letters of april, 2004

• key for colour of text:

green text is text of the letter.
white text is my reply or correspondence initiated by me.
cyan text is an inserted note.

• letters are separated by grey lines.
  

22 april 2004
hey,
i'm doing this report on guyanese west indian culture and the american culture. my thesis is the influence american culture have on guyanese marriages in american(queens ny)..
can you please give me some insight and information on this topic..
i have gather info but i still need more and i have trouble finding it..
please help me..
thank you for yah time..
reyaad.

26 may 2004
my reply to the above
Hello,

I'm not married, so I can't offer any information based on personal experience. However, I have witnessed the effects of American culture on Guyanese marriages around me.

I think that it's more difficult to maintain a marriage after moving to America because the capitalist society fuels an individualistic, selfish drive for money and things. In Guyana, a couple would have worked together to provide for the family. They are in the same struggle and exist by consolidating their energies. In America though, the otherwise great opportunity for economic independence drives a wedge between two people who now compete with each other for the daily bread. Who paid for what frequently becomes the basis for quarrels. The couple becomes emotionally and physically separated.

Any marriage developed and enacted in one culture will face serious difficulties when transported to another culture.

Besides a different economic climate causing a split, there are intense social forces at work. Easily brainwashed people can be led to believe that it's in their best social interest to leave their Guyanese companion for the more sophisticated and prized Amerikan. At this point we touch back on the inferiority complex: "nice and fair skin" as opposed to "so damn dark skin."

I have seen five relationships atrophy after they moved to America.

Again, I have no personal experience with marriage, but I hope this helps.

I apologise for the delay of my reply. I got your e-mail mixed up with some others and didn't discover it until a few days ago.

G.U.M.
GuyanaTruth.tripod.com