DATING
Latin Culture: Important Things to Know When Dating a Latina
Dating a Latina for the first time, and you’re not quite sure how to impress her?
Don’t worry, Latinas aren’t really any different from any other women most of the time, in that they like to go on romantic dates and receive gifts.
But then again, no matter these similarities, she is still a Latina. She is different. Some things you might’ve been doing on other women, might not work for this one, since there are key differences in her culture that might affect your chances of success.
In order to avoid this, here are a few things you need to take note of about her culture:
Latino Standard Time (LST)
Latino Standard Time is the amount of time when someone says they will be somewhere, and the time when they’re actually there.
In the US, some people might be constantly running around trying to catch up on their hectic schedules, but Latin people tend to be more laid back.
So, when you’re dating a Latina, it’s better to be patient and expect delays in your plans together. You should also be prepared to be spontaneous, since things and plans can easily change when it comes to Latinas.
For example, if you’ve made reservations for 8, you might want to meet her at 7 just so you can make it on time.
From a western perspective, being late can be seen as rude. But to Latinos time is very fluid, flexible — relative. Being late shouldn’t really be normalized, but if you experience this just make sure you won’t get unnecessarily angry at her about it. Be flexible when making plans and creating date nights.
Introversion can be interpreted as rudeness.
Latin culture is more collective compared to their western counterparts, and because of this, most Latinas are typically outgoing, talkative and sociable. Latin culture encourages outspokenness, charisma and confidence.
This means that shyness or introversion can easily be interpreted in a negative way. This is especially relevant if you will be given the chance to meet her parents, as they might be expecting some extroversion from you.
So, just make sure to be extra outgoing and friendly when meeting her family or friends. In that way, you won’t simply appear as someone who can click and adjust well to the people close to her, but it can also earn you major plus points from them.
Gifts are important and declining them can be considered offensive.
Gift giving in Latin culture symbolizes affection and appreciation. In fact, on some occasions not preparing a gift can be seen as a disrespectful act. Latinas have been accustomed to putting in a lot of effort when giving to others.
For example, when it comes to cooking, they tend to put in a lot of detail, flavor and love into what they make. And when it comes to gift giving, they put a lot of consideration into what they give you.
These gestures to the Latinas are a special sign of affection. So, to decline something after all the trouble they go through. Whew! It can feel close to an insult. So, even if you don’t really find the gift useful or even if it’s not to your liking, think about the effort they put into it.
However, there are also gifts you need to avoid such as: yellow flowers because they symbolize death. Red flowers, as they are believed to cast spells. Or purple flowers because they are commonly associated with funerals.
They cherish and preserve their cultural heritage.
If you take some time to learn Spanish, or appreciate their food and all the great things about our culture, they will surely notice and love you for that, because those mean the world to them. It really pays to show respect, interest and appreciation to their culture.
Sometimes, this may lead to different perspectives and beliefs. Do not force them to change the way they see things or force your beliefs in them. Instead, have an active conversation about these differences, and learn to look at things in their perspective, as they should in yours too.
Dating someone from a different culture shouldn’t be about which culture you both choose to follow. It isn’t a fight between cultures, rather it should be a merging of two cultures into one. Appreciate each other’s differences because that’s one of the many things that will make your relationship interesting and exciting.
They are very expressive.
When you learn about Latin people, you will find that passion is going to be a recurring theme. When they love, they love hard, and they can be very expressive with their feelings — ranging from intense happiness to furious emotions, they have it all.
If, for example, you unintentionally acted badly, she won’t be the type to sit around and just let it happen. She will definitely speak up and straighten things out with you. With this, you really need to be observant of her behavior, because if you also do something bad, you can see it on her face. This way you can minimize incidents of arguments with her.
Latinas tend to be more intuitive.
While some western countries might tend to be more passive about their and other people’s feelings, Latin women are well-known to be the exact opposite. They are especially trained to listen and pick up on things from a young age.
This is why you need to be honest and expressive about your feelings and thoughts, because some way or another, Latinas might be able to pick up on the slightest changes of your behavior and call you out for it.
With them, you need to learn to talk about the problems you’re willing to share, because these women are likewise ready to take care of you, and lessen your suffering. Be open to being more vulnerable around them, and they will truly appreciate it.
Perhaps, dating a Latina will be different.
She won’t be the same as the other women you’ve been before — in that how she acts, thinks and perceives life will be different.
But when it comes to romance, she is just like any other woman. You just need to make sure you can put in effort into understanding where she comes from, appreciate and show interest in her unique identity.
Dating a Latina might be different, but it might just be worth it.
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