A common misconception that I often hear from (mostly) black people is that somehow having the same skin color automatically means you will enjoy a shared cultural experience with your partner. Magical thinking makes folks believe all things will fall into place via osmosis or iTunes download just because the two of you are brown. Nope. While there’s a whole continent that shares our hue, the similarities with African American culture begin and end there. African and even West Indian culture is markedly different, and many of these people have certain stereotypes that if a relationship is to be forged, must be overcome. Fact is, just like many other immigrants who come to America, they look at problems in the BC and want none of it–they just keep their heads down and work hard to secure the best opportunities for themselves and their families. Probably because many times what these people flee from is much, MUCH worse than what we black folks face here in the good old U.S. of A.

I sat down with Kristina and Peter, a interculturally-coupled duo. Check it out