The answers have ranged from various Caribbean islands to African countries to backyard spitting competitions. To each their own I guess.
As for me, I'll be enjoying the warmth of my own bed, disease-free water, and the happy knowledge that one more year is nearing its completion. Enjoy your Spring Break everyone.
My family and my girlfriend's family are total opposites. Her family does things one way, mine another. We were brought up differently, taught different things, and carry different traditions. We love each other very much, but we keep getting into fights over our families. What can we do to keep our sanity? - W.S.
Parental approval is one of those things that kinda carries over from our childhood: we want it for our choice of college, our career, our hair color and body piercings, etc. But probably most importantly, we desire approval of our loved ones. You want a spouse who the family can accept, just as you are accepted in to their family. Unfortunately things aren't always so "Cinderella and Prince Charming". More often it's closer to "Romeo and Juliet". When two conflicting families start ramming heads, it can get messy.
The best thing for you and your girlfriend to do is to sit down and talk out your differences. You can't let things like this fester, because they are irreparable once they get to a certain degree. You don't want your family to resent your spouse or vice-versa. You must decide if your familial disparity is something you are going to be able to survive, or if it is eventually going to tear your relationship apart. I know it's not pretty, but if you just ignore it, you could end up with some uncomfortable family get-togethers.
For instance if your girlfriend's family tradition of breaking plates during wedding ceremonies is going to conflict with your mother's love of fine china, you might want to take steps to prevent porcelain disaster. Likewise, if your habit of grabbing the remote for some channel-surfing runs contrary to your new father-in-law's "clicker-domination", you might want to ease off. These are just a few examples, but you never know what the next familial faux pas could be.
No two families are going to mesh perfectly together, unless it's the same family on both sides, that is (kissing cousins, anyone?). Both sides have to make sacrifices, and not just you guys either. Your families will have to make concessions, compromises, and adjustments. Once you all understand that, you will be one step closer to a long-lasting, stable relationship.
Adam Shupe loves his family very much. All three of them. You can reach him at shupe@email.unc.edu.
