To Kerala For Love
About
Today meet Eliza and Arjun! Eliza is White American. She was born in Alaska, USA, but grew up in Georgia, USA, and was raised, Christian. Her husband, Arjun, is c. He was born in Kerala, India, raised in Riyadh, KSA, and his family is Hindu. Still, they both are not religious.
How Did They Meet
They met on a dating app and talked for over two months while Eliza was on a summer holiday (vacation) in Australia. Arjun and Eliza finally met for the first time at Dubai airport when she returned from her holiday and lived in the UAE until 2020.
Did Arjun And Eliza Date Interracially Before Meeting Each Other
Yes, Eliza had dated people of various backgrounds in the US and UAE. Arjun also had partners of different ethnic backgrounds, though his parents weren’t as approving.
How Did Arjun And Eliza Know They Were Meant To Be Together
The moment Arjun stood up to his parents and made it clear he cared about their future.
How Long Have They Been Together
They have been together for five years and married for four years.
How Did Arjun and Eliza’s Parents Initially React To Their Relationship
Eliza’s parents were supportive. While Arjun’s parents were concerned over Eliza’s previous divorce and age.
How Did They Deal With Arjun’s Parents Concern Over Eliza Being Divorced And Her Age
Although Eliza is only eight months older than Arjun, his parents anticipated that his bride would be much younger (4 to 5 years). Frankly put and culturally speaking, they wanted to ensure that Eliza was not too old to have kids. Hence Arjun had to be steadfast and certain about him and Eliza when it came to his parents. Arjun ultimately gave his parents the option to be involved in his life or not. Then once they got to know Eliza as a person, not as a product of her family, culture, etc., they started to respect her deeply and came to care a great deal about her.
How Was Meeting Arjun’s Parents For The First Time
It was a roller coaster for Eliza. Arjun had told Eliza to be herself, which was a culture shock for his parents. Nonetheless, Eliza showed interest in their family’s language, culture, and food, and Arjun kept the peace for everyone.
How Was Meeting Eliza’s Parents For The First Time
Arjun has only met Eliza’s mom, and she loved him immediately. He’s spoken to other family members over the phone, but he’ll get to meet everyone once they make it to the USA.
What Obstacles Have Eliza And Arjun Encountered And How Are They Dealing With Them
After a dramatic move from the UAE during covid in 2020, Eliza and Arjun relocated to Vietnam. They are planning to go to Kerala, India, for the birth of their child (due in July). And then they hope to shortly after that move to the USA, pending Arjun’s immigration. Therefore, currently, their biggest obstacle is paperwork. Getting legally married, moving from place to place, finding a job, getting an OCI, applying for a green card, and preparing for their newest addition, and all the documentation required. Traveling is difficult when partners have unequal passports. Hence Arjun and Eliza are dealing with this by doing a lot of research and keeping copies of everything in person and online. It’s still exhausting.
What Are Arjun and Eliza’s Top Tips To An Interracial/Intercultural Relationship
Their top tips for other couples are as follows:
- As with any relationship, communicate!
- Discuss kids, parents, jobs, careers, finances, etc. before getting married.
- Don’t change yourself fundamentally to please the other party- you must like them, too!
- Establishing a protocol for family conflict ahead of time will save a lot of headaches and heartaches later on.
What Do They Love About Being In An Interracial/Intercultural Relationship
All the extras! The extra holidays, extra food, extra languages, and extra love!
Anything Else They Want To Share To Help Others
Eliza provides Malayalam lessons and resources for those looking to dabble in their partner’s language or help their children learn. A little language goes a long way! They both highly recommend getting to know your partners’ language or at least making it normalized and accessible at home. Eliza’s father had never learned Serbian (Her stepmother’s language) and sees how that has impacted her half-brother and the whole family dynamic. Find her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/eli.kutty!
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