The same way Jenny has to deal with people thinking I’m some rich old white man I am burdened with people assuming she is a step above a mail order bride. Because the Philippines isn’t a nation Americans typically know much about, such as how westernized they really are over there, many people believe my Filipino fiancée is probably using me for my money. If you’ve seen my wardrobe of t-shirts purchased in 2010 you’d know she has nothing to take advantage of.

One look around Two Bees in a Blog you’ll realize Jenny’s English is pretty good. In fact, you’d probably think I’m the foreigner. Aside from a few clichés the only language barrier we actually have is me not understanding her native tongue. I’m also not the best at speaking woman, but what man is? The only phrase in woman I have learned is the meaning of “I’m fine” which is “the entire world is a dark place and crushing me there’s nothing you or anybody else can do to stop it.”

Jenny knows English well because she’s a big reader and movie watcher. Not everyone in the Philippines has mastered the language like she has. For the most part, they do understand it. Most prefer to speak something else because when they make fun of me I’ll have no idea. At least this is my theory.

I don’t blame people for thinking that maybe my Filipino fiancée is some girl who is just some submissive being whom I have managed to charm enough into coming to my home country. Jenny is unbelievably outspoken compared to most women in her country which is something I admire. She’s not the type of girl who will laugh at my jokes for the sake of trying to impress me. She’s the kind of woman who laughs at my jokes because I’m unbelievably hilarious!

I think she also feels bad for me.

No matter how much I insist Jenny and I actually have a real connection beyond the usual Filipino-American relationship there will always be those who think I bought her and she’s a soft-spoken submissive Asian female. She’s far from it. Just ask me when she’s not happy with something I said or did.