We come from completely different worlds: I was born in Texas, and she was born in Portugal and grew up in Germany. Life brought us both to Madrid in 2019 during our semester abroad, and with just one month left, God made our paths cross. One night, by chance, we ended up at the same bar, started talking, exchanged numbers - and what began as a simple conversation quickly developed into something more. By the end of that month, we had fallen in love, happy to have found each other but sad to part so soon.

When our programs ended, she returned to Munich and I to Dallas, separated by a seven-hour time difference. We kept our relationship alive through the phone, determined to make it work. The pandemic made it even harder - we went 313 days without seeing each other - but eventually I returned to Madrid for another year, finally closer in distance and time zone.

In September 2021, after nearly two years apart, I finally made the decision to move to Munich to be with her. Looking back, it feels crazy how random it all seemed - yet that one night in Madrid changed everything. We overcame distance, time zones, and countless challenges, and now we’re living the life together we once only dreamed of, excited for all that lies ahead.