“I didn’t know all the awful things my wife’s family thought of me until we got married.”

As a full-time writer at BuzzFeed, I cover books, sex, relationships, sitcoms, and all things pop culture.

Editor's note: This post contains racial topics that may be distressing to some readers.

"He had become controlling and restrictive, which his culture deemed normal for our dynamic. He told me he didn't understand why I hadn't expected that, once we lived together, I would be required to put him 'above all else' and stop spending time with my family and friends. I still love him deeply, and I honestly always will. We're trying to build a relationship with more equality and less possessiveness, but only time will tell whether real change is possible. Dating someone from another culture should be a bonus — a chance to share new experiences and broaden each other's worlds. My advice is to have the difficult conversations early, even the ones that seem unnecessary or like common sense. What you assume life together will look like may be very different from what your partner assumes — especially when the cultures view committed, serious romantic relationships very differently." 

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.