One friend whose family is from Lebanon told Hopgood that in her culture, if one person's going to dinner, everyone's going to dinner – which may result in an extended family group of 30 to 40 people. "Nobody will make a move without the group," her friend Tammy Audi said. "It feels unnatural to leave someone behind, or separate." Another friend whose family is also Lebanonese never hires a babysitter. Relatives always take care of children,and family members will come by the house without calling first and be urged to stay, eat, and talk. The family is a group of people that can all help with important life decisions or aid each other in a crisis. When relatives living farther apart, an effort is made to maintain a connection, and family members try to see each other face-to-face as often as possible.
