My ethnicity is mixed with Puerto Rican, African-American, and Polish. And my boyfriend of four years is Egyptian and Syrian. There are many things I love about our relationship, our Giants/Cowboys football rivalry included.
One of those is being from completely different cultures. Dating someone from a different background brings the relationship to a whole new level. It's something that wouldn't be found with a person from the same background as you. Yeah you're discovering new things about each other everyday, like their go-to Chipotle order and typical morning routine. But along with that, you are learning about a new culture and with that, even more about themselves. Languages, religious holidays, music, authentic food, and more.
A deliciously new palate
Let's be real: food is always a non-negotiable plus and being a picky eater isn't an option.
I bring my guy to the best restaurant in the nearby town to introduce him to real Puerto Rican food, besides the usual rice and beans dish. And in return, he makes sure I know something other than hummus.
Not only do we take each other to hole-in-the-wall spots for authentic food, but we even get a homemade taste in our own kitchens. Even better, both of our moms are great cooks in the kitchen, and those two ladies making homemade food beats a restaurant any day.
Learning to be bilingual
Hearing someone speak another language is pretty cool already. So what would make it more attractive coming from your boyfriend's mouth?!
When you're dating someone of a different culture, you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. It's fun and cute teaching each other how to speak the language and practice rolling each other R's.
Back in high school, my boyfriend and I even got to the cheesy point in learning how to say, "I love you" in each other's and other languages. Don't deny that you did that, too.
The definition of a wanderlust couple
Jetting around the world is definitely one of the biggest perks of being in a culturally different relationship. My boyfriend and I have travel spots in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and Cairo, Egypt already on our frequent flier list since our families live there. Maybe while laying on the beach in Dubai, we can visit his aunt and uncle's house. Or if we're backpacking around Europe, we might stop by my cousin's place in Spain.
But aside from visiting our own families, we're even more interested about traveling to other places. It lit a spark of wanderlust within ourselves to explore new destinations together.
Blending each other's culture to make one of your own
This is for those heading for the long-term relationship. I'm talking about the sacred M-word that makes my boyfriend tense up a little bit when I binge watch TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress" marathons.
Even just talking about spending a future with each other is more exciting. The pair of you are coming together with your own cultural traditions and values to be carried on. You're able to choose the parts of your culture that you loved growing up and shaped you.
Being from two different families, it's not about one of us molding to the other one's culture and traditions. It's a compromise and blending of each others. There's figuring out whether or not to convert to each other's religion of Catholic or Coptic one day. We even get to celebrate Christmas three times a year.
New relationship challenges
All relationships have their hurdles. And maintaining your relationship is pretty hard work, especially for those long distance. Dating someone from a different culture adds an entirely new component.
You are dating someone who was raised very differently than you were. That brings morals, values, and other pieces to work with that are not just present in the culture, but extremely meaningful for your significant other, too.
My boyfriend and I come from cultures with a huge focus on family. So sometimes it's hard juggling spending time with each other on the holidays. Some cultures are stricter than others about moving in together before marriage.
No culture is the same. And tackling these challenges within a relationship asks for a lot of patience, compromise, and effort to understand a culture's views that may be unheard of in yours.
Dating someone from a different culture has brought me something greater than a partner and best friend. It has changed my view on the world and opened my eyes to new things. No doubt, it's thrilling to grow more worldly through a person you are totally whipped about. And it's even more interesting to experience the culture that shaped your significant other into the person they are -- and you love -- today.
