Me (M25) and my girlfriend (F26) have been together for 2 years and things are genuinely great between us – we communicate well, we enjoy each other's company, and I feel like we're building something real. However, there are two things on my mind that I'd love some outside perspective on.
The first is travel. I love exploring new places and have always wanted to travel internationally with a partner. My girlfriend is open to travel within the US, but she won't go abroad with me. The reason isn't fear of flying or anything like that – it's that she's scared to tell her parents. I don't fully understand the dynamic yet, and I don't want to push her, but it does sting a little to feel like her parents' opinion has that much weight over our plans as an adult couple at this stage in our relationship. She also shared that her previous relationship ended because she wasn't able to travel with her boyfriend. My communication style is very direct so I just see it as a matter of asking her parents to travel together so I have a hard time understanding why this is difficult for her. She is very financially responsible stable and a great communicator at her work and personal life. If it matters, she was raised in a very strict Catholic household and perhaps her parents may be worried we might have sex before marriage.
The second thing is that I want to ask her to move in with me. We've been together two years and things feel solid. I think it's a natural next step, but I'm wondering how to bring it up in a way that doesn't feel like pressure. This isn't a deal breaker to me because moving in together is a big commitment and I understand there's no right answer or timing to this.
Has anyone navigated something similar – where a partner's family dynamics were affecting your relationship plans? And any advice on how to have the moving-in conversation thoughtfully? I want to be supportive, not pushy.
TL;DR: Girlfriend won't travel internationally because she's afraid to tell her parents, and I also want to bring up moving in together. Looking for advice on both.