How Different Cultures Perform Certain Practices, Significance and Meaning (Essay Sample)

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Intercultural Variance
Introduction
People have different customs that characterize them and their societies (Arnold 190).Their beliefs about certain things and behavior towards matters like, dating and marriage are always distinct. It is hence important for individuals to understand the culture of various groups so as to appreciate them. This paper gives a deep insight into how different cultures perform certain practices, their significance and meaning.
Dating and Marriage
Under dating and marriage, different people practice it in distinct ways. I will look at dating and marriage in England, Argentina,
Dating and Marriage in England
In this country, dating starts at early teenage years. This mostly happens in schools where students start having boy and girl friends. At this age, boys make the first move to approach girls and the dating process starts.
In Britain, one can get married at the age of sixteen as far as one has consent from his parents. A marriage can take place in a church, synagogue, register office, a prison, hospital or the home of one of the partners. Most weddings take place on Saturday and before the wedding, hen and stag nights, which are similar to bachelor/bachelorettes parties, are held. The wedding consists of the two, bridegroom and bride, accompanied by the best man and lady. It is considered unlucky if the bride and the bridegroom happen to meet before the service.
On the wedding day, the groom wears a suit and the bride, a white dress which represents purity (Martin 1999). They exchange rings which represents a sign of their union. After the service, a ceremony is held to celebrate the wedding and this is called a reception. Here, speeches are given by the groom and the best man. Later on, the groom takes the bride to a honeymoon, which is mostly a holiday.
Dating and Marriage in Argentina
In Argentina, girls are believed to be women at the age of fifteen. This means that they can start dating at this age. Dating starts at teenage ages and goes on up to when people are in their 20s where they start being serious about dating. Before marriage, most Argentines live in their parent’s houses and relocate later after marriage. This situation makes dating hard in this country because couples hardly meet.
When a couple decides to get married, the man must ask for permission from his girlfriend’s father and when he agrees, plans to do the wedding can start. Before the wedding, the two must wear rings on their right hands which are transferred to the left hand after the wedding is done. The wedding is normally held at a registry office with the couple, witnesses, friends and family attending the ceremony. This is followed by a reception people dine, drink and dance. This takes the whole night and ends in the morning.
Dating and Marriage in Brazil
Dating in Brazil starts at a teenage age, around 15 years. Serious dating takes around two or three years and is ...