welcome on my foreign half
#lovebeyondborders
Are you in love with a foreigner? Part of an intercultural family? A lover of world cuisine?
This blog was created to help you enrich and inspire your daily life.
Let’s celebrate cultural diversity together!
my story
Nice to meet you, I’m Ophélie!
When I was a child, I was lucky enough to travel around the world with my parents. This exposure to foreign cultures in my childhood reinforced my passion for diversity and adventure. I’ve always been fascinated by the incredible richness of languages, values and lifestyles around the globe.
This is why I decided to create a blog that reflects my love for cultural diversity and intercultural relationships!
Obviously, this passion had consequences on my personal life. After falling in love with a Greek boy in Kindergarden, dating a British guy in middle-school and having a Swedish love affair in high school, I ended up sharing my adventures with an Italian.
I’m from the south of France, he’s from the North of Italy. We met at University in the UK and we have lived in four different countries since then.
People always ask me the same questions: what language do you speak together? Are you finally able to speak Italian? Does he really eat pasta all the time?
As always, life is more nuanced. Except when it comes to pasta.
Our daily life is mostly a joyful mix of cultures. Even if we both understand French and Italian, English is still our main way to communicate our thoughts, desires or even to argue!
Don’t act surprised if you hear us say things like “Ma scusa, where did you put la télécommande?”.
Why this blog?
When you first engage in an intercultural relationship, you can’t imagine the impact it will have on your life, your self.
Even if, in my case, France and Italy are similar in terms of cultural identity, sharing your life with a foreigner always forces you to step back and see your own culture from a new perspective.
Navigating through multiple cultural identities can be a very enriching experience but sometimes, a lonely one.
This is why I’ve often wished I could connect with couples going through similar obstacles. If you think couple life is not an easy adventure, try binational couple life… Double trouble!
What language should you speak together? How can you overcome cultural misunderstandings? In which country should you live? How can you raise third-culture kids ? How to communicate with your in-laws?
These are some of the questions My Foreign Half is trying to address.
With this blog, I want to highlight the incredible lives of families redefining their identity and celebrating their love beyond borders.
Welcome on this cultural journey!
About us
Ophélie & Federico
My nationality:
French
My foreign half:
Italian
where we met:
Exeter, United Kingdom
where we live:
Switzerland
languages we speak:
English, French & Italian
favorite food:
Trofie al pesto & pain au chocolat
what will I find on this blog ?
- Inspiring stories of bicultural couples and multicultural families
- Helpful tips from experts to enrich you life
- Original recipes to put the world on your plate
- A community of like-minded people sharing your values : diversity and tolerance
A story to share ?
I’m always looking for new inspiring stories. Tell me more about your adventures!
