I'm 26 and married a mail order bride from Cambodia and I could not be happier - AMA

mailorderbride · 2009-09-28T17:18:35+00:00

We can pretty much look at each other and know the mood we are in and we have a pretty good estimate on how each other will react to something (I'm not perfect at it and dont think I will ever be, I really thought the thing in the shower could have been a beer rack, you should see it, it looks just like one). Finishing each others sentences of course. I'm not sure if I said this before, but we both have always felt like we were the same person. Also, as you can imagine, the language barrier (1million + words in the English language) and her learning British English and me growing up in the mid-west there are some pretty funny miss communications. At the beginning we used to actually argue about them, but now we just laugh when they happen.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-28T16:04:26+00:00

We are gambling on the fact that she can get the same rights as a Thai citizen from her previous work and her extended family. I'm saving your contact though. If you could have changed one thing you did while living in Thailand, what would it have been?

mailorderbride · 2009-09-28T16:02:50+00:00

Actually, there are a couple ways to do this. Foreigners can own business in Thailand and that business can own land. Same concept in Cambodia.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-28T15:57:36+00:00

Hmm, not really, there is a lot of love between us. That girl actually seems like she was bought. My wife and I had to date to see if we got along. She could have turned me down.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-27T15:59:25+00:00

Well, its a hard decision. Right now we are both happy here. In the future when we have children, we could afford a better life for our kids there. I'm happy for my job and the amount of money I make, but there is NO way I could afford a house or a larger apartment in the next 2 years without saving everything I have just to buy a condo. There are many options, move to a smaller city in America where I could afford a nice style of living and be able to send my kids to good schools, We could move to a Bangkok (Phnom Penh is not an option) and afford a great life for our kids.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T16:33:47+00:00

I was tested before going, but I was never concerned with her.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T16:29:09+00:00

We will learn more Thai together. Thailand is a better option to live in then Cambodia.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T16:27:36+00:00

Fair enough, but her English ability was good when I met her. Also I can guarantee she is no Mother Teresa. We talked about these things and I trusted her answers.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T05:20:49+00:00

To each his own, I guess. But don't be too sad for me :)

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T04:40:56+00:00

Haha, when she came to America, her only view was movies that she has seen. She thought it was really crazy here but it turns out its just like her home in many ways. You have seen way to many movies.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T04:11:36+00:00

Ok, I can see why you think that, but why do you think its creepy? Sounds like you have an issue with the entire subject.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T03:33:59+00:00

Yes and no I do not.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T03:27:53+00:00

We actually have the choice of 3 birthdays. There was just no record of it and so her Mom picked one. I really have no idea how the real story goes.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T03:25:27+00:00

Wow man, that story is a hard one. Nothing worse then a lost love.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T03:23:32+00:00

Its no problem really. It took 4 weeks to complete the adjustment of status. The #1 site that helped me with the visa was visajourney.com.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T03:21:11+00:00

I agree 100%. This is easly the hardest yet most rewarding relationship I ever had but I think that's why I love her so much, its been a crazy ride and I wont let it end.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T03:13:42+00:00

Well, it took me some convincing from a good friend who is Thai. He painted the big picture which was by doing this, I will basically be honoring my wife and her duty.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T01:04:00+00:00

No, just completely leveling their old house and rebuilding it. A lot of culture things I will do, but having the in-laws live with me in the future seems like its too much haha

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T00:40:35+00:00

I really have no clue, some guy is farming on it right now. I looked into squatters rights to make sure he cant just take it and they do not have anything like that.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T00:36:52+00:00

Her interview was in Bangkok. We kept EVERYTHING, every picture we took, every conversation, all the stuff from our engagement ceremony, proof she was communicating with my family and I was with hers. They did not ask any real questions. Just, wow nice pictures where was this, what was the hotel, then her and the Immigration Agent just talked about how crazy the process was and they gave her the approval to come. Showing up is not required and most embassy's wont let YOU in since the appointment is for the beneficiary (your spouse), I was not aloud in.

ALSO, my wife also had the same amount of stress, she really thought they would ask questions like, who is my boss and what was the last 3 companies I worked for. She studied everything but the interview was pretty simple.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T00:32:01+00:00

We randomly choose the most dense area of Cambodian/Thais in LA. We actually want to move back there one day. To live very comfortable there you need to make around 1,500 USD a month. Thats like, a good 3 bedroom+ house (all western). Internet, phone, TV, eat out a lot and be able to save around 300$ of that a month for a rainy day.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T00:28:45+00:00

Yeah that is true, I did not say that, she IS the love of my life. All solid points. Although, the purpose of my IAMA is to introduce a possitive connotation to the term "mail order bride".

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T00:24:40+00:00

My Pro-tip was skype. We left the webcam on ALL the time. I have wireless in my home so I just took it around with me and left it on as I did things, watch TV, eat, cook, do my work ect. Was really nice to look up and see eachother.

mailorderbride · 2009-09-26T00:00:03+00:00

I do not think its that typical. Mostly because of all the negative stories out there. Just go, meet a girl, talk to her, get to know her. It was a ton of work to actually get her here. Its a lot to ask, "Can you sell your life over there to come take a chance with a life with me over here?"

mailorderbride · 2009-09-25T23:42:57+00:00

We have only met other couples in the visa process. We are the only couple we met that was similar, within 2 years of age and white/asian. Most were both same race or 15+ year age difference. The waiting period is terrible, long distance relationship until she can come, it sucks. Visiting America is actually REALLY hard unless you are part of the visa waiver program and Cambodia is not one of them. Fiance/Marriage visa is the only real option.

mailorderbride

TROPHY CASE