What started in Texas stretched to California, and is about to go overseas.
(April 2008) Deviating from my usual Thursday-night fencing practice at a gym far on the other side of campus, I opted instead to do some research on footwork at the recreation center next door to my dorm. He had been playing a pick-up game of basketball. He came over to where I was, perched among a row of computers on a squeaky plastic chair, selected a seat next to me, and struck up a conversation. I was immediately struck by his smiling blue eyes. We chatted casually about our majors, my loud green T-shirt on the Darfur conflict, and his fascination with Sudoku. He was 24, a Psychology senior, graduating in May, while I was 18, a sophomore, studying International Relations.
Soon, it was eleven o'clock, and the overhead speaker abruptly announced the gym was closed. Without skipping a beat, he invited me to the square for coffee, and I accepted. We sipped our drinks over a clever game of chess, in which we would get to ask a question for each piece we scored...the higher the value of the piece, the more difficult the question. I was pretty nervous, and I knew I was probably showing it by letting my stories spill out of my mouth with a sort of reckless abandon. However, he was an intent listener, and was curious about everything. I told him of my dreams to enter the Peace Corps and do humanitarian aid work, and he told me of his to go to grad school and study business, so one day he could be the boss of his own marketing firm. When he dropped me back off at my dorm a couple hours later, he asked if he could see me again the following day. “Tomorrow?” I asked. I was a little shocked. I was sure my awkward blabberings had sealed all hope for a secondary date.
I didn't know it, but this guy had a penchant for cute, long-legged, "awkward" girls. He remembered my passion for writing, and took me to Austin for a poetry slam at the Long Center the following Saturday. By July, we were exclusive. We knew, even at this moment, there would be a point when we would either have to commit to a LDR or go our separate ways. And we agreed we would decide what action to take, when that time arrived. One month led to another, and two years passed with incredible speed.
In August 2010, when the slumped economy squeezed south Texas and a change of management at work left him with a serious pay-cut, my boyfriend decided to move back to his family in El Paso, with his sights set ultimately on California. He intended to move in with a few of his friends and work to get a serious job in the San Francisco area. We'd talked about living there for a while. It was a risky leap of faith, and the distance placed a lot of strain on our relationship, but it was a move he felt he had to make. By October, he was in Santa Cruz, a small city an hour south of San Francisco.
Currently, I am 21 years old, and set to graduate in the summer of 2011. My Sweetie is still 1,772 miles away. We talk on the phone and Skype 2-3 hours a day. I've been doing my best to stay busy, enjoy the last couple semesters at school, and spend weekday afternoons working with at-risk youth in the community. Although I miss him terribly, I still have my eye on the Peace Corps. I'm submitting my application at the end of this month, though I'm concerned about the 27-month overseas commitment. I will have meager vacation time, a mere 24 days a year, which I will have to divide between my boyfriend in California and my family in Texas. There are a lot of academic fellowships offered returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and I'm particularly interested in obtaining my masters at the University of Denver studying International Human Rights. Meanwhile, my boyfriend is employed at a nonprofit which aids foster kids. He is still searching for a serious, solid sales position, and hopes January will bring good tidings. He turns 27 this month, and is considering grad school to earn his MBA.
It is so frustrating to look at the big picture, and see those 27 months abroad weighing about equal to the length of time we have been together. It has been very hard, even with the technology available, to keep our LDR afloat in the states, even just these past few months; we have only seen each other twice. He knows I've been dreaming about the Peace Corps for years...I mentioned it on our very first coffee date, and we agreed there could be a period of separation like this when we began dating exclusively. Neither of us want to have any regrets. Yet, he is gravely concerned two years without me would be nigh impossible. I don't know if I can bring myself to commit to the Corps if the separation will hurt him so drastically.
We have talked about going abroad together and teaching English for 6-12 months....but that only postpones my Peace Corps dream. We've talked about him trying to find a job abroad teaching English near where I serve in the Corps, once I get my assignment. We've even talked about doing the Peace Corps together, and believe me, that is an incredibly generous offer coming from my not-so-outdoorsy man.
However, placement in the same project would require us being married for a year, and we don't foresee that happening for at least another couple years. By that time, a move that drastic might jeopardize his job. I'm beginning to wonder - is this just unrealistic?? Am I being too selfish??
We are trying to keep in mind that two years will be a blink of an eye in the long run...and we are determined to stay in the marathon. It would be wonderful if anyone could offer some words of encouragement. Thanks!!
(April 2008) Deviating from my usual Thursday-night fencing practice at a gym far on the other side of campus, I opted instead to do some research on footwork at the recreation center next door to my dorm. He had been playing a pick-up game of basketball. He came over to where I was, perched among a row of computers on a squeaky plastic chair, selected a seat next to me, and struck up a conversation. I was immediately struck by his smiling blue eyes. We chatted casually about our majors, my loud green T-shirt on the Darfur conflict, and his fascination with Sudoku. He was 24, a Psychology senior, graduating in May, while I was 18, a sophomore, studying International Relations.
Soon, it was eleven o'clock, and the overhead speaker abruptly announced the gym was closed. Without skipping a beat, he invited me to the square for coffee, and I accepted. We sipped our drinks over a clever game of chess, in which we would get to ask a question for each piece we scored...the higher the value of the piece, the more difficult the question. I was pretty nervous, and I knew I was probably showing it by letting my stories spill out of my mouth with a sort of reckless abandon. However, he was an intent listener, and was curious about everything. I told him of my dreams to enter the Peace Corps and do humanitarian aid work, and he told me of his to go to grad school and study business, so one day he could be the boss of his own marketing firm. When he dropped me back off at my dorm a couple hours later, he asked if he could see me again the following day. “Tomorrow?” I asked. I was a little shocked. I was sure my awkward blabberings had sealed all hope for a secondary date.
I didn't know it, but this guy had a penchant for cute, long-legged, "awkward" girls. He remembered my passion for writing, and took me to Austin for a poetry slam at the Long Center the following Saturday. By July, we were exclusive. We knew, even at this moment, there would be a point when we would either have to commit to a LDR or go our separate ways. And we agreed we would decide what action to take, when that time arrived. One month led to another, and two years passed with incredible speed.
In August 2010, when the slumped economy squeezed south Texas and a change of management at work left him with a serious pay-cut, my boyfriend decided to move back to his family in El Paso, with his sights set ultimately on California. He intended to move in with a few of his friends and work to get a serious job in the San Francisco area. We'd talked about living there for a while. It was a risky leap of faith, and the distance placed a lot of strain on our relationship, but it was a move he felt he had to make. By October, he was in Santa Cruz, a small city an hour south of San Francisco.
Currently, I am 21 years old, and set to graduate in the summer of 2011. My Sweetie is still 1,772 miles away. We talk on the phone and Skype 2-3 hours a day. I've been doing my best to stay busy, enjoy the last couple semesters at school, and spend weekday afternoons working with at-risk youth in the community. Although I miss him terribly, I still have my eye on the Peace Corps. I'm submitting my application at the end of this month, though I'm concerned about the 27-month overseas commitment. I will have meager vacation time, a mere 24 days a year, which I will have to divide between my boyfriend in California and my family in Texas. There are a lot of academic fellowships offered returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and I'm particularly interested in obtaining my masters at the University of Denver studying International Human Rights. Meanwhile, my boyfriend is employed at a nonprofit which aids foster kids. He is still searching for a serious, solid sales position, and hopes January will bring good tidings. He turns 27 this month, and is considering grad school to earn his MBA.
It is so frustrating to look at the big picture, and see those 27 months abroad weighing about equal to the length of time we have been together. It has been very hard, even with the technology available, to keep our LDR afloat in the states, even just these past few months; we have only seen each other twice. He knows I've been dreaming about the Peace Corps for years...I mentioned it on our very first coffee date, and we agreed there could be a period of separation like this when we began dating exclusively. Neither of us want to have any regrets. Yet, he is gravely concerned two years without me would be nigh impossible. I don't know if I can bring myself to commit to the Corps if the separation will hurt him so drastically.
We have talked about going abroad together and teaching English for 6-12 months....but that only postpones my Peace Corps dream. We've talked about him trying to find a job abroad teaching English near where I serve in the Corps, once I get my assignment. We've even talked about doing the Peace Corps together, and believe me, that is an incredibly generous offer coming from my not-so-outdoorsy man.
However, placement in the same project would require us being married for a year, and we don't foresee that happening for at least another couple years. By that time, a move that drastic might jeopardize his job. I'm beginning to wonder - is this just unrealistic?? Am I being too selfish?? We are trying to keep in mind that two years will be a blink of an eye in the long run...and we are determined to stay in the marathon. It would be wonderful if anyone could offer some words of encouragement. Thanks!!
I got my BA in International Studies/French!!
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