Going on a trip with a new partner can be a great way to get to know them better. You’re both out of normal context, maybe out of your comfort zone a bit, and you’re having to interact in a new way. Here are 5 trips you can take with a new partner to see if he’ll be able to go the distance:
1) Camping
See what he really looks like after sitting in the dirt for two days – that’s what it boils down to. Almost no one looks their best when they’re out in the bush without showers or mirrors. Now you can see what he really looks like without creature comforts and prep time. Is someone unhappy with the idea of not being able to do his hair, or conversely, way too excited about not having to brush his teeth? That could be a bad sign. Does he somehow manage to look even hotter in a flannel with the smell of campfire in his hair, though? Hold on to him!
2) Weekend getaway where you have to cooperate to do physical activity
Whoever said riding a tandem bike is a fun time was full of garbage. It looks so picturesque to see two tourists riding along, sweetly peddling together around the sites. In reality, they’re about two seconds away from breaking off the bike’s handlebars and having an American Gladiator-style battle to the death in front of the Santa Monica Pier. Activities or trips that require cooperation to do an activity are the fastest way to tell how compatible you are with someone. Can’t cooperate long enough to paddle a canoe together? Might be time to rethink things.
3) Travelling to a developing country
Maybe not something you’d undertake in a brand new relationship, but traveling to a country where you have to rough it a bit will tell you a lot about a person. Being in a situation where you might not be completely comfortable because neither of you speak the language, your safety isn’t guaranteed, or your accommodation isn’t fancy can be very telling about someone’s character. Is he grossed out by unfamiliar food in Bali? Scared to ride a chicken bus in Costa Rica? Uncomfortable bartering for a taxi in Mexico City? Traveling to these kinds of places requires a sense of adventure and a little bit of street smarts. If those things matter to you, putting yourselves in a situation like that is a good litmus test to see if you’re compatible in the long run.
4) A weekend visiting his family
How someone acts around their family may be very different from how they interact with friends and the rest of their social circle. Maybe he refuses to help with the dishes and secretly resents his brother, or maybe he loves fishing with his step sister and taking his adopted grandma to get her hair done? Either way, spending a good chunk of time together with his family will give you some insight into what he’s really like. Plus you get to hear all of the family drama that only comes out after a couple of glasses of wine!
5) Anywhere when it’s mostly just your friends that are going
No one likes to babysit their boyfriend who is being a grumpy cat because he doesn’t have a bro to talk to. Dating someone who gets along with your friends and is comfortable in new social situations is top notch in my books. Even if it might not be as fun for him as a snowboarding trip with his buddies, taking the time to do something or go on a trip that’s important to you, (hello, weekend your best friend’s cabin!), shows that you’re a priority to him. This means you’ll have to reciprocate though!
