The beauty and sorrow of foreign brid /外籍新娘的美麗與哀愁
Taiwan has seen an increasing population of foreign brides who desire to improve the financial status of their families. They might well look forward a happy marriage, but language barrier, age difference and money issues constitute blocks on their way to happiness.
Miss Hung from Vietnam is lucky compared with other foreign brides, in that she had walked down the aisle 6 or 7 years ago, when foreign brides were not so "popular." Her parents-in-law had passed away and she has two kids. So she does not have to deal with a big family. Nevertheless, the "road blocks" keep her from going home despite heavy dose of homesickness.
Miss Juan's husband runs a diner in Kaohsiung. Living with his relatives, the 20-year-old lady is occupied with endless chores all day long. Although she has borne a child, she has not adapted to the new life here - she misses her lover in her native land.
Miss Chen has stayed at home doing chores and looking after children since she came to Taiwan, for she does not speak local language and has not completed naturalization. She lives in a small world, only going out to the market for grocery shopping. As for longer trips, she has to wait until her husband is available on holidays.
Most foreign brides marry local residents for money. However, this kind of money-oriented marriage is not easy to swallow. Hung is a typical example. Her family was deep in debt and constantly molested by creditors. On hearing that her family could get a sum of money as gift for her marriage to Taiwan, she soon decided to tie the knot. Her husband is about 20 years older. Although her parents were reluctant to consent, she came anyway. Unfortunately, money became the key point of contention in her marriage. Her Taiwanese husband only intended to marry a foreign wife, not a foreign family. Consequently, the marriage was tarnished by the quarrel over how much money should be sent back to Vietnam.
Money no doubt is the major cause of conflict in intermarriage. As pointed out by a Vietnamese bride, language barrier, different backgrounds also give rise to miscommunications. The majority of foreign brides are confined to house chores and do not get to meet people. Thus, they are all stuck at home with kids as they lead a colorless life.
抱著改善家庭經濟的願景，來自異國的外籍新娘陸續進入台灣，「經濟」是她們遠嫁異鄉的主因。她們或許抱著對婚姻的憧憬，但是語言的隔閡、年齡的差距和經濟因素所衍生的社會問題，成為台灣不可漠視的族群。
紅氏，來自越南，比起其它外籍新娘幸運的是，早在6、7年前還不是很「流行」越南新娘的時候即透過親戚介紹而認識台灣先生，公婆已歿，育有兩子，家庭成員還算單純，但是，年齡的差距和經濟因素使得她即使想念家鄉還是得留在台灣。
阮氏，年僅20歲，遠嫁到高雄，先生作小吃生意，兄弟姐妹公婆住一起，阮氏每天從早忙到晚，雖然已經生了一個小孩，但是，想到家鄉的情人，遠嫁來台仍有強烈的不適應。
張氏，自從嫁到台灣，受限於語言與入籍，就在家裡做家事帶小孩，生活空間非常侷限，每天除了帶孩子到市場買東西，就是要等到假日先生有空才帶出去走走。
絕大多數的外籍新娘都是為了改善家庭經濟而遠嫁到台灣！但是金錢式速食婚姻都使她們跨海而來的婚姻面臨重重的考驗。紅氏便是很典型的例子，她在越南的家非常的貧窮，父母親作生意又失敗，每天上門來討債的人張牙舞爪。孝順的她聽說嫁到台灣會有一筆聘金，透過親戚介紹，認識3個月就嫁到台灣來，先生大她約20歲，只比娘家的媽媽小3歲，即使爸媽捨不得，她還是帶著她的孝心，以異國婚姻來解決家庭經濟壓力。只是，一樁婚姻豈是三千美金可以換來的？台灣先生娶妻可不想把整個娘家都「娶」過來，婚姻生活就在到底要寄多少美金回越南起爭執。
錢，是異國婚姻家庭中爭執的最大原因！另一位已嫁到台灣6年的越南新娘指出，語言隔閡、生長環境背景不同是溝通不良的原因之一，外籍新娘嫁到台灣大多數都在家裡幫忙作生意或當家庭主婦，很少有機會認識朋友，無從拓展人際關係，她們終日守著房子、孩子，「蒼白」渡過這無情的選擇。