Relative relationships across cultures and countries (rent, house, university)

[overdrive1979]

I often have read that Europeans are the coldest, distant ones in terms of relative relationships from all over the world, even those who live in southern European countries like we Spaniards ones, who are often stereotyped as warm people.
I hope it would be better to open this thread here rather than elsewehere on the boards because of I would like to read what people from other countries do. However, if I'm wrong, i would say I'm sorry, so please move this to the non-romantic relationship forum.
Anyway, let's start this thread:


My parents live a 20 minute car away, so I usually see once every four months or so, though we don't talk too much on the phone, except to warn them about the next visit.

My brother lives 300 km away from here, so we only see each other once per year around Christmas.

Most of my maternal family lives 100 km away from here, but I've never seen them since 16 years ago because of any of them never did care by unknow reasons. In fact, we don't care about their weedings or burial ceremonies nor the other way around, so there is nothing else to do there as everyone does his own things.

About my paternal family... Well, some of them lives in my hometown which allow me to see them at least once every two weeks or so, just there is just a plain, good relationship, though not extremely lovely. Some others live more than 400 km away, and some others just elsewhere, so I don't care about them since many years.

So, the only ones I often see every Chirstmas are my mother, my father and my older brother.

So, what about the most common relative relationship most people often have in your own country?

[elnina]

I think your experience is not typical. Your family seem to be not very close...

[Ottawa2011]

I don't think family relationships are much different between Europeans and other cultures. Relationships between friends, neighbours, and colleagues seem to be warmer and more close in some cultures than in others. But families, though, I haven't noticed much difference between different cultures that I've seen in Canada.

Family size is traditionally larger in Roman Catholic societies than in Protestant ones, a difference that exists in Europe. In Protestant countries, to have only one or two children became the norm long before it became common in Roman Catholic places. This would result in fewer large, loud, visible families in many northern, western, and some central European countries.

[Mr.Falcon]

I have a closer relationship to some of my relatives than with my immediate family.
My mother died 10 years ago and since then my sisters hadn't looked for me and my father married another woman, but don't look for us either.
I see some cousins and aunts more frequently, but not always, except for one aunt that lives close to my house and I use to visit a lot.

[AFP]

All of my family in the USA lives in the same town other than my daughter that is currently living away at University. We get together for all of the Holidays and see each other in passing occasionally for the most part, but don't socialize much as we are all very different and don't have much in common. I can only tolerate hearing about conservative political views or hunting briefly before my eyes start glazing over from sheer boredom. I do however see my parents at least weekly although briefly for the most part.

[overdrive1979]

Originally Posted by Ottawa2011

Family size is traditionally larger in Roman Catholic societies than in Protestant ones, a difference that exists in Europe. In Protestant countries, to have only one or two children became the norm long before it became common in Roman Catholic places. This would result in fewer large, loud, visible families in many northern, western, and some central European countries.

Roman Catholic societies from southern Europe are not larger, louder nor closer anymore, but as cold and distant than northern, western and central European ones.

However, in ancient times people here really did care so much about having great relationship with all their relatives by moral imperative, so if someone didn't care, then that person could socially alineated by everyone. I often have heard my granmother how they met twice per month to eat more than 15 relatives all together.
Such things don't happen anymore in Spain. By talking about that with my closest friends, I noticed how most of them rarely see their cousins nor their uncles, except for few weedings or burial ceremonies, and still they don't socialize so much.

[overdrive1979]

Originally Posted by elnina

I think your experience is not typical. Your family seem to be not very close...

I would say it's not typical at all, but still there are many people in Spain living this way.

[Arigarisha]

From my perspective, families in Spain are very close.
Especially after the crisis hit and everyone had to start helping each other out.

[overdrive1979]

Originally Posted by Arigarisha

From my perspective, families in Spain are very close.
Especially after the crisis hit and everyone had to start helping each other out.

Where are you from? Maybe if you are from Scandinavian countries, then you will see Spain as a country where families are somewhat close.

I know what you mean, although most of those who help each other are not cousins nor uncles, but fathers helping their sons or daughters, or siblings helping each others.

[Arigarisha]

Originally Posted by overdrive1979

Where are you from?

Spain.

Originally Posted by overdrive1979

I know waht you mean, although most of those who help each other are not cousins nor uncles, but fathers helping their sons or daughters, or siblings helping each others.

I don't know.
My family isn't very close either, it's actually very disfunctional, but my aunt did pay for our home when we could no longer afford to pay. We never heard from her or our cousins, but she did that for us. She could've kicked us out and rent the place, but she didn't.
I'm guessing healthier families would be even more altruistic towards their own blood.