Emma Lv comes from a long line of ambitious women. She was born to parents who were both academic professionals, both of whom managed their career at the same time and later on, emigrated to Tokyo. From her birthright, Emma Lv did have an interest in the arts and music, however, her real passion was international cooking. In fact, her talent and ability to cook surpass all other talents that she possessed – to this day, when she is asked about her childhood passion, she could only think of one person that came close to fulfilling her dream. Her partner in life, Yuichiro Watanabe, is a chef from the Nippon Professional Building and Trade School.
As much as Emma Lv did want a career in cooking, it is not what her parents wanted for her. They wanted her to be a doctor, and they had their reasons for that. The education in the culinary arts is quite demanding and requires the woman to be able to work under pressure. That was how far Emma Lv was planning to take her career, and even if it had fallen into her lap, she would not have thought of marrying a man who had a flair for cooking, knowing that it was only a skill that could be used in that capacity. This is what culture shock can do to people – the instant gender roles that we are accustomed to. For a woman born and raised in a culture where cooking is a staple, it is not surprising that she has grown up with a strong sense of gender discrimination, despite her obvious talents.
When both partners in a relationship to see each other’s strengths and weaknesses, a compromise is reached. The problem being, however, that this type of compromise is risky. It means that a compromise is reached and then problems start to brew, especially when the woman who is willing to give up on her dream of a career is also the same woman who cannot stand the sight of a career. Culture shock is such a great concern when you get married to someone who does not share your vision of a happy family life, so you need to make sure that you are ready for the risks that are entailed when entering a marriage that is based on these principles.