Foriegn Brides

The next few posts will be a collection of my own writings, either written during exams or normal school practice. I'm posting them here to keep a collection of these writings in somewhere I can always find them.


Cedar Girls Secondary School
Sec 3 EOY English Language Paper 1 2005
Foreign Brides 23/9/05

With the development of our nation, many people are now caught in the ever changing fast paced society in Singapore. Men tend to be stuck in the rat race and women are now given equal opportunities compared to men, some even earning tens of thousands a month. Thus Singaporean women have higher expectations of men, many would rather marry foreigners and shin men from jobs of the lower class, for example, the hawkers, those working in the wet market and “karang gunis”. These men eventually turn to foreign brides with the hope of setting up a happy family of their own. These men tend to be around thirty to fifty years old, with an average monthly income.

How well does the statement ‘live happily ever after’ stand? How many couples are getting divorced daily? Men may initially feel an attraction towards these women, mainly from Thailand, China or even Vietnam, but this is all but a physical attraction. How different is this from blind dates? To really ‘live happily ever after’, couples have to be able to accept all flaws of the other party and understand each other and are able to confide in each other when needed. How accurate is it to judge a person’s character based on a picture or at first glance? Men who marry foreign brides may not get to enjoy eternal marital bliss after all.

There are also cases if men being cheated by agencies who promise to deliver these foreign brides to them. Those who genuinely want to set up a family may be cheated of thousands of dollars which they have been scrimping and saving for months. Is it safe enough to get foreign brides through agencies? There is no guarantee as many turn out to be a hoax. The latter later regrets having not signed any official documents to take legal actions against the company.

We also never know what these foreign brides are thinking about, they are not locals after all. They are brought up in a foreign land and who do not know their principles, beliefs and mindsets. Some foreign brides squander large amounts of money on branded goods and demand that their husbands buy designer products for them or threaten to leave, many dote on their wives and think on means and ways to provide the best for them. The brides are thus taking advantage of their marriage for their own personal gains.

One might however pity these brides as they might have been forces into circumstances like these. Some do it to supplement the family income, others for the hope of a better lifestyle. Whatever the reason, they are humans with a heart after all, no one wants to be away from home all their life, no one wants to endure the pain of homesickness. We should too spare a though for their feelings, of how they might feel in a land away from home.

These brides may be cheated or even worse abused by their husbands. They may be tricked into believing that their husbands were actually “businessmen” who later turn out to be a small time hawker or claim to have a car which turn out to be a bicycle. Is it fair for them to be conned into marriage? These brides should have rights to legally charge these men who do abuse them after drinking too much or losing large amounts after gambling. Their brides are not her for them to vent their anger on.

In conclusion, I personally feel that although foreign brides may be a solution to loneliness, the thought of whether the marriage will last has to be considered. The men might be relieving them of a temporary financial situation but how well can they provide them for the rest of their lives or ensure that they are really happy. The risk of getting divorce is very high and it is pointless to spend money on a marriage that will not last. There are also dangers of getting them to Singapore and the men face a constant threat of when is she going to leave or whether she has taken their money. I feel that it is wrong to deprive them of basic human right to choose their spouses. If the demand for these foreign brides are not high, the market will eventually be closed down, giving freedom to them. Thus I feel it is better to wait for the day your true live appears instead of gambling your happiness and money on foreign brides, not because of the risk involved, but also a release for them, and also the men to treasure true love when it comes.

Comments: Very good work
Score: 25/30

Well, the language and structure is not excellent but I typed it out as I wrote it, so it was exactly what I wrote when I was fifteen(: