After several months of online chatting and
telephonic conversations, we decided to meet
on October 21, 2000. We planned to meet at a
gas station. So we did.
Then, we proceeded to
ocean beach and spent some time exchanging
thoughts.
Later, we had dinner at Chinese
Vegetarian Restaurant on Clement Street. |
Our second
trip was better planned. Josephine's friend joined us
and we went to Stinson Beach. Even this time, we met at
same gas station. This was on March 18,
2001. After dropping the friend to her home,
Josephine came to my apartment in San Mateo. We had some
snacks and enjoyed pictures she had taken in her recent
visit to China. Later, we had dinner at Suraj
Indian Restaurant in San Carlos. |
We met
again in May 18, 2001. Manish had proposed
Josephine few weeks earlier and had told her
not to rush to accept/reject the
proposal. This may have been our last
meeting as Manish was going back to India for indefinite
period. We went around golden gate area, exchanged gifts
and had Lunch at an Indian Restaurant on
Geary. Later, we spent evening at Cliff House.
|
Obviously, that was not the last meeting. Manish came
back to bay area sooner than expected (Aug 2001). We
started to meet each other again.
Josephine used
to like to be together. But, she was not sure if it was
due to love.
Anyway, the idea was to be in good
relationship and have good time. Thus, we used to meet
every weekend now. Our first weekend trip was to Paso
Robles in December 23, 2001. |
Not much
later, we had another trip. This one was to Shasta Lake
Area. We went to caverns, yreka town, burney falls and
shasta dam. We had real nice time in walking on
snow and driving on snow clad road to Lassen Volcanic
Park This was on January 19, 2002 |
Around
Valentine Day in 2002, our love was getting mutual. We
were relishing our relationship and realizing that this
can be nothing but LOVE. Manish greeted Josphine
with flowers in the evening and then we had Dinner
at an Indian Restaurant on Geary. Thus, both of
us had our first meaningful Valentine Day in 2002.
|
This was a
trip that was planned in hurry as we really wanted to go
out that weekend. At last minute, Manish didn't even get
chance to rent the car and had to take the old (but
reliable) toyota corolla. We went to Point
Reyes. This was on March 17, 2002. |
It was a
sudden blow to us when Manish discovered that the
project on which he is working is scraped and he will
have to travel back to India immediately. So, we
wanted to be together as much as possible. A trip to
monterey was planned quickly. After winding up most of
the stuff, Manish finally sold the Toyota Corolla and
then enjoyed the last weekend of this business trip at
Monterey Bay. This was on March 24, 2002
|
After
leaving USA, Manish got an assignment in Australia.
We used to talk over phone for many hours every day. It
was during one such call, we planned Josephine's trip to
Australia. She came to Melbourne for 2 weeks. (May 26 -
June 09, 2002) That was the best time we had
until then. Together, we enjoyed most of the popular
attractions in Melbourne. Also, we made a weekend trip
to Sydney by train. |
On return from Australia, Manish was given one more
assignment in Oakland, CA. This was the first time, we
got an opportunity to be in the same city. Manish was
staying in down town SF and now we were together more
days in a week than ever before.
We used to
stroll in the city on weekends. It was during these
days, we visited many attractions of the
city.
This was from Aug 2002 to Nov
2002. |
Again, Manish went back to India. This frequent
travel was really bothering us. Manish was in India for
about 4 months and that period of solitude made us make
some resolution. We decided that whenever we meet next,
we will make big decisions of life.
Manish's next
project was in San Jose. He rented a place in Mountain
View where Josephine used to visit him often.
As
always, we rarely wasted weekends by staying back
at home. We explored new ways to have fun
- Hiking and Camping. |
During the
stay in Mountain View, we thought through all our
concerns arising due to our different cultural
background. One by one, we addressed all concerns in
mutually acceptable way and then ... we were all set to
get into wedlock. On March 26, 2004, we took
our relationship to a remarkable stage by accepting each
other as life partner forever. We registered
ourselves as husband and wife at City Hall, San
Francisco. |
