I often think about how blessed I am to be born into the family I belong to. All members of my immediate family are go-getters, out of the box thinkers, and people who are motivated and open minded. While these traits are useful in developing and advancing life skills, it’s also great when you’re the youngest daughter and decide you want a boyfriend.

My parents know and approve of the man I’m dating, they like having him over for dinner, and they like having him over the next day to finish off the leftovers. If I get a phone call in the evening asking where I am and when I’ll be home, saying I’m with my boyfriend is a more than sufficient answer.

But it appears not everyone has this arrangement. I’ve heard of relationships in Nepal which last over six years where parents are unaware of the romance that exists between a child and their “friend”. The idea of living at home and being able to get away with hiding a long term relationship baffles me but I think there’s a don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy that more people seem to automatically adhere to.

This then, in my opinion, gives rise to some dating situations that I find are applicable only in Nepal. Most people won’t openly introduce each other as boyfriend or girlfriends. I had this happen in the beginning of my relationship with my boyfriend and I called him out on it.

The conversation went something like this:

Him: (To his friends), This is my friend.

Me: Nod and smile

(LATER)

Me: Why do you say ‘friend’ and not ‘girlfriend’?

Him: If they see me with a girl, they’ll assume you’re my girlfriend and they’ll figure it out.

Me: So they do know I’m your girlfriend.

Him: Yeah.

Me: So if they figure it out and they know, why can’t you just say it?

Him: That’s just how it is here.

Me: Yeah, but that’s stupid.

I don’t get it.

Another odd thing about dating in Nepal – there’s this sixth sense about who you can and cannot mention your boyfriend too. Otherwise, most of the time, the man (or woman) you’ve been committed to for the last three years is “just a friend”.

Really?

Anyways, there’s a lot of other dating quirks in Nepal– no PDA (except holding hands I guess), not really having a wide option of places to go to together, not having real “dates”, relationships being sucky because both people live at home with parents. So, while being in a relationship in Nepal is a bit strange, I can’t imagine how people who have to hide their partner from their families do it.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, my boyfriend now always introduces me to his friends as his girlfriend.