When most people come back from abroad, they bring home souvenirs, receipts, admission tickets, a tan and maybe even an extra 10 pounds. I, on the other hand, brought home a boy. He lived in Queens before moving to Boston for work. I live in Brooklyn. We are both New Yorkers but we had to go half way around the world to find each other. Ironic.
Life before studying abroad in Shanghai consisted of school and work. Life after studying abroad consisted of more school and more work. Way to live, right? It wasn’t until I left the States and got my nose out of the books that I realized there was more to life than these four walls. Living abroad was the first time I really had a life. As far as I could remember, life was always all work and no play.
The time I spent abroad was also the time I met my first boyfriend. If I hadn’t gone to Shanghai, I’d probably be the only 20-something year old girl who never had one. Sad but true and I probably would have been too busy not having a life to care.
Traveling gave me a chance to live. It removed this filter I had over my eyes. I saw things clearer. I understood things better. I became happier. I felt livelier. I used to see the corner office as something to strive for but now, I see that I would only be settling. Aside from bringing home a boy from my travels, I also brought home a new me.
Where did you meet your last boyfriend/girlfriend?
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Comments (8)
What a wonderful story! You learned a great lesson and also met two great people [yourself and the boy] :)...Good for you!!
The first time I met my boyfriend was actually at his [old] apartment. I was friends with his roommate, who apparently wanted more than a friendship with me, but I didn't feel the same. After seeing a movie and having a few drinks with his roommate I came back to their apartment because it was late and we were having a good conversation. When I got there both of roommates introduced themselves to me. I accidentally mixed up their names and went to bed, but when I got a better look at his roommate in the morning I made sure to get his name right... we now live together and have been dating for a year and a half:)
I also kept my face in the books when I was in school. In fact I didn't have a serious girlfriend until after I finished grad school. When your life is busy you have to learn to find time to relax and enjoy life [:
that's cute.
Yeah this is pretty cute. I met my last boyfriend through some friends.
Not nearly as good a story as yours.
There are plenty of 20 somethings who've never had a relationship heh. But cute, glad you got to get out of your four walled prison and experience life a bit. Specially in Shanghai.
Met my last gf at my kungfu school.
When my brother went to go study abroad in Beijing his first year of college, my parents said to bring back a lot of gifts and souvenirs.... but not a wife. Hahaha.
I met my now-husband on the school bus. He was blowing my hair. I told him to stop, which he didn't, and so I smacked him. It was that and Nintendo that sparked a friendship and a mutual friend playing matchmaker to get us together. He was too afraid to ask me out a second time.
I met my soon-to-be fiance when I was sixteen. I say "soon-to-be" because he's made it known that he's ready to get engaged, he just wants the whole proposal to be perfect. We met because I use to have a bit of a crush on one of his friends (not as awkward as you think it is). They came to my house together one day but I wasn't really that interested in him back then. I hadn't seen him before that day and I didn't see him for a year after. He had been accepted into a "top-notch" university and lived about three hours away. One day, I was on facebook when I cute picture someone posted caught my eye. It was him and his baby niece. I liked the picture (and a few more) which led to some facebook flirting that lasted about two weeks between the two of us. Then one day, I walked out of the community college's student center (I was there earning college credits as a high school student) and ran into him. We smiled at each other and shared a "Hello" then continued on our way. I woke up the next day to a facebook message from him saying, "Hey. Here's my number. You should text me sometime." There was no 3 day wait period, I texted him that morning. We discussed the classes we were taking and how much I dreaded going to my hardest college class, precalculus, which he offered to help me with. After a few days on non-stop texting and flirting, we had made plans to finally hang out. That night went PERFECT! Within a week from hanging out the first time, we started dating. To this day, I don't regret letting him in so fast. He's an amazing guy in every way, shape, and form. I'm so happy at this point in my life and he's been a huge support system in everything I do. I thank God daily for allowing me to walk out of that building and run into him (: