Contributed by guest author Jennifer Chappell Marsh, MFT<\/em><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re in love it\u2019s hard not to picture the rest of your life with the other person. Those butterflies in your stomach are exhilarating if not outright addicting. But having a romantic connection with someone and spending your life with them doesn\u2019t always go hand in hand. How do you know for certain that they\u2019re \u201cthe One\u201d and not \u201cthe One You Shoulda Never Looked Twice at\u201d?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where travel comes in. Sure, the chemistry might be palpable as you stare lovingly across the candlelit table in your hometown\u2019s newest hot spot, but is that attractiveness still there when you are a sweaty, grouchy mess heaving your luggage though a claustrophobic train station where no one speaks your language? Ah, the couples trip of your dreams. Travel combines the excitement of everything good about relationships but does not sugar coat the challenges of real-life, tough scenarios. Here\u2019s how traveling as a couple can tell you if the relationship is for better or for worse:<\/p>\n

You Are Not at Your Best, and That\u2019s OK<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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When you are traveling, you don\u2019t have hours to prepare for a hot date. You may not look or feel your best and you won\u2019t be able to spend hours on the Xbox building up your courage or meet with your best friend to decode \u201cwhat he really meant\u2026\u201d\u00a0 But, despite any bad moods (or, get ready for it\u2026sharing a bathroom) you can totally be yourself and your travel boo sees the best in you.<\/p>\n

You Care About Each Other\u2019s Happiness (Shocking!)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Warning: When operating as a couple, travel ideas may vary drastically. Just like when you\u2019re hitched, the time you spend together on vaca shouldn\u2019t be all about me, myself, and I. You want your partner to be happy, which means you may have to compromise on a few tiny things and go outside of your comfort zone for something that\u2019s important to them. That may mean getting in a should-probably-be-illegal speed boat or spending an afternoon window shopping because that\u2019s what your love dove has on their itinerary. And you\u2019re going to suck it up and love every minute, all in the name of your \u201cRoman Holiday\u201d moment.<\/p>\n

You Can Form Words into Sentences Under Pressure<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Sure, communicating is easy when things are going well or you\u2019re blissfully strolling along the Seine hand in hand.\u00a0 Or if you\u2019re home and get into a tiffle, you can retreat to separate residences or just hang up the phone. But constructive communication can be challenging when you are stuck in a small hotel room in Italy with food poisoning or just got scammed out of a few hundred bucks for a \u201cspecial\u201d tour. When things get tough and you can\u2019t hide behind your own apartment, having the ability to talk to each other respectfully is critical.<\/p>\n

You Don\u2019t Stomp Off into the Sunset\u2014You\u2019re a Team<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Things go wrong in life as they do while traveling. It\u2019s inevitable that someone temporarily loses their passport or a train gets missed. When problems arise, it\u2019s important that you can figure things out together in a healthy, no-drama way. When you are overwhelmed that your luggage didn\u2019t transfer with the connecting flight, does your cuddle cakes spiral down the anxiety hole with you, or do they stay grounded and level-headed? Being able to balance and support each other is key to a successful trip (and marriage, if this whole traveling thing works out).<\/p>\n

Marriage is for better or worse, which makes taking a couples trip a perfect test to see how your relationship weathers the good and the bad. If you think you\u2019ve found \u201cthe One\u201d then book your plane tickets\u2026soon you may be booking the wedding venue.<\/p>\n

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Jennifer Chappell Marsh<\/em><\/a> is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has over a decade of experience helping people improve their relationships. She specializes in Couples Therapy and Premarital Counseling out of her private practice in sunny San Diego.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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