A Danish, American, Nicaraguan Love Story
In the spring of 2010 I found out that I had been accepted into the study abroad program at my school, and that I would be going to Managua, Nicaragua. I specifically requested this odd destination, and had to petition to go there as my school doesn't have a program there. My sister was a professor at one of the Universities there, so I thought it would be great to live with her. Though everything had worked out just as I'd hoped...I still wasn't happy. Its not that I don't love to travel, and I speak Spanish so I wasn't worried about the language. I was just so tired of moving around, but in order to graduate I had to study abroad. Also I had a different boyfriend at the time, and I was pretty sure that we wouldn't last long distance.....and I was right.
He decided to visit me for three weeks in September, though I asked him not to stay for so long. The moment I saw him at the airport I felt an awful sinking feeling and pure dread of the next three (MISERABLE) weeks to come.(let me just say here that if you feel that when you see them at the airport...don't think its just because you haven't seen them in a long time--its a red flag. no...its more like a red flag attached to a tornado siren on top of a flashing fire truck. Nip this situation in the bud take it from me...)
While he was there, we went to a Young Diplomats happy hour that my sister and her friends had arranged, and as I looked across the room I saw the finest specimen of a European male that I do believe I'd ever seen. All I could think was how much I wished I were single, and what I horrible time I was having babysitting my incredibly moody, boring and jealous then-boyfriend. The European and I chatted for a few minutes, about llamas I think and I found out that he was Danish. I thought he had the most beautiful smile. (ok not only that, but he spoke 4 languages, had basically the same major as me, loved monty python and did Capoeira...if you don't know what that is...google it and prepare to drool) So here I was staring my version of the perfect man in the face, and having to stammer out an introduction to my...uuh..."friend"...damn. (I'm serious, if you're not 100% in it when you see them at the airport...leave their ass...not even kidding. you don't want to be in this situation.)
To make a long story short--I *OBVIOUSLY* didn't forget about him and still saw him over the next couple of months at happy hours...only this time I didn't forget to take down his facebook information. (yes I must admit, though I was the one in a relationship--I was definitely the pursuer...) Anyway, we chattted on facebook occasionally then one day I saw the Dane (named Lasse) and some friends at the mall and his friend invited me to go with them out of town to a concert. I said I'd think about it. Trust me the only thing I really had to think about was what I was gonna wear, and whether or not I should shave my legs... I decided to go ahead and shave 'em...duh.
so I bought my ticket and told them I'd definitely be going. Best. Decision. Of. My. Life. (after shaving my legs)
Lasse and I danced all night, kissed and maybe had (what we thought would be) a one-night-stand. Not the way I'd envision starting out a serious relationship (especially since I was waiting to be "nice" and break up with my then-boyfriend face-to-face when I gotback home) Let me also say that I'd never cheated or had a one night stand in my life--I blame it on Salsa music, LOTS of rum...COPIOUS amounts of rum...and that melt-you-like-butter accent...and rum. and the fact that papi was cut like King frickin' Leonidas. (In fact...other than completely premeditating the entire thing after shaving my legs and putting WAY to much thought into my matching bra/panty set...I basically had no part in this) ......ahem...ok, ok.....judgers gon' judge
haha
Keep in mind this was 3 weeks before I was set to go home. The day after we got back, I skype broke-up with the American guy (trust me, leave them at the airport...its worth your $100 bucks to change their ticket)...and just basically hoped for 3 weeks of fun with the Dane. We ended up so much deeper than that, and considering the (kinda slutty) circumstances surrounding our getting together...and the fact that we were from different continents and had to go to Nicaragua to meet...I think we got pretty lucky! We saw each other every day after we got back.
All I know is that it felt right... I couldn't let it go even though I thought it was crazy--and I couldn't let him give it up either. I'm usually a pretty rational person, but against everything in my brain screaming that this was crazy, and just not gonna work out. but in spite of all that I just kept falling for this boy. in the end we decided that we had to try, because we knew we would regret not trying so much more than trying and failing. We didn't want to ever have to think "what if".
We're pretty happy we went for it too
He's hands down the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm kinda nice too, hehe. Our backgrounds couldn't be more different, yet we are so alike and make each other laugh every single day.
He stayed in Nicaragua until August for an internship, but visited me in January and I was able to go down there for spring break, then he visited me for easter, then I went back for the whole summer. We've been together for almost a year now, and he will be coming to stay with me for a month in about three weeks. After I graduate (in December) I'm going to Denmark for a few months, then hopefully moving there within the year. Long distance sucks, but it is so worth it to have each other!
Thanks for reading! Good luck in your LDRs! PS is this site not amazazaing?!
-Shea (and Lasse)
He decided to visit me for three weeks in September, though I asked him not to stay for so long. The moment I saw him at the airport I felt an awful sinking feeling and pure dread of the next three (MISERABLE) weeks to come.(let me just say here that if you feel that when you see them at the airport...don't think its just because you haven't seen them in a long time--its a red flag. no...its more like a red flag attached to a tornado siren on top of a flashing fire truck. Nip this situation in the bud take it from me...)
While he was there, we went to a Young Diplomats happy hour that my sister and her friends had arranged, and as I looked across the room I saw the finest specimen of a European male that I do believe I'd ever seen. All I could think was how much I wished I were single, and what I horrible time I was having babysitting my incredibly moody, boring and jealous then-boyfriend. The European and I chatted for a few minutes, about llamas I think and I found out that he was Danish. I thought he had the most beautiful smile. (ok not only that, but he spoke 4 languages, had basically the same major as me, loved monty python and did Capoeira...if you don't know what that is...google it and prepare to drool) So here I was staring my version of the perfect man in the face, and having to stammer out an introduction to my...uuh..."friend"...damn. (I'm serious, if you're not 100% in it when you see them at the airport...leave their ass...not even kidding. you don't want to be in this situation.)
To make a long story short--I *OBVIOUSLY* didn't forget about him and still saw him over the next couple of months at happy hours...only this time I didn't forget to take down his facebook information. (yes I must admit, though I was the one in a relationship--I was definitely the pursuer...) Anyway, we chattted on facebook occasionally then one day I saw the Dane (named Lasse) and some friends at the mall and his friend invited me to go with them out of town to a concert. I said I'd think about it. Trust me the only thing I really had to think about was what I was gonna wear, and whether or not I should shave my legs... I decided to go ahead and shave 'em...duh.
so I bought my ticket and told them I'd definitely be going. Best. Decision. Of. My. Life. (after shaving my legs)
Lasse and I danced all night, kissed and maybe had (what we thought would be) a one-night-stand. Not the way I'd envision starting out a serious relationship (especially since I was waiting to be "nice" and break up with my then-boyfriend face-to-face when I gotback home) Let me also say that I'd never cheated or had a one night stand in my life--I blame it on Salsa music, LOTS of rum...COPIOUS amounts of rum...and that melt-you-like-butter accent...and rum. and the fact that papi was cut like King frickin' Leonidas. (In fact...other than completely premeditating the entire thing after shaving my legs and putting WAY to much thought into my matching bra/panty set...I basically had no part in this) ......ahem...ok, ok.....judgers gon' judge
hahaKeep in mind this was 3 weeks before I was set to go home. The day after we got back, I skype broke-up with the American guy (trust me, leave them at the airport...its worth your $100 bucks to change their ticket)...and just basically hoped for 3 weeks of fun with the Dane. We ended up so much deeper than that, and considering the (kinda slutty) circumstances surrounding our getting together...and the fact that we were from different continents and had to go to Nicaragua to meet...I think we got pretty lucky! We saw each other every day after we got back.
All I know is that it felt right... I couldn't let it go even though I thought it was crazy--and I couldn't let him give it up either. I'm usually a pretty rational person, but against everything in my brain screaming that this was crazy, and just not gonna work out. but in spite of all that I just kept falling for this boy. in the end we decided that we had to try, because we knew we would regret not trying so much more than trying and failing. We didn't want to ever have to think "what if".
We're pretty happy we went for it too
He's hands down the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm kinda nice too, hehe. Our backgrounds couldn't be more different, yet we are so alike and make each other laugh every single day. He stayed in Nicaragua until August for an internship, but visited me in January and I was able to go down there for spring break, then he visited me for easter, then I went back for the whole summer. We've been together for almost a year now, and he will be coming to stay with me for a month in about three weeks. After I graduate (in December) I'm going to Denmark for a few months, then hopefully moving there within the year. Long distance sucks, but it is so worth it to have each other!
Thanks for reading! Good luck in your LDRs! PS is this site not amazazaing?!
-Shea (and Lasse)
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