AIFS {Couples} Who Met Abroad
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Right here’s the factor: We’re suckers for examine overseas love tales! A lot so that every yr throughout Valentine’s Day we mirror on the numerous unimaginable connections which were made due to international training alternatives — particularly on our packages! Numerous AIFS Overseas alumni have met their “particular person” whereas dwelling and studying overseas, and we hope there shall be so many extra to return!
Able to really feel all of your feels? Try these cute love tales from a few of our examine overseas and worldwide internship individuals over time.
Samantha and Nick | AIFS Overseas in Dublin, Eire (Internship Program) | Summer season 2022
There are such a lot of issues you may acquire from doing an internship program overseas! A lifelong companion might not be one you count on out of the expertise, however for Samantha (Sammy) and Nick, it was an added bonus! Hear from Sammy about their romance throughout their time collectively in Dublin, Eire.
“Nick and I first crossed paths in the summertime of 2022, just some days into our time with AIFS. There was an orientation at a resort down the road from our shared residence for everybody in that summer season’s Dublin cohort. Following the orientation, this system organized an early dinner at a close-by pub. I attended with three buddies from grad college, and since Nick and one in all my buddies have been positioned on the similar internship, all of us ended up sitting collectively on the pub. Upon discovering that we each hailed from Southern California, the remaining grew to become historical past.
Over the subsequent a number of months, Nick, my buddies, and I explored Dublin and traveled round Europe throughout breaks from our internships organized by this system. We additionally participated within the weekend journeys organized by this system. The summer season was unforgettable, and as we bid farewell to our internships and Dublin, we felt a deep sense of unhappiness. This system not solely introduced us collectively but additionally supplied the prospect to attach with individuals from all over the world, endure the distinctive expertise of dwelling and dealing overseas, and create cherished lifelong recollections.
What higher setting for a whirlwind romance than St. Patrick’s Cathedral and park, the River Liffey, and Blarney Fortress? Nick and I are getting married this October, and we’re extremely grateful for having met by way of this superb program!”
Brianna and Gabe | AIFS Overseas in Florence, Italy | Spring 2022
Image this: You go on on a examine overseas program with college students from varied schools and universities throughout america, and you find yourself falling in love with one other pupil out of your personal college — who you’ve by no means met earlier than till now! How serendipitous, proper? That’s what occurred to Brianna and Gabe, two AIFS Overseas in Florence, Italy alumni who attended the College of Vermont however hadn’t crossed paths till venturing to Italy with us. Brianna shares:
“We each went to the College of Vermont — by no means met one another — however ended up in the identical examine overseas program. We determined to go on spring break collectively to Spain and Eire to see mutual buddies. I used to be both going to finish up loving it, or eager to kill him… the remaining is historical past!”
Brianna and Tyler | AIFS Overseas in Sydney, Australia | 2011
In 2011, Brianna and Tyler studied overseas with AIFS Overseas in Sydney, Australia — and the remaining was historical past! Not solely did they’ve a worldwide training expertise and the journey of a lifetime, however they discovered love within the course of. In 2015, they obtained engaged! Their greatest takeaways from their examine overseas expertise:
Breezy: “The very first piece of recommendation our examine overseas advisor gave us upon arrival was, “It’s not bizarre, it’s simply totally different!” I really feel that I’ve embodied this mentality for the reason that starting of this system, and it’s one thing that may at all times follow me. Attempt taking a look at one thing you’re not accustomed to as intriguing, as new, as thrilling, and a chance, reasonably than ‘bizarre.’ It can change the way in which you see the world.”
Tyler: “Having the ability to totally expertise a very totally different tradition, by really dwelling in it for an prolonged period of time, has had a serious impression on the way in which I now dwell my life. Learning overseas has modified my life in so many constructive methods, and it actually was the best determination I’ve ever made. It has modified who I’m for the higher, and I might advocate finding out overseas and AIFS to everybody!”
Craig and Jennifer | AIFS Overseas in Rome, Italy | Spring 2009
That’s amore! Craig and Jennifer met in Rome on an AIFS program and, as examine overseas love tales go, theirs is each inspirational and heartwarming. There are individuals who suppose these sorts of issues solely exist in fairytales, however this actually occurred! They even determined to have Sant’Eustachio chocolate coated espresso beans as their marriage ceremony reward containers to function a reminder of the town the place they first met. Jennifer describes how their relationship unfolded under.
“I’m from New Jersey, and he’s from Ohio – but our relationship began in Italy. So lots of our favourite recollections from our relationship have been in Rome, like how we spent hours of images class attending to know one another, whereas taking photographs of the historic metropolis round us.
One of many moments I knew our relationship was particular was when Craig met me on the tram in Trastevere for our first date. It was going to rain, so he introduced an umbrella. I knew he was sort and real, however he was actually chivalrous. I now know Craig by no means carries an umbrella, and that he introduced that one for me. Or the time he visited Florence together with his mother and father and introduced my favourite panini again to Rome for me. And the Sunday morning we spent wandering the Trastevere flea market.
Our time collectively in Rome was the one time Craig and I lived in the identical metropolis from 2009-2014. After coming back from Rome, we spent these 5 years touring lengthy distance to see one another, but it surely solely made our relationship stronger. We traveled from the east coast, to the midwest, and plenty of travels in between.
We returned to Rome in 2014 for our 5 yr anniversary, and visited our buddies at AIFS. We spent a complete 5 days wandering our favourite metropolis and consuming as a lot pizza and pasta as humanly doable…
A yr later, Craig proposed to me on a flight to Chicago. I at all times ebook the best window seat – and that’s the place Craig requested me to marry him. Within the very seat the place I spent so many flights crying and wishing we have been in the identical metropolis. After we arrived in Chicago, our households stunned us to spend the weekend collectively celebrating our engagement. My household arrived on the airport an hour earlier on the flight previous to ours and was ready on the gate for us. Really superb. It was our greatest weekend – till our marriage ceremony.”
Kirsten and Roger | AIFS Overseas in Prague, Czech Republic | Spring 2011
Discovering love overseas? Czech! Kirsten and Roger’s romance started in Prague — and was solidified there, too! They returned to the fairytale metropolis virtually 9 years after their meet-cute and located themselves engaged. Roger shares:
“Kirsten and I, together with about ten others from AIFS, went just about in every single place and did just about all the things collectively. Prague is sort of a metropolis, a museum, and a theme park all rolled up into one and we every obtained to know one another by exploring it. Our lessons would educate us concerning the language, the tradition, and the historical past. After lessons, we’d go to the museums, the beer gardens, the cafes, and the parks and get the real-world model of what we’d simply discovered. Every one in all use bonded throughout these nice instances and, in some unspecified time in the future, Kirsten and I noticed we had a uniquely particular connection.
After our examine overseas, Kirsten and I stayed in contact and, as likelihood would have it, we each ended up in Washington, D.C. after graduating school. Kirsten had taken a job on Capitol Hill and I used to be beginning regulation college (one in all my letters of advice was from a professor at Charles College in Prague!). The remaining is historical past.
This previous August, Kirsten and I went again to Prague for the primary time since leaving in 2011. We visited all of the unimaginable locations that we frequented throughout our keep there and loved numerous pilsner and Becherovka. Fortunately, the town hadn’t modified a lot, and neither had we. On our second full day there, we hiked as much as Letná Park, a big park on the highest of the hill overlooking the Vltava River, the Charles Bridge, Previous City, Prague, and in addition house to our favourite beer gardens. Again within the place the place it began for us, I obtained down on one knee and requested her to spend the remainder of her life with me—and thank God, she mentioned ‘sure!’
Trying again, I definitely obtained rather more than I bargained for after I picked up the AIFS Prague packet in my college’s examine overseas workplace, and for that I’m actually fortunate. I discovered a lot concerning the tradition and on a regular basis lives of the extremely resilient and dynamic Czech individuals, studied at one of many oldest universities in Europe, drank the world’s finest beer straight from the faucet, and, sure, met my quickly to be spouse. To Kirsten and I, Prague stays someplace so extremely particular. A spot the place we made a few of our closest buddies, shared a few of our greatest recollections, and began our life collectively. Our expertise finding out overseas collectively additionally gave us a perspective that I believe we are going to at all times maintain on to, that life is finest lived if you’re making an attempt new issues, exploring new locations, and having enjoyable with the individuals you like.”
Ryan and Amelia | AIFS Overseas in Granada, Spain | Spring 2019
Who’s reducing onions?! After a life-changing semester overseas in Granada, Spain, Ryan obtained down on one knee in entrance of the long-lasting Eiffel Tower and he or she mentioned “sure!” Discuss romantic!
Mason and Alexandria | AIFS Overseas in Prague, Czech Republic | Spring 2018
So far as examine overseas love tales go, these two have us feeling all of our feels! Their romance started throughout their program in Prague again in 2018 and blossomed into a phenomenal marriage. They mentioned “I do!” in 2021!
In one in all her Instagram posts, Alexandria shared, “It’s loopy how issues align. Mason and I may’ve missed one another so simply. We may’ve chosen totally different cities to check in, totally different packages, totally different locations to remain. In a program of 70+ individuals, we didn’t have to speak to one another in any respect. However how divine it’s that we met […] and rapidly realized how apparent it was that we are supposed to be.”
Elizabeth and Daniel | AIFS Overseas in Berlin, Germany | Spring 2018
From a Berlin romance to a long-distance relationship to marriage, these two have had fairly the journey! After returning house from their semester in Berlin, there was numerous bridging the hole between Ohio and Massachusetts with FaceTime and a go to each few months. Years later, they’re dwelling their finest lives. Daniel shares slightly about their origin story:
“After my host dad [in Berlin] invited Liz over for dinner one night, I began to cook dinner dinners for Liz each Wednesday since she had a late class. We spent Wednesday evenings consuming good meals, dancing within the kitchen, and staying up approach too late watching Netflix. As soon as spring started to reach in Berlin, we’d take walks round Schlachtensee, the lake close to our neighborhood, at the very least twice per week. We explored and continued to fall in love with Berlin, getting our favourite meals, currywurst and döner, after lessons and going to concert events and flea markets. As soon as the semester was coming to an finish, it was a straightforward determination to proceed our relationship again in america regardless of our distance.
We each had an unimaginable 4 months overseas. We love Berlin and the individuals we met there, and we hope to return sooner reasonably than later. It’s fairly superb that we occurred to fulfill one another and that now we have the once-in-a-lifetime expertise of finding out overseas as one thing we share as a pair.”
Evelyn and Collin | AIFS Overseas in Salzburg, Austria | Spring 2006
So far as locations to fall in love go, Salzburg is just about the head. The setting is an entire fairytale — from cobblestone streets to pastel-colored buildings to Mozart’s life’s work serenading you round each nook. Regardless of realizing each other pre-departure, it’s no shock Evelyn and Collin fell extra deeply in love throughout their spring semester overseas.
“Collin and I’ve been again to Salzburg twice – as soon as on our honeymoon and as soon as for Oktoberfest in Munich. Salzburg remains to be as charming as ever! We visited our outdated stomping grounds and met up with our Austrian buddies,” Evelyn shares.
We love examine overseas love tales and need to hear yours!
Did you meet your companion on one in all our examine overseas or worldwide internship packages? We need to hear all about it! Get in contact with our Alumni Group right this moment.
