Happy Anniversary!
So I was teaching in North Carolina when one of my former principals contacted me and offered a job in Berlin Germany. Since I had no strong ties to the US, I took advantage of the opportunity and accepted the job and moved to Germany.
When I started at my new school in Berlin, there were 26 new teacher also teaching at our school. There was one new teacher who caught my eye and I thought I might have a possibility with her. When we had our group events however, she didn't have a phone and she lived near none of us, so we were missing many opportunities to get to know each other better.
A big opportunity came about though to finally get some time to talk to her during our fall break. She and two other teachers booked a week in Corfu Greece. A group of four of us were using the same travel agent and she told us about their deal and said there was still room for us to go too. We booked the trip and the seven of us were off to Corfu.
That is where Melissa and I had our first opportunities to really get to talk. One day I remember vividly was that we were on the beach for many hours and we both decided to go for a walk. Our short walk turned into hours and we talked non stop. Now for me, that is not a problem, but Melissa is very shy, quiet and reserved. And on this walk she talked non-stop. The rest of the week proved to be great.We really got to know each other well and became great friends. When we got back from Corfu, I was in love. I called my friends in the US and told them that I met my wife. They thought I was crazy. They warned me against rushing into things, to slow down. I told them that I hadn't even asked my future wife on a date yet. I just knew that if I played my cards right and she too was interested, that this is the woman that I would want to share a family and my life with.
So now back in Berlin, I put my plan together. Melissa is not a girl that you get drunk and hope that she makes out with you. She is someone that takes time and is well worth the wait and effort. So since we are in Europe, I figured that our first dates should be traveling. The get to know you route through non-intimidating experiences with friends. So I planned a trip for a small group of us to go to London for the weekend. I also planned another trip to Disneyland Paris. I also spent a lot of time talking to her and calling her and inviting her to group events when we were not traveling. Through our trips, and get togethers in Berlin, I was trying to read her interest. Sometimes, I thought she was really interested and wanted to date me, at other times, I thought she wasn't interested at all. So I decided to go ahead and ask her on a date. Just the two of us.
She accepted. Which was great news. However, we both had a really great friend name Jenny who was determined to keep us apart. Not out of spite or self wanting, but out of cluelessness. I asked Melissa to go to the Christmas Markets and I even told Jenny the plan of me asking our Melissa. Jenny later in the same evening was talking to Melissa and Melissa told her that she and I were going to the markets. Jenny invited herself along.I asked Melissa out on another date and Jenny then again invited herself along.Jenny had no ill intention, she just liked hanging out with us and wanted to do the things that Melissa and I wanted to do.
My big break came though on one of my dates with Melissa and Jenny (which technically couldn't be called a date.) We had gone to a bar and Melissa, Jenny and I all had too much to drink. Since we were leaving the club at 3 in the morning, I thought it was best that I made sure both of the ladies made it home. Melissa and I got Jenny home and I then took the half hour train ride to Melissa's place. We talked non-stop again. I walked her to the door and the awkward silence took place to wish each other good night. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe I was being brave, but I went ahead and gave her a kiss good-night. She lit up and kissed me back. We discussed in our excitement that we liked each other. We also made the decision that since we had too much to drink that we would go out on a date together tomorrow night when we were sober.
So the next night Melissa had me over for dinner. We talked about our mutual attraction for each other and recapped the last 2 months. When I had the feeling that Melissa was interested, she said she was. When I thought she wasn't interested, she said that she was having doubts. She didn't want to date someone she worked with and someone she had become such good friends with. But eventually she decided that she would give it a try. We had a week more together in Berlin and then our Christmas break came. Melissa went home for two weeks and I traveled to Spain and Italy.
When she came back to Berlin, it was as if she had never left. We planned our first trip alone together to Rome in February. The progression of dating really sped up. When you go out to dinner with someone, that is like one date.When you go to Rome for a weekend (and you both are experiencing Rome for the first time) that is like 50 dates. Our school had a 3 week spring break in March and Melissa and I traveled to Ireland, Spain and the Canary Islands together. I knew that I wanted to spend my life with her so I started planning on how I was going to propose to her.
Carnivale every year in Venice is filled with masquerade balls. I made reservations for both of us to attend a ball the following February. We rented costumes and also started ballroom dancing lessons.The following Valentine's weekend, we flew to Venice. We rented our costumes, posed for pictures in San Marco Square, took a gondola ride, and attended our ball. On our walk home, I stopped on a bridge and asked her to be my wife. She said yes and we are getting married today July 24, 2010.
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From Russia with Love
It's party time in
A Big Win for Texas
We met at our orientation BBQ for grad school. I suppose many would call it fate... we never saw each other the entire event.
Earlier in the day during orientation I had met some fellow religion students, so I had strictly mingled with my new friends, while James (who didn't have orientation until 2 weeks later) made himself some friends.
Several people in both our groups wanted to meet the president of the university, so while our friends attempted to weasel their way closer to the president, we ended up face to face introducing ourselves- having a side chat. Within 5-10 minutes James had left his new group of friends to spend the remainder of the night with us.
I called him the next day and well you know how that turned out.
I was at my first real college party. I was out of my dorm room with friends I had only just met that week, at a party being thrown by upper-class-men junior boys. I repeat: upper-class-men boys. Yeah, I know, it was pretty awesome. I didn’t have parents waiting for me to get home, I hadn’t had to create an elaborate rouse to allay suspicions of my whereabouts, and I wasn’t trying to pretend the drink in my hand was just a diet coke.
I felt like a real college student. An adult, if you will.
There was only one thing that can put a damper on a perfect evening like this: your ride telling you she’s ready to got home. I had an immediate pang of disappointment since I was definitely not ready to leave yet.
The booze was just starting to hit me and I had lots of people surrounding me and wanting to talk. I belonged, and I wanted to stay. “Okay,” she said, “We’ll just find you another ride home.”
Close Your Eyes and Defy Gravity
The story of how we met began in November of 2007. My best friend suggested that I go to her company Christmas party with a coworker she wanted me to meet. I have never been the type of person eager to be set up, so I was happy to tell her that I had plans for that same day.
Time passed, and my family and I paid a visit to this same best friend on New Year's Eve. She made mention of this coworker again. Once again, I blew off the idea of getting set up.
Flash forward to April of 2008.
No Fancy Car
In March of 2002, Merkus’s sister Karah from called to tell him about a work friend of hers named Stacie. She was a college-educated, independent professional, while
he was a long-haired college dropout, the lead singer of an obscure band
According to Karah, however, they had a lot in common…interest in Tom’s of Maine products, Crystal Deodorant and yoga. Hmm.
At the time, Merkus was living in
“Is she hot?” Merkus asked.
A Perfect Balance
Jonathan and I met a week after my 21st birthday.
It was at a dueling piano bar and my friends decided to dedicate a birthday song to me, which led to me trying to hula-hoop on top of the piano while they sang happy birthday.
I saw Jonathan with his friends sitting at the table next to the piano and thought he was cute.
My friends decided to let him know of my obvious crush and before you know it, he buys me a birthday drink. Although we exchanged numbers, after a few minutes of talking, I was not very smitten by his charm. He called a few days later and I decided I just wasn't interested.
I had just ended a bad relationship, and he was enjoying his single life.
From Fantasy to Reality
Our love story starts out in 2003 with a man and his dog in Dallas, Texas and woman snowed in, in Kansas City, Missouri. I’m originally from Texas so the Kansas City winters were killing me. I hardly even went out to the store let alone dated. Mostly stayed at home and played online computer games. I wasn’t interested in romance at the time.
Meanwhile my husband to be was in Dallas taking his mini schnauzer for a walk. The dog, Willum, slipped his leash and ran off. Hubby to be took off after him tearing though yards and alleys. He stepped in a hole and blew out his Achilles tendon. A neighbor found the dog and brought him home. Hubby went to the hospital the next day for surgery to repair his ankle. He ended up in a wheelchair with a cast on his leg.
It is a miracle that we met at all. Considering the fact that never one of us was looking for a mate and neither of us left the house much. The cosmos decided to bring us together despite our every effort to remain single.
Photo Okayed
One day a proposal came to my father from the prospective suitable boy's maternal uncle. Our family was known to them. After the initial proposal, the uncle and the prospective boy's father came to discuss the proposal with my father one evening. Maa made necessary preparations to receive the important guests.
During the meeting the suitability of the boy was discussed which included his education, which was pretty impressive, his profession and family. The uncle then asked baba about me. Both seemed to be satisfied and agreed to progress. Photographs were exchanged. The boy's photo was shown to me and my opinion was sought. I saw the face of a reasonably personable young man and decided he would do. I guess the young man also thought the same, for it was rumored his telegram to his parents read 'Photo Okayed'.
Ours was a very traditional arranged marriage with each other’s consent. Arranged marriages usually conjure a picture of a practical, well planned affair, devoid of any romantic aspect. In my experience, ours was far from it. One constantly thinks of the distant person. The element of surprise and anticipation of falling in love is incredibly romantic.
- Susan Amestoy
- Berlin, Germany
- Being a Valentine's Day baby, I am an incurable romantic. The day after I met my future husband, I called my best friend to tell her that I had just met the guy I would marry; cheesy...but true. Thirty years later we are still together. I love sharing our "how we met story" and have posed the "how did you meet?" question to friends, colleagues, and sometimes complete strangers.Whether the romance is a failure or a happily ever after success, the “how you met” story is a cherished memory of hope, excitement and serendipity. The stories that we share are often touching and always delightful. I have collected stories from couples who live all over the world, and now I'll ask you, So...How did you meet anyway?
