Our Long Distance Relationship and Why It Is Worth It

Vladimir and I met while we were both working on a cruise ship in early 2019. I was a singer and assistant cruise director at the time. He was helped manage the restaurants. Ships are a small world to live on but they seem ginormous. You can walk through the ship and not get seen if you really want. For us that wasn't the option. We had a small encounter early on in my contract. I was setting up for Sabbath on the ship, as the Assistant Cruise Director it was my job to make sure that it was ready to go. He was a Head Waiter and his job was to make sure it was ready from the hotel side of he ship. He approached me and asked if I needed help and I said that I didn't. He thought I was just like every other performer doing a poor job and not providing the service to the guests. Months passed and we would catch glimpses of one another around the ship, nothing more. Then one night in early January we were celebrating Orthodox Christmas in the Crew Bar. It was a party that was full of gayety and joy. Towards the end of the night I looked out across the dance floor and was watching him dance. He caught eye contact with me and I raised my eyebrows. Slowly he made his way over and bought me a drink and we started talking. As the party dwindled he asked if he could kiss me and I said yes. We spent the night getting to know each other. The next morning he asked if I wanted to come with him to breakfast. I said yes. I wanted to continue the journey of getting to know him. He says that this is when he knew that I was different. Ship romances can be fast and furious and often just for the moment. He new the moment I agreed to walk with him and have breakfast with him that it was different.

Mornings. Our Favorite Time.

Over the last two years we have spent a lot of the time apart.Vlad continued working on the ship and I started to work more on land. We have made a commitment to talking twice a day if we can. This means that no matter where he is and no matter where I am we are carving out time and dedicating it to one another. It is not easy we miss holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays. We miss doing the normal things that couples do like waking up together, having meals together, and exploring life together. But, we have made a commitment to being there for each other. We know that times will not always be like this and that we will be able to live our lives together in person soon. Through out this time he has been in India while I have been in North Carolina. I have been in Argentina while he has been in Vietnam. He has been in Italy and I have been in Nebraska.  We had to be solid in our commitment early on (with in a week of starting to date he had to go to his next ship) to learn and be the best communicators we could be. Since we paid for internet by the minute each second was precious and we had to use them wisely and consciously.  Through communication and trust our relationship has blossomed over distances and time zones.

Vlad and I at Zion National Park

Earlier this past January I asked him to marry me. He said yes. I just had one last thing to do. I had to ask his mom for permission. We spent the last month traveling around the South West exploring the wonder that is there. While I was there I asked her for her blessing to marry her son. She said yes. She said to remember to choose each-other in the good times and the bad, when it is easy and when it is hard, through thick and thin. IF you choose your partner every time it will build a relationship that lasts, a relationship that grows, and a relationship that blossoms in ways you weren’t even expecting. We know that the road ahead will have its challenges. More important than that, we know that we have each other and will have each other. If you love someone as they are, where they are, who they are then your love will only grow blossom in new ways growing stronger and more beautiful as time passes.

Vlad and I Hiking the Grand Canyon