We met on the 4th floor in the Donohue Building at Suffolk University spring 2005. Both us us were fairly involved with extra curricular activities, I was with the the Student Government Association (SGA) and Masa with the Japanese Student Association. Masa stopped by the SGA office and some mutual friends were very surprised that we had not met. I was planning on studying in Prague for a semester and Masa had just come back from a week-long business seminar in Prague. He offered to show me his pictures.
My birthday followed shortly thereafter, and I celebrated at one of my friend's apartments on Beacon Hill.. Of course the apartment was located on the "student end" of Beacon Hill, 7 Myrtle to be exact with a view of the State House from the bedroom windows. To get back to how we met or how we got to know each other. Masa brought me a beautiful big bouquet of flowers and I was sold, this is a gentleman of the sort you rarely find anymore. A couple weeks later we went on our first official date at Joe's American Bar and Grill. The same day happened to be the Greek Parade, which we watched from a distance. We strolled through the Public Garden. In the years to come this became one of our favorite spots in Boston. We weren't in touch during our three month summer break. Masa basically gave up, but I called as soon as I got back to Boston. We went for many long midnight walks and bicycle rides along Charles River and Back Bay.
Five years later Masa proposed on Mount Fuji at sunrise, a very spiritual place in Japan.
In the 5 seconds as the sun came up over the clouds Masa went down on his knees, opened a Tiffany box and said "Love of my life, will you marry me?" Of course I said yes (with tears in my eyes)
He choose a 大安 (taian) - lucky day. In Japanese culture couples seek to get married on one of these lucky days. Our recent wedding was on July 30th 2011, also a 大安 day and our Japanese reception will be held on a 友引
(tomobiki) - friendship day, the second best day to get married.
