Cross-Cultural Dating
Dating another person you come to find that there are so many different ways to approach how one goes about their day to day, from how we say particular words to how we cook. In doing things as a couple, sometimes just the way you act makes the other laugh or brings frustration. Regardless of the difference in approaches, I feel very fortunate to be in a relationship where my partner and I take the time to share our perspectives and appreciate each other’s unique ways of life. Below are just a few differences in approach we have come across.
- Car Maintenance: In Canada, washer fluid is our best friend because water will freeze and we won’t be able to clean our windshield. In Zimbabwe, washer fluid just isn’t necessary because the temperature doesn’t go below freezing, water works great!
- Mooning: In Canada, mooning someone refers to flashing people with one’s butcheeks. In Zimbabwe, this action is not called mooning, and there isn’t a particular name for this. One time my boyfriend and I were watching a movie together and one of the characters mooned the other. My boyfriend missed that part so I told him the character mooned the other. He asked what is mooning, and I explained it is called such because their butt looks like a moon. In reply, he said then if he did this, due to his dark skin tone, he would call it an eclipse!
- Approach to cooking: For myself growing up, cooking was always a community task. We would be in the kitchen and everyone would be working on something, it was a sort of quality time we would spend together. For my boyfriend growing up, cooking was a gift to others. One would prepare the meal for the other, while the other had time to rest and relax. Then the other would clean the dishes for the other in thanks, giving them the time to rest and relax. Now we take turns cooking with each others cultural customs.
- Pronunciations: Do you pronounce it Ze-Brah or Zeb-rah? My boyfriend declares it Zeb-rah because he grew up around them so he gets to decide how they are referred to!
Julie Thomsen is a 25-year-old from Canada. She loves art, philosophy, and research. In her spare time you can find her going to art shows, painting, checking out new restaurants, and reading. She is looking forward to teaching in universities as a business professor. In a few words you could describe Julie as: artistic, thoughtful, witty, and determined.