink and disappear from my sight.

I quickly made my way back to my village.

When I arrived, everything was quiet, the bad thing was that the council was gathered in my house, waiting for my return.

"Ko'olelo' Ixchel, yaan u ts'o'okol waye'" (Lady Ixchel, you are here at last).

The older one, looked at me and invited me to sit down, clearly the clothes I was wearing were somewhat different from ours and my hair, totally wet, gave a sign of where I might have been.

"Yaan ba'ax u k'áat ya'al k." (Is there something you want to tell us?)

"K'uk'ulkan, máako' u Talokan yéetel teene', k tukultik u ts'o'okol k." (K'uk'ulkan, lord of Talokan and I have decided to get married).

I said it without further ado, for if I had decided to accept my future husband's proposal, I had to start with the preparations. And contrary to the reaction I expected, everyone present was overflowing with joy.

"We are happy that you have found your partner, great lady," said one of the wisest women in this community, she was like a mother to me.

And just imagining my mother and how happy it would have made her to know that I was finally getting married, I got a lump in my throat.

"Leti' yaan u taal ichil ichil jump'éel k'iino'ob tsikbal yéetel tuláakal To'one'" (He will come in a few days to talk to all of us) I cleared my voice and regained my posture.

I was going to marry Namor.

Yes, there will be a third part.

TAG LIST: @deliciousfestsalad @clea-strange-is-the-way @neenieweenie @queenotaku23 @avsphroeg @agustdeeyaa @aniia-x3 @littlet-holmes @caldodemazapangourmet @meanlilbean @valkyrie9

Thank you very much for your support

[absolutebl]

Hello, P’ABL! I have a pretty specific ask, and since you know more BLs and more about BLs than anyone else I know, I thought maybe you could help me.

I’m doing a presentation for uni next week about diversity and intercultural communication in the workplace, and I was thinking about including a scene from a series to talk about how this can look like in real life (or as real as you can get with scripted shows). And BL might be a good genre to include here, since a) it’s Asian which means it’s already culturally different from the European setting our uni is in, and b) there might be the added bonus of including people with diverse sexual and gender identities in a workplace setting.

So, my question is: can you think of any scenes from BLs that include culturally diverse characters in the workplace, talk specifically about the issue of cultures clashing in the workplace, or (even better) show characters from different cultures having difficulties working together/understanding each other because of their differences? Culture can be anything here—nationality, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, ethnicity, social class, religion, etc. If the characters being queer factors into it, even better (we don’t talk nearly enough about queer identities in this class, and I don’t think we mentioned genderqueer people even once).

I realize this is super specific, but I would be really glad for any ideas. At least we’ve been getting a lot more office BLs recently, so that might make it easier? I personally still haven’t come up with anything good. Thank you for helping!!

You mean since the ZeeNew stanning fucktards gunned down the Step By Step boardroom advertising scene?

Sadly, no. Although I am sure someone banked that scene.

can you think of any scenes from BLs that include culturally diverse characters in the workplace, talk specifically about the issue of cultures clashing in the workplace, or (even better) show characters from different cultures having difficulties working together/understanding each other because of their differences?

The different cultures in play would be queer vs straight. Mostly it will be Thailand and Taiwan who grapples with this. But as more office BLs are being made, it's being addressed more often.

If the characters being queer factors into it, even better:

Cutie Pie

Definitely New Employee addresses this a few times. In fact it's the best BL for representing the contrast of queer/straight culture and how that can interest with the culture of a workplace.

Step by Step certainly. I'm thinking about Chot being out at work but also the way Pat gets treated and Jeng gets talked about after they start a relationship. It's different than it would be for a straight couple.

A Boss and A Babe had a few scenes about this kind of thing too.

Some others but I can't think of an exact scene:

Paint with Love

Top Secret Together

Love is Science

Call it What You Want

Work From Heart

Senpai, This Can’t be Love!

Plus & Minus

[jessicas-pi]

Behold: a snippet from Midnight Snacks, Space PowerPoints, And Jedi-Nightsister Intercultural Relations, a future fic from the Problem Children AU...

“Come no closer!”

Cal froze in place, slowly lowering from his tiptoes to stand on the soles of his boots.

Then he turned his datapad on and noted:

Weird echoing voice ability??

Turning it off again, he cleared his throat and spoke. “Um, hello, weird voice Nightsister lady?”

For a moment, Weird Voice Lady didn’t reply, but then she demanded:

“You… are a child.”

“No, I’m not!” he scowled. “I’m a Jedi Initiate, my name is Cal Kestis, and I—I was hoping I could… interview one of you?”

Weird Voice Lady took an even longer time to reply, and Cal looked around, fidgeting. The holding cells all around him were empty and dark, with the plasma barriers turned off. Far down the hall, he could see one glowing red spot, which was the cell where the three Nightsisters were being held until, probably, the Council figured out what to do.

It wasn’t every day a couple Darkside-users showed up on your doorstep, invoking an ancient law of sanctuary after the rest of their people were killed.

But the Weird Voice was coming from near him, and getting closer, not from the cell down the hall, which was strange.

“I do not understand, Cal Kestis.”

He swallowed his nervousness, reminding himself that this was definitely a good idea and could in no way end in his death, and tried to explain. “In my Cultural Studies class, we have to do a presentation on the culture of another group of Force-users, about their philosophy and how it’s similar to ours and how it’s different. I was going to do mine on the Guardians of the Whills, but then you came here and I thought, um… that being the only one in my class to use a primary source would make up for me writing it the night before it was due?”

“You… want to do a presentation on the Nightsisters. Because you procrastinated.”

“Well.” Cal paused, thought, and shrugged. “Yes?”

“Do you know, I could have killed you?”

“Yeah. But I’m desperate. This presentation is a quarter of my grade.”

For the third time, Weird Voice Lady stopped to think.

“I will trade you, Cal Kestis. I will tell you about my people. In return… you will bring me to the place in your Temple that serves food.”

“An interview for a midnight snack?”

“I am hungry.”

Cal folded his datapad in his arms and rocked on his heels, frowning. “I can’t let you out of the cell, though.”

“You don’t have to.”

There was a sound behind him, a twinkle of green light, and when he spun around, he saw… a girl, standing there.

“I let myself out.”

Cal looked back over his shoulder at the cell—it was still turned on, the plasma barrier up—then back to the girl.

“Did you teleport or something?”

A smile tugged her lips. “Perhaps.”

———

(This AU has published fics! They take place about a year or two after this snippet.)

[obstinaterixatrix]

I do have qualms abt the way the message that one post is framed (the one about not harassing east asian artists that migrate to tmblr) but the thing is on twt there have been so much weird harassment stuff based on misunderstandings (like how jp and cn (and I think kr?) artists use ‘cp’ as an abbreviation for ‘couple’ but it has a completely different implication in eng), and the critique about the post using ‘east asian’ as a monolith is just. weird bad faith reading in the context of intercultural fandom dynamics. lots of media export from those place’s specifically. well there are certain east asian cultures that don’t have that relationship with global pop culture, but it feels like a nitpick. well in any case it feels weird to me to take a different argument from a random post and have it be weird callout post lite for a societal issue about someone’s individual phrasing/misguided efforts. or is east asian falling out of terminology to use I actually have no idea what the argument was

[blanketcat31]

the life of a sick college student

11.9.23

work progress

ongoing communications work for my sustainability final

creating a lecture plan for my professional writing final

planning out a group essay for my intercultural communications final

writing an essay on cultural ideologies and intercultural comm in the great british baking show/bake off (this one is fun!)

writing an essay on mediation in tonga vs. the us (this one is so hard)

several smaller/regular assignments for my classes

ofc doing my job as a tutor!

check in space <3

wow these past couple weeks have been a lot! i’ve been feeling much more stressed and burnt out, and of course that’s when the work load is increasing as we reach the end of the semester. it’s also when i happen to get sick (>.<) i’m very fortunate to have coworkers, classmates, and loved ones who are very supportive while i’m struggling a bit

[wutbju]

BJU loooooooves Clark Summit students. LOVES them. Always has. They looooove the GARBC schools! Love them!

Here's a transcript:

Hi, my name is Josh Crockett. I'm the new president here at BJU, and I'm here with a good friend of mine, Dr. Pearson Johnson, who's the academic Dean of our seminary and a very good friend of mine. My youngest brother, Luke Crockett, who is a missionary and is here on furlough. Luke is a BJ Graduate. I'm trying to remember what your degrees were in here at BJU. You had an undergrad in communications and MBA after that? Good and after that, where did you do your seminary training? 00:00:34 Isaac Crockett Yeah, so after that, I actually went on to Clark Summit to do seminary and very much appreciated my time there. I obviously it was very seamless transition going from Bob Jones to this sister school like Clark Summit. And I just really appreciated the … just the flexibility. I was actually able to finish my degree overseas well on the field, but also just the the care for the students from the professors, the the smaller classroom size it was. It was just a really good, seamless transition. 00:01:03 Josh Crockett I know that a number of our faculty have degrees and connections to Clark Summit University. Actually, the Dean of our seminary who couldn't be here today finished his PhD work and has many friends there. But it's great to have Dr. Johnson with us, and I know that we have a lot of similar degree programs with our biblical counseling degrees in our seminary, and Dr. Stuart Scott, who teaches here. Can you talk about just some of the ways that we could serve students who are looking for a seminary or school to transfer to. 00:01:39 Pearson Johnson Sure. We have degrees across from the MA in biblical counseling, ministry studies, biblical studies, intercultural studies through the MDiv with several concentration options … and PhD program as well. And we've already had a couple of students in the doctoral program there at… at Clark Summit. Contact us about talking about lining their programs up with our program. More than happy to do that can very quickly, [and] take a look at transcripts. We can compare programs and see what program would be a best fit. For those looking to continue their education, our offerings are very flexible as well. We have, of course, resident classes. We have online classes that are asynchronous, and then we also have live stream classes. Any resident class can be participated in live via zoom from anywhere in the world, as long as you're willing to give up some sleep, get up early in the morning. And so we're glad to help people put some pieces together, see what kind of… 00:02:32 Josh Crockett Good options they have. I know I've talked to our financial aid office, and there are unique scholarships that they are wanting to offer to Clark Summit University students. I know there's a donor who wants to help students, particularly from a wonderful sister school like Clark Summit, to be able to attend Bob Jones University if this is where the Lord would lead you. And so there's money out there, there's a desire and a heart again for our Clark Summit University sister school. We love you all. We just wanted to let you know we are praying for you, Clark Summit University, family and community. And if there's anything that we can do to serve you during this time, our our college, our seminary would love to partner with you. We would love to, to serve you in any way we can.

Mind you, Clark Summit is directing its students to more stable universities right now:

CSU’s comprehensive teach-out plan safeguards students’ academic progress through this unexpected and difficult circumstance. CSU has collaborated with Liberty University and Cairn University in creating this teach-out plan to aid our students. This ensures students have a clear path forward through graduation, even though it cannot be accomplished as planned at CSU.

CSU doesn't see you as a "sister school" at all, BJU. You just look ... well, desperate when you say these things.

[love-synchro]

Learning Through Love: “Embracing Relationships Across Cultures”

Yeah, in a more networked world, love knows no borders. “Learning Through Love” is like that brightly painted paper airplane, zigzagging through relationships, dating, and love, bending across ethnic and cultural differences, and unfolding how such experiences might open our eyes to new traditions, widen our understanding, and enlarge our ability to live more fully.

Imagine falling in love with someone from a different background, one which not only brings joy but is a gateway to a new and vibrant culture. Every date is an adventure, learning and discovering new things. You can get to enjoy an exotic meal, perhaps a foreign festival, or even learn a few words of a foreign language. This mix of love and cultural exchange makes a living, dynamic riot which is very exciting.

It is the chance to handle the differences and look for the similarities with someone you date from a different ethnicity. It is your golden opportunity to challenge your preconceived stereotypes and false notions, enhancing your sense of empathy and respect for diversity. Both of the participants bring their respective points of view and traditions, which combine into one rich experience that broadens both horizons.

However, intercultural love does not always go smoothly. From time to time, a misunderstanding or cultural clash may appear, yet most of the time these hurdles can be jumped over with open communication and mutual respect. Tackling the differences with curiosity, not judgment, in fact, can even make couples more solid and united.

The beauty of intercultural love lies in its power to transcend bounds and bring people together. It shows that even in our differences we are all humankind. Love teaches us to appreciate different backgrounds as a way to richness and brings unity and harmony into the world.

“Learning Through Love” is not so much a story about love and romance as it is a narrative of the deep, experiential learning of the impact one individual can have upon another. It is about becoming more open-hearted and open-minded, learning, growing, and embracing the unique mosaic of the human experience.

And while you roam in that universe of love, please remember there’s a world out there to be won. Embrace the journey, cherish the learning, and let your love story be a testament to the power of cultural unity.

💖 Share Your experiences. that’ll be wonderful!…..Heataker👌

[justhellacesome]

Had a dream where I attended an interculture coming of age wedding ceremony between Parseltongue Muslim Indian Family and Parseltongue British Christians, and it was an interesting ceremony where the contract between the couple was hurn and the oil was extracted then to be put on the bride and grooms face or even drank. I lnew they were Parseltongue because I saw the contract and the shifty dream words on it.

I kinda got kicked out of the ceremony and didnt see the rest of it but as I was kicked out everyone else left the ceremony from the disrespect I was given. Love those dream family honestly.

(it was a long dream I also remember gallivanting in the rain and just skipping around when some parts were pouring like crazy and the other spots are just soft showers it was fun)