Here are some benefits that those dating someone from a different nationality enjoy.
1. They get to experience the best of both worlds.
Celebrating holidays and traditions from both countries allows these couples to be more open-minded and cultured. Understanding the stories behind a country’s special days is important to understanding another culture as a whole. And let us not forget the food that is guaranteed to play a role in the relationship, as well as the ability to share with one another favorite comfort foods from home. There is nothing like a homemade dish that has been passed down in the family for decades. In these situations, it is quickly realized that food is a universal language.
2. They can learn a new language.
Dating someone from a different country allows for the opportunity to practice a particular language with a native and motivation to become more fluent. Not only is there a willing language partner to converse with, but there is also exposure to the language orally when a partner is talking on the phone to family or friends. An added bonus is the ability to practice the language firsthand either by living in the country or visiting a partner’s family and friends.
3. They provide a new outlook on each others countries.
Dating someone who is from a different country provides the ability for both parties to realize things about their countries that they might have never noticed before. Certain customs or even small everyday things that may seem ordinary to a native can be a fascinating point of interest for a foreigner. For example, in the U.S. there is a dizzying array of choices everywhere you go, from deodorant to spaghetti sauce. In other countries, this is not always the case and it can be overwhelming for those who are not used to this wide selection. This new outlook on daily routines provides excitement and an appreciation for things that would have been easily overlooked.
4. They have new appreciation for sports and their teams abroad.
Soccer might not be as popular in the U.S. as it is in England, for example, but date someone who is from there and it is hard not to see the appeal of Manchester United. The opposite is true as well — watching American football or baseball can become a guilty pleasure for someone who has grown up only watching soccer their whole entire lives. Having a partner from another country also gives new meaning to major sporting events like the World Cup or the Superbowl. Watching games with a converted fan puts a whole new spin and added excitement on game day.
5. They have a deeper appreciation for foreign policy and international politics.
It is easier to put into context the importance of other countries’ politics and their relationship with other countries when dating someone from a different nationality. Learning about the importance of politics from a different country and how that influences your country and the world suddenly seems to make much more sense, especially after learning a thing or two about how a particular country is governed. It definitely makes more sense than it did in “Beginning to World Politics” in university. A new appreciation for the World section of the New York Times or local paper is highly likely. Featured photo credit: Flicker via flickr.com
