The One Type Of Place Every Couple Should Visit Before Moving In Together
Moving in together is a big step in your relationship. You'll hear plenty of horror stories about couples moving in together when they aren't ready, but there's less advice out there on how to actually get ready to move in.
As you and your partner prepare for the next phase of your relationship, there are various important conversations and trust-building experiences you should have. While some of these steps are more serious than fun, there is one highly recommended move-in ritual that can be a wonderful treat: going on a trip together.
While you and your partner have maybe already gone on a few weekend trips, you should try going on a long vacation with just the two of you before moving in together. More importantly, your destination should be somewhere completely new to both of you. This relationship trip is a good excuse for an exotic vacation, but it's also a guaranteed way to get to know your partner better.
Go somewhere you can't speak the language
One of the best ways to get to know your partner before moving in together is to visit a place where neither of you speaks the local language (via Pure Wow). International travel gives you the chance to practice problem-solving and see how you both handle unfamiliar situations. Think of it as a relationship stress test.
Traveling together is also a proven factor in relationship satisfaction, and it could be the perfect way to start the next chapter in your relationship. In fact, couples who regularly travel together are happier in their relationships, communicate better, and have a more satisfying sex life than those who don't travel together, per a survey from the U.S. Travel Association,
This isn't to say that only folks who can afford international travel should move in together. You can still get valuable insights into your relationship when you travel with your partner to a place where you speak the language. However, look for a domestic destination significantly different from what you or your partner have experienced before. You can visit another region of the country, or to keep it more local, people who live in a city can visit a rural area, while people living in a rural area can check out a big city.
What to look out for during your trip
Traveling internationally with your partner is only helpful if you know what you want to learn from the trip. One of the biggest things to keep an eye out for is how you and your partner handle stressful situations. You should reflect not only on how your partner treats you when they're stressed but also on what kind of support they need when upset. The overall purpose of the trip isn't just to look for red flags — try to learn more about how to be good partners for each other.
You can also try to observe how the two of you approach problems as a couple. Do you work cooperatively, or do you turn against each other? Does one of you tend to take the lead, or do you share decision-making equally? There isn't necessarily a bad way to problem-solve as a couple, but knowing how you work together best is useful information for future challenges.
Another element to think about is how you and your partner treat other people. Consider how you both navigate language barriers and interact with other cultures respectfully. Conversations about these issues are an excellent path to set the shared values you want for your new household.
Going on an international trip might sound excessive but traveling somewhere you don't speak the language will give you a tiny taste of the adventures and challenges that might lie ahead in your relationship journey.