’90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’: R-E-S-P-E-C-T (RECAP)

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 7 of 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way.]

Mothers-in-law don’t always know best. From Ariela’s mom commenting on Biniyam’s construction sites to a cringeworthy screaming match between Brittany and Yazan’s parents, disrespectful in-laws sometimes should be kept at an international distance. Good thing most of these soon-to-be spousal spats are worlds away from one another.

Cultural Compromises

Brittany is still upset about how Yazan handled her arrival in Jordan. “I do love him, I just don’t like that attitude,” she explains.

Yazan greets her with flowers at her hotel room and apologizes in his own way, saying that Brittany should understand that “Arabic men are just jealous.” He also calls Brittany “crazy,” but she lets it go for the sake of her first day in Jordan.

He brings her to see his parents, and prompts her to wear a hijab. “Everybody here can’t see you babe. You know I’m so jealous,” Yazan smiles as Brittany asks to instead wear her own clothes.

Two Apartments, Too Many Problems

Ariela acknowledges her helplessness as a spoiled millennial as Biniyam makes their bed. “You know I can’t do anything!” Ariela laughs as she watches him work.

Her mother comes over to their new home; she immediately says the area “looks terrible” and the “poverty is extreme” in Ethiopia. “I’m not a snob, I just come from a totally different culture,” Ariela’s mother tells Biniyam once she arrives. “I’ve been in places that are poor. The people are nice, but the fact is the conditions here are not safe for a baby.”

Biniyam explains that he’s planning on doing some renovations to their house ahead of the baby’s arrival, like painting and updating the shower. Ariela’s mother says that the place is “appalling” and Ariela and her newborn could get sick from the surrounding bacteria. The lack of a refrigerator or interior running water are also alarming to Ariela’s mom.

“Here is not forever. I have another apartment. If she doesn’t like it, I’m afraid maybe she leave,” Biniyam tells the camera. Ariela’s mother is adamant that her daughter doesn’t live in that home.

Almost There

Armando prepares his new home for Kenneth’s arrival. The apartment is in a gated community, and Kenneth is paying the rent.

Meanwhile, Kenneth is still on the road from Florida to Mexico. “Tonight I get to see Armando for the first time in nine months, so I’m beyond excited,” he says through tears. “It was worth giving everything up, making the move, changing my life. He’s worth it.”

“Game Over”

Jihoon apologizes to Deavan for lying again about his finances. “I never went to a good university and it’s not like I have any marketable skills,” he explains. “I decided to work part-timers as delivery man because I can rest when I want to rest.” He earns between $2,000 and $3,000 a month.

Deavan asks why he isn’t working full-time if he knows he has children to take care of. In the U.S., she worked over 17 hours per day to provide for her family. “We don’t even have a good life here because you don’t work,” she responds.

Jihoon acknowledges that he was lazy and selfish. He also has his mother manage his finances. “Then why aren’t you using that money to help me? It sounds like you didn’t want to spend your money so you let me spend all my money. If you loved me and the kids you would have helped,” Deavan states. “I don’t think I want to be together anymore after this.”

She leaves for a hotel with her mom and kids so she can have think things over. “I feel like game over,” Jihoon sighs.

Conscious Uncoupling

Jenny and Sumit meet up with his friend. So far, Sumit has been putting off bringing Jenny to his divorce attorney. “Soon as the divorce is complete, we do plan on getting married this time,” Jenny tells Sumit’s pal. He also opens up with about his own divorce; it’s been a four-year process, but Sumit assures Jenny that his situation is very different.

“Until I see that paperwork that you’re actually getting that divorce, I’m really worried,” Jenny tells Sumit. He tries to distract her with fixing up their new home, but she is adamant that they go as soon as possible to the attorney.

Cigarettes & Gaslighting

On the way to her future in-laws’ home, Brittany lectures Yazan on American customs and cultures. He keeps fighting with her. “You’re not going to talk to me like that, like I’m a kid or you control everything I do like I’m an object. I’m a person, I’m a human being,” she stands her ground.

“No, you’re my baby,” Yazan creepily utters.

“You don’t respect me how I thought you did. You don’t love me because you don’t want to be myself,” Brittany starts to yell. He just laughs and eventually starts smoking a long cigarette.

Hard Hats Required

Biniyam shows Ariela and her mother his “real” apartment that will later be their permanent home. He is proud of the renovations he made on this two-bedroom home and believes that it will rival Ariela’s American residence.

While the apartment is spacious, it’s still a construction zone. “The second apartment could be nice if it was actually livable,” Ariela complains in a confessional. “But at the moment this apartment is actually worse than the first one… A lot of things need to be fixed.”

Ariela’s mother speculates that it will be months before the second apartment is ready. Biniyam thinks they can miraculously do it in two weeks. Her mom suggests that they move into the rented guest house she’s staying at near the hospital.

Monster-in-Law

Brittany dons the hijab and greets Yazan’s parents. Immediately his father asks when they will get married and urges them to apply for a marriage license the following day. “I just want to be clear to wait until my family comes for the wedding,” Brittany tells him, dodging the fact that she is still secretly married to her ex.

Yazan’s father asks if this is Brittany’s second or third marriage and wonders when she will convert to Islam. She simply says no. “I don’t want it to be forced on me because if it’s forced me then I’m not going to appreciate it,” Brittany tells Yazan.

He jokes that she’ll have to go slow, “like a baby.” Yazan’s mother interjects that Brittany should never say no to Yazan and when necessary, just accept his insults. Then Yazan’s father demands Brittany delete all of her social media accounts and “cancel the life she’s been living” if she wants to marry Yazan.

“It’s two different cultures coming into this marriage. It’s not just one culture,” Brittany responds.

“You show my family how you don’t respect me,” Yazan reprimands her. His mother also chimes in, because mothers-in-law are always kind like that. She starts screaming that they’ve been waiting a year for Yazan to marry Brittany and they want grandkids immediately. Yazan stops translating and Brittany is completely lost as to why his mother is yelling.

“If she stays on social media, they’ll say that your son’s fiancée is a prostitute!” Yazan father shouts. Brittany sits there in tears.

“I’m not from here, I don’t understand what’s going on. I can’t speak the language, I’m sorry that I wasn’t born in Jordan,” Brittany says as she runs away.

Previews

Armando and Kenneth finally reunite in Mexico, Tim lands in Colombia, and Jenny meets with Sumit’s lawyer. Jihoon’s mother consoles a sobbing Jihoon, while in Jordan, Brittany and Yazan are still arguing. “I don’t ever want to see your parents again. I’m done,” Brittany dramatically heaves.

See you next time!

90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, Mondays, 9/8c, TLC