It can be tough for a couple to come up with new ideas every week for date night, but with this one, your Friday or Saturday date night is waiting for you every week, with minimal effort and maximum payoff. The suggestion here is to learn a second (or third) language together, as a couple.
First, choose the language you want to learn. Perhaps you are planning a dream vacation abroad. Regardless of where you go, knowing a few words of the language will make your trip easier and will win you the respect and friendly help of the locals. Or perhaps you want to learn a new language to advance your career, prepare for retirement in another country, or just keep your mind active and impress your friends. There are countless reasons to learn a second language and zero reasons not to.
Once you’ve chosen your language, do your research to discover which method of learning is for you. There are online language sites like Rocket Languages, Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur that offer free trial periods. I recommend you take advantage of those, rather than reading reviews, since many reviews are sponsored and therefore biased (and for the record, we are not affiliated with any language platform – I’m only mentioning well-known ones here).
Of course, learning a new language takes time and regular work, so hopefully both of you can devote even ten minutes out of every busy day to practice a few phrases or learn a couple new words. Apps like Duolingo make that easy.
But the bulk of the work will be done on date night. When it rolls around, you and your spouse will settle in for an hour or so of online instruction. Practice together, challenging each other to speak and understand the new words and phrases you’ve learned, and review previous ones.
When the lesson is over, cue up a film that is in the language you are learning. It’s easy to find foreign language films these days, and the popular streaming services have them. Keep the English subtitles on if you wish, but use this as an opportunity to hear the language spoken naturally.
This date night idea can make a real difference not just in your marriage—it’s wonderful to learn new things together—but also in your life. It can open doors and present new opportunities, whether for travel, work or just friendships. You just don’t know where it will take you. So if you’re looking for something more than just dinner and a movie (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), then this might be the perfect recurring date night for you.
– Written by special contributor and relationship author Don Macleod
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Debra Macleod, BA, JD, offers a professional and proven alternative to marriage counseling and has served as an expert resource for major media around the world, from The New York Times to Women’s Health Magazine.
Visit the HOMEPAGE or READ REVIEWS of her Marriage SOS™ resources and save your marriage, starting today.
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