Marriage Material in Myanmar

[Nick in Thailand]

I thought I'd post this here as the Myanmar section doesn't really get a lot of traffic. I'm a 40-year old Canadian guy and I'm moving to Mandalay, Myanmar as soon as possible. I'm going to be working in an international school (Science teacher not TEFL) and having lived in SEA for a long time (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos & Indonesia), I feel this will be my last stop and I'll settle here (my Burmese language skills are coming on quite nicely). I've really become a little <deleted> off seeing SEA change so much tbh.

 

I'm not into mongering, sort of did all that when I was younger, but I'd really like to find a nice Burmese girl and settle down. The last time I was in Mandalay was 2010 and I wasn't there for long. Can anyone tell me about Myanmar women and the culture around marrying one? What are Myanmar women like? (I know it's a broad question). What's the expat scene like there?

 

There's really very little information online so any help would be great. I tried asking on Reddit and people went <deleted> ballistic that I was asking about women ("we don't want sexpats" etc). Looking for a wife not a bargirl. Would be thankful of any experience. Cheers. 

[Don Chance]

Why would you want to get married? Monogamy is not natural.

[Nick in Thailand]

2 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

Why would you want to get married? Monogamy is not natural.

I actually would prefer polygamy but that was outlawed in 2015 in Myanmar. For financial security and stability, monogamy is better than being single to me. 

[Don Chance]

Mostly it is poor women who are into hypergamy.  If you find a middle class girl she will probably want to go to the west. Go for the poor one, better chance to work out. You buy her something a cheap necklaces or something she will be sooo happy.  You might have to support her whole family though.

[AlexRich]

Try to find someone professional, like a teacher, Doctor, lawyer. Good luck.

[Don Chance]

6 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Try to find someone professional, like a teacher, Doctor, lawyer. Good luck.

In that case she will want to get out of dung town and to the west asap where the real cash is. Then she will change and probably divorce. You'll be paying a lot more for that.

Otherwise it would be a local dude her family likes. No one really wants a cross cultural/ cross racial marriage unless there is some big reward.

The poor girl will want to get knocked up asap. Then you will realize what a mistake the whole idea was. Didn't you see Salvador with James Wood?

[CLS]

Many factories in my province employ Burmese women. I assume many of them would be grateful if you took them home.

[Nick in Thailand]

38 minutes ago, Nick in Thailand said:

I actually would prefer polygamy but that was outlawed in 2015 in Myanmar. For financial security and stability, monogamy is better than being single to me. 

*Hmm. Can't delete posts?*

[Nick in Thailand]

Just now, CLS said:

Factory workers

That is not my target demographic. 

[impulse]

48 minutes ago, Nick in Thailand said:

There's really very little information online so any help would be great. I tried asking on Reddit and people went <deleted> ballistic that I was asking about women ("we don't want sexpats" etc). Looking for a wife not a bargirl. Would be thankful of any experience.

 

I understand that reception. 

 

In my experience, for 95% of the expats I've known in 20 years of living in Asia, that's code for going through as many women as they can, without paying for it.  And, of course, there are usually plenty of women willing to try out in hopes of getting a green card with this one, the 20th guy they've tried out for...

Obviously, I don't know you or what kind of a person you are.  But I can count on one hand the number of successful marriages I've witnessed in those 20 years when the stated objective was finding a wife.  Lot of good marriages when couples met in the course of their lives and their work, sure.  But spouse shopping is a dodgy business when there's such a chasm between the parties in terms of culture and economics.

[Nick in Thailand]

20 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Try to find someone professional, like a teacher, Doctor, lawyer. Good luck.

That is my target demographic. 

[Nick in Thailand]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I understand that reception. 

 

In my experience, for 95% of the expats I've known in 20 years of living in Asia, that's code for going through as many women as they can, without paying for it.  And, of course, there are usually plenty of women willing to try out in hopes of getting a green card with this one, the 20th guy they've tried out for...

Obviously, I don't know you or what kind of a person you are.  But I can count on one hand the number of successful marriages I've witnessed in those 20 years when the stated objective was finding a wife.  Lot of good marriages when couples met in the course of their lives and their work, sure.  But spouse shopping is a dodgy business when there's such a chasm between the parties in terms of culture and economics.

I've dated a lot of 'native' women around the world and they didn't really appeal. I prefer Western women tbh, humor doesn't go over their head, we can like the same type of movies, music and general culture, we can discuss politics, 'the culture war' and just loads of other topics. So, I'm hoping I'll find a nice Western women, ideally. But, I'm not closing the door on Burmese women, just thought I'd open it ajar and take a peek, see what you guys have to say. 

[ezzra]

 

your post conjure up the beautiful and touching poem by Rudyard Kipling "Mandalay"

 

"This poem expresses a soldier's longing for the exoticism of the East, particularly Burma.

The poem muses on a Burmese girl sitting by the sea at the Moulmein Pagoda who is thinking of him. The wind is in the palm trees and the temple bells are calling him back to Mandalay. They want him back there with the flotilla where the paddles clank from Rangoon to Mandalay, and the fishes play, and dawn breaks like thunder.

She wore a yellow petticoat and a green cap and her name was Supi-yaw-lat. He first saw her smoking a cheroot and kissing a heathen idol's foot made out of mud, called the "Great Gawd Budd". She loved the idols, and he kissed her there in front of it on the road to Mandalay.

The mist was on the rice-fields and the sun was fading into the horizon while she played the banjo and sang. She put her arm on his shoulder and her cheek against his while they watched the steamers on the river and the elephants piling up teak in the creek. She was afraid to speak in such a heavy, drowsy silence"...

Copied from www.gradesaver.com

[Puchaiyank]

Just go with the flow bro...relax and enjoy your adventure...????

[Wongkitlo]

Wouldn't your co workers at the school be eligible. At least a teacher would be able to read and write. 

[metisdead]

Topic has been moved to the Myanmar Forum and re-opened. 

[Lacessit]

To answer the OP's question about luk kreungs, nothing from my perspective. However, Thais do discriminate against them unless they are Tiger Woods.

[kingofthemountain]

On 6/27/2020 at 2:50 AM, Nick in Thailand said:

So, I'm hoping I'll find a nice Western women, ideally. But, I'm not closing the door on Burmese women, just thought I'd open it ajar and take a peek, see what you guys have to say. 

You seem to be a little bit disoriented

you need to be clear with yourself first

knowing what you want and especially what you don't want

marriage isn't an easy task and i don't think at all it will be

less costly over time than to be single

 

[swerve]

You are a clown.

[swerve]

My last comment is unnecessary and unhelpful.  Good luck with whatever happens.

[Nick in Thailand]

20 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

You seem to be a little bit disoriented

you need to be clear with yourself first

 

I know what I want, ideally, I want a a Western woman; however, I am open-minded enough to enquire and listen to people who know more than me about Myanmar women. 

Unfortunately, there is no myanmarvisa.com and no one yet has been able to provide any first-hand experience. Would be very grateful if anyone has had any experience.