Valentine's Day hits different when you live with the world

Valentine's Day was approaching, and our flat WhatsApp group was buzzing. But instead of the usual "who's got plans?" chat, we were having a full-blown cultural exchange about love, romance and why some of us thought the whole thing was a bit ridiculous.

Living with flatmates from South Korea, Italy and Brazil, while I'm here from Pakistan, has taught me more about showing care than any rom-com ever could.

The Great Valentine's Debate 💬

It started innocently. Someone asked if we should do a flat Valentine's dinner. What followed was fascinating.

My South Korean flatmate wasn't convinced. "It's so commercialised back home. Girls give chocolates on Valentine's, then boys return the favour on White Day in March. It's exhausting."

I laughed. "We don't really celebrate it in Pakistan. February 14th is just another Saturday. Some people do their own thing, but it's not mainstream at all."

My Italian flatmate looked personally offended. "But every day should be romantic, no? Why you need one special day?"

And my Brazilian flatmate just grinned. "We celebrate in June instead, Dia dos Namorados. February's too close to Carnival!" 🎉

We all show love completely differently 🌍

Here's what I noticed: we all cared for each other in totally different ways.

For me, it's food. Always has been. "Have you eaten?" is basically my love language. I'll cook extra biryani and leave it in the fridge with little notes. Exam coming up? Here's chai and samosas. That's just how I was raised: you feed the people you care about.

My Korean flatmate is incredibly thoughtful in this quiet, observant way. She remembers tiny details about everyone. She once left a good luck note on someone's door before their interview. It's the kind of care that makes you feel seen.

My Italian flatmate is all dramatic gestures and quality time. She'll randomly announce "we're cooking together tonight!" and turn making pasta into a full production with music and wine. Very loud, very expressive, very her. 🍝

And my Brazilian flatmate? Pure energy. She's the one blasting music while cleaning, dragging us dancing when we're drowning in essays. Her whole vibe is: don't forget to actually live while you're busy surviving.

Our solution? Make our own traditions 🌹

We decided to do our own thing. No pressure, no expensive plans, no worrying about doing it "right."

We're cooking together: I'm doing biryani, the Italian's making pasta, the Brazilian's bringing brigadeiros, the Korean's sorting fried chicken.

We're calling it "Flatmate Appreciation Day." Less cringe, more honest. But there's always more to do!

So this Valentine's Day, whether you're with a partner, your mates, or just you and a Domino's, remember: love is less about grand gestures and more about the small ways you consistently show people they matter.