Tribal Wifes

Tribal Wifes

Today while eating at Subway my friend asked me if I would see her differently if she was a boy. I thought about it for a second and answered

'I don't see you as either as a boy or a girl'

she gave me a weird look while taking another bite in to her sandwich

I explained 'I see you as Sammy. I see you as the individual person, not a gender'

I think she understood what I meant. Normally I try to see my friends for who they are, rather than their gender. Or at least I try to. Growing up I was part of an Army family and so we would often move around a lot. Sometimes I would have more female friends and sometimes I would have more male friends. It was during college that my friendships with two girls grew stronger and to this day are my best friends while at the same time I had male college friends. Now at university it’s gone the other way, while still the best of friends with the two girls I now have more male friends who I would say I'm closer to compared to male friends I've had in the past. Basically I've never been the type of person who is less likely to like someone because of their gender, which I suppose can be said for most people (although I do know some people who get on better who boys, and some people who get on better with girls). And if my friends are reading this, which I'm going to guess you are as you’re really the only ones who sometimes read my blogs then HIYA! *waves*

Anyway, I felt that little story was a nice intro to a review of the show I've been watching called Tribal Wife’s on BBC 2.

'Six British women swap their everyday lives for life as tribal wives in some of the most remote communities on earth. Like many women today juggling career, home and family, they feel that something is missing. By spending time in societies where female roles are very different, they hope to find answers that could change their lives.' thank you bbc i-player

This is the second series of the show now, and I can't remember for sure but I think I watched bits of the first series. Now the final episode has aired and is now on the i-player I thought I would go through the eps and note what I thought about them.

Side Note: Sorry If me saying 'the woman' sounds a rude, it’s just easier and quicker than me having to find the names on the different websites pages.

ep 1) Turkey: I wasn't a huge fan of this episode. I thought the girl picked was perhaps too young. I always thought the show was about women who have been living their life in a certain way and the chance to get away and see a different culture may make them stop and think about what’s really important. However with the first woman on the show It was more about questioning the ways of the family. They also took her to a more modern part of Turkey for a party at which she attracted the eye of one of the sons who may have been romantically interested in her. The episode became less about learning and more about the uncomfortable drama between the two.

ep 2) Gabon: This was my favourite episode of the series. The family welcomed her in right away and they treated her like she was one of them. While all the families did the same with the other 'wife’s' this community really took her in. The woman in this episode had problems with her mother from her past and while in this new community she gained a mother figure who really got her thinking about the choices her own mother made, and got her thinking she was doing the best for her.

ep 3) Mexico: There was always a moment in all the episodes when I thought to myself 'my god stop crying and get on with it' now thinking back this may have seemed a little cruel, I mean these women are away from family, friends and their home. I'm pretty easy going, but come on! Wipe your tears aside and get stuck in. Overall this was a nice episode and while the woman annoyed me a bit at first she started to grow on me, she certainly got involved with the family (even if she didn't do the whole race) I think she really took something from the trip, which I suppose is the most important thing.

ep 4) Papua New Guinea: In this episode the woman had issues with her father in the past and so she found it a little weird creating a relationship with the father of the family, but she soon started to like it and began to call him 'Daddy' (having been asked to). A very beautiful woman I found it strange to hear she had had trouble with relationships and keeping them, having been in a few relationships for a long time and then them not working she said she had issues with trust. But again I think she really learned something for her experience.

ep 5) Thailand: This single mother of two found it comforting to see the community so close. She normally saw similar things within her church but never so much with the family. She worked hard and was very respectful. To be honest I'm drawing a blank with what happened in this episode. Go watch it and remind me lol

ep 6) Ethiopia: I've just watched the final episode of the series and I can't say it had the same direction as some of the episodes. Most of the women had clear things they wanted to improve on, where as the things she learnt she couldn't really take them back and add it to her life style. perhaps not the best episode of the series to close on but none the less all round very good.

A fantastic series granting real insight in to how families across the world work and interact with one and another. I really recommend watching it.