You’ve finally done it: you’ve met the perfect guy. He’s sweet, funny and even rocks an accent that makes you knees turn to jelly. There’s only one problem: dating someone from another culture is a lot harder than you thought. Not only could your crush speak another language or even live in another country, but his favorite foods, music, holidays and hobbies probably differ from your own.
What should a girl know being diving into the foreign dating pool? Here are some dating customs from around the world.
Like many other Asian cultures, dating isn’t very high on people’s to-do list in Japan. Instead, students date their textbooks, with grades being their top priority. Once people enter college, dating becomes more common, but is taken much more seriously than in America. The point of dating is to get married and many couples don’t start their relationship until they say, “I love you,” rather than dating first and then saying it. Relationships tend to progress slowly and PDA is frowned upon.
Sorry lovebirds, but dating in Iran is about as normal as eating a peanut butter and jalapeño sandwich for breakfat. Iran’s culture is deeply tied to religion and marriage is only accepted form of relationship. But how do you find a person to marry without dating? That’s when your parents step in, matching their children with other people they know. Some couples do engage in a secret relationship, but there are serious repercussions if word gets out.
If PDA makes you want to puke, check “Brazil” off your vacation list ASAP. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to travel through Brazil and avoid witnessing some kissing action. Brazillians enjoy showing affection and first date kisses are common. As a result, relationships tend to advance quickly and, unlike in the US, you don’t date before making your relationship “official.” It’s official from the start. Men in Brazil are also considered macho and if they can’t ask a girl on a date, their friends will make sure they regret it.
You’ve probably heard of the saying, “The more the merrier.” When it comes to Italian dating, this couldn’t be more true. Italians often date in groups rather than alone in pairs. Males’ mothers are also extremely involved in their lives so they must approve of the girlfriend for the relationship to work. It’s important to know that Italy has two versions of dating: traditional and modern. Modern Italians often see dating as a means to having sex while their more traditional counterparts want a future with their boyfriend ro girlfriend.
Remember how shocked you felt in history class when you first learned about arranged marriages? Well, although arranged marriages seem like part of America’s past, they are still extremely common in India. The younger generation often struggles with this romantic traditon since they have no say about who they will spend the rest of their lives with. Some Indians secretly date, but mostly in group settings so as not to get caught. Since children tend to live at home until marriage, secret relationships can be especially difficult.
