1. Individual & Family Dynamics
120

2. Agenda One Day Movie Discussion (10 Minutes) Technology and Dating
Group Activity (20 Minutes)
Reflection #14 (5 Minutes)
Dating Interview Assignment (5 Minutes)
Dating around the World (20 Minutes)

3. One Day Movie Discussion
Question 2
Between which characters does love occur? Where is love the strongest? Is the love that exists between Emma & Dexter true love? Why or why not?
Question 4
In what ways does each character experience self-discovery and grow? How does it affect them and their relationship?
Question 1
Why is communication so important to Emma and Dexter? How do they correspond? What is the effect of this correspondence?
Question 3
In the movie, Emma tells Dexter, “I think our moment passed some time ago.” Is this an accurate statement? Why does Emma believe this to be the case?
Question 5
Are Emma & Dexter good friends? In what ways? How does this friendship affect each of their lives? How does this friendship impact their romantic relationship.

5. Technology and Dating
Technology certainly has changed the way we communicate with significant others and potential significant others and added new complications to the process.

6. Group Activity
In groups or pairs explore some of these changes in dating by reading them aloud and discussing your opinions.
Discuss the following questions and write your answers to be placed in your workbook file:
How does dating take place in your age group?
How does technology influence dating in your age group?
Do you think technology is negative influence on dating or a positive influence on dating or both? Explain

7. Reflection #14
Based on everything we have learned about dating, what are your dating standards going to be?

8. Dating Interview Assignment
In a nutshell, your task is to interview 3 different people of 3 different generations in order to learn first hand how dating has changed in the last 50 years.
INTERVIEW DUE: APRIL 11th

9. Dating around the World
Having a relationship with someone is important in all cultures, however the process of dating is different according to countries. Thus, culture affects the way people date, suggesting various kinds of dates from heavily supervised meetings to evenings spent at the movies. Dating is seen as both a complex and simple matter, the difference between the Western world and other civilizations making it very intriguing as some dating rituals are extremely liberal, some are less free of constraints, while others are cut down to old fashioned gatherings, or are even illegal.

10. Dating Customs on Various Continents
AUSTRALIA: Dating in Australia is illustrated by teens going out in large groups without really forming couples until they reach 18 or 19 years of age. Girls will usually ask out their date and they will also take the responsibility of paying for the date. The most common dating places preferred by couples are dinner parties, barbecues, or the beach.

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EUROPE: Dating in Europe is again, sort of a group event. In Finland for example, groups as large as thirty teens take part in an event together, such as going to the movies. Slumber parties are preferred by the young living in Italy, as well as Switzerland. Many Spanish teens join groups or clubs that bring people together connected by common interests, be it camping or cycling. The dating part however is done one-to-one, both sides asking each other out and splitting the expenses associated with a particular evening.

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RUSSIANS: Russians are very fond of dancing places, most dates taking place at dance parties, balls or at clubs where the young ones have meals and chat in groups. In small towns of Russia, teens get together in certain areas downtown, such as around fountains.
Interesting Fact: Women do not hold hands with men when being on a date, but instead they hold onto their arms. The act of holding a man’s hand is considered unfeminine.

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UNITED KINGDOM: In the United Kingdom, teens rarely have the courage to ask someone on a date by themselves, so such interactions usually take place in groups, where people are being supported by their friends into making this gesture or they rely on alcohol to acquire the confidence to admit they like someone.

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MIDDLE EAST: Dating is extremely strict in the Middle East since most dates are in fact supervised gatherings arranged by parents for the purpose of the young meeting one another before marriage. In Afghanistan, opportunities to meet are rare since young people don’t get the chance to go on a date, but they are introduced to each other by their families after their matrimonial union is already settled.

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IRAN: In Iran, people are even stricter as dating is completely illegal. Teens spend their life separated until they reach the appropriate age set for marriage. Afterwards, their families make the introductions and on rare occasions, the event is followed by a period of courtship.

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CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: In Central and South America, teens are not allowed to date until they are at least 15 years old. Dating takes place in large groups, hence it is a common occurrence for teens to go out together in local clubs, to eat and chat, or to go dancing at weekend dance parties.

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AFRICA: In many parts of this continent dates are very strict because parents arrange their sons’ and daughters’ marriages, and even if couples are allowed to date, they are well aware of the fact that their families have already chosen a partner for them and they cannot break out from the relationship-to-be even if they do not approve of their partner after a few dates.

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ASIA: In most Asian countries young people do not leave the house they grew up in until they are married. Newlyweds live with their partner’s parents for a while until they get a place for themselves.

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JAPAN & KOREA: In Japan and Korea, dating doesn’t usually begin before college, when boys alone do the asking and accept the cost of the date. Most high school students don’t go on dates, nor to parties, but choose to spend their time studying. In China, some parents still arrange their sons’ and daughters’ marriages, but most young people are free to choose their partner by themselves, dating beginning sometime around the age of 20. Chinese people get married a lot faster than couples from other countries, most dates never reaching a number higher than one or two.

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AMERICA: As people can see, differences in dating customs are highly influenced by religion and parental control, but in America, dating is rather conventional and movie-like. Dates, as seen with young people in America, are a way of testing a potential partner before making an actual commitment and to determine whether a particular person is compatible with them or not. Teens in America start dating really early, even before high school, and they usually go to see a movie or have a drink/meal at the local diner.

21. Dating may vary across the globe, countries being known for peculiar and outrageous dating traditions, yet as time passes, people develop new dating customs, such as dating with the help of the internet. Although this form of dating is mostly practiced in the Western civilization, no one can tell for sure what other customs will emerge as the world changes, and whether strict dating will come against some people’s right of choosing whatever partner they see fit for themselves.

22. Reflection #15 -- How do you feel about dating in our culture compared to dating in other cultures? Explain.