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An Arranged Marriage

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I am not sure how old I was when my mom told me about my parent’s arranged marriage, but I’ve loved the story ever since I was a child. Arranged marriages are customary in Cambodia. Parents consulted match makers and even astrologers to find the most suitable match for their sons and daughters. Often the match was economically or politically beneficial to the families involved. Sons typically had a say in whether or not they agreed to the match. Daughters usually agreed to please their parents and future in law's. A girl that refused an arranged marriage would be labeled as difficult and even ungrateful. Therefore, more often than not, the daughter would say yes to the match. The hope for an arranged marriage is that the couple respectfully co-exist as partners. If they learned to like each other that was a blessing, and if like turned into love that was a miracle and the match maker would boast about that for their entire career. The tradition and culture around arranged marriages...