Marriage Around the World
Love and Marriage in France
Our travels took us throughout France, with a focus on Paris and Lyon—both wonderful cities with fabulous cuisine, great wine, sights to behold, and history to tell. But more than anything, with all the amenities of these two great cities, we were struck by the friendliness and warmth of the French people. We were there for nearly two weeks and only have splendid experiences to report. The French passion for food, wine, life and romance cannot be missed if you just strike up a conversation with someone, observe couples strolling down the Champs Elysee, or when you mingle in a small café or bistro.
And the couples we interviewed were marvelous, which brings us to the main point of our story. You have probably heard that the French are no longer interested in marriage or some variation on that theme. Don’t you believe it! The couples we interviewed who had been successfully and happily married for 30 to 60 years reported great satisfaction in their marriage and would do it all over again. But here is where it gets interesting – we found the same themes in young French couples that were in love. The ones we interviewed loved each other very much and were looking forward to getting married, just like their aunts and uncles, parents, and grand parents before them. In fact, the word on the French streets is that marriage is making a very nice comeback in France! We heard nothing while we were there to dispute that notion.
Read about the greatest romantic country in the world in the article, Love and Marriage in France
The Look of Love in Brazil
Today in Rio de Janeiro we saw the look of love from two lovebirds who have been in love since they were eight years old.
We had the great pleasure of interviewing Attilio Borriello and his bride of 51 years, Arlette. And trust us when we say this – they look like love! They are the look of love.
Attilio and Arlette are from San Lorenzo, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the third largest metropolitan area of the country and about a four-hour drive from Rio. They were in Rio visiting family, and we were introduced to them by their 23-year-old grand daughter, Cristiana.
We were blessed by the opportunity to interview them today over lunch at A Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema) restaurant. Let us say up front, Attilio and Arlette are a near perfect match for the profile of successful marriage we have found in our travels around the world. In fact, their marital relationship of nearly 52 years is a mirror image of the long-time, successfully married couples we have interviewed over the years. They are what love is!
To learn what Attilio and Arlette know about the look of love, read The Look of Love in Brazil
Resources for Dating and First Marriages 
Resources for Couples in Stress
Resources for Love the Second Time Around
Resources for Helping Professionals