When they say love is everywhere, they truly mean it. I met the other half to my orange in April 2010 three months before leaving for Taiwan on a one year Fulbright Fellowship. Finding true love was my last intention. I was simply browsing online dating sites out of boredom. I was at a rough point in my life. My grandmother, who was both my hero and inspiration, was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January. By April, my family knew her days were very numbered.
At the same time, I still had not given up hope on finding my soul mate. With a busy schedule, I was an active member of the online dating scene. I knew with my schedule it was hard to find the time to meet women the traditional way. Plus, I would be really embarrassed if I met a girl in a bar. I went on many dates in my home state of Colorado. Each date had the same result, I either was not interested in the girl or the girl was not interested in me. By April, with my trip to Taiwan looming, I had all but given up. Then I had the pleasure of meeting Priscila. She was from Miami, Florida and I am from Denver, Colorado. I spent my nights innocently flirting with girls in other states. My thought was flirting with girls out of state could not cause any harm. It was just simply fun flirtation. With Priscila, things were different. From my first conversation, I just knew something was different about her.
The two of us continued conversing for three months. As our romance grew, we both knew we had to meet before my Taiwan adventure. On July 16, 2010, we were able to spend time in person together for the first time. For the both of us, it was one of the most unusual first dates. Accustomed to awkward social outings for first dates, we instead felt like we were old friends getting together. We spent almost all of three days with one another. We both had a sense of love developing and agreed to attempt a super long-distance relationship between Taiwan and Miami, Florida. It was not long before five hour long IM conversations and three hour long Skype dates developed. It was apparent we both were developing deeper feelings for each other. Yet, it would be a long six and half months before we could see each other again.
On January 27, 2011, we were finally able to see each other again. After only spending only three days together before, we would now spend eleven days with one another. We would travel Taiwan together and see each other 24/7. This time, we would see our good and bad. On our last day together, Priscila was able to see my real bad, it was then that I knew she was truly the one for me.
After an unresolved morning argument, we spent the afternoon with my local Taiwanese friends. It was not until eight o’clock that night that we were finally able to discuss our morning disagreement. Unable to hold back my emotion, I found myself crying and telling her I wanted to break up. I kept telling her, “you deserve better, I want to break up.” She would not let me. Instead, she just held me in her arms as I cried and told me: “If I wanted out, I would get out.” Seeing her strength and resolve as I literally balled my eyes out in her arms, made me realize I would be a fool to leave her. Priscila loved me and always would love me, through the better and worst, she was my life partner. She would be the person that I have the privilege to spend the rest of my life with. She is the girl that I am willing to do anything for to ensure her happiness. She is the girl that when I look into her eyes, I just cannot help but melt. She is the girl that when I look into her eyes, I daydream about marriage and our children. She, quite simply, is the girl that I cannot picture my life without. She is the person that I know spending the rest of my life with will only make my life better.
