English articles

A love story during Lockdowns

Modern dating has changed all the old-school rules. When I meet someone during my travels, I cannot figure out where the relationship is heading. During my travels, I became confused about friends’ “chemistry” as chemistry may simply be a need for closeness and happiness.

Nowadays, with instant messaging tools, I have plenty of time to wait and see how the relationship develops. I am happy to let time decide.

Many say married couples have trouble during lockdowns. They interacted less with friends and colleagues but stayed in a confined environment. Stress was built up over time.

Imagine a young girl and an energetic man who start dating and decide to travel together on their third date from New York to Costa Rica. Both say yes to low-fare tickets. What a promotion! The plane was almost empty on its way to a holiday destination. It was March 2020, and everyone knew why the plane was empty.

The pair had plenty of fun in Costa Rica, but their return flight was postponed by the airline. They felt stuck in a hotel, so they moved to a B&B where they could enjoy cooking, swimming in a private pool, or relaxing on the beach. Unfortunately, their return flight was unforeseen due to the pandemic situation.

Their dates have become infinite. Both of them knew they should stick together until they reached home. Awkward feelings arose when the pair had to spend day and night together in an unfamiliar place. They used up all the topics they could discuss.

A month later, the pair decided to circle around Costa Rica and forgot about their bills during the road trip. The rental car was dragged diagonally into a bog. If no car passed by, they could have starved to death in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, it is a friendly country. The villagers pulled the car out of the bog with all their strength, regaining freedom.

Their adventure was documented by the guy’s social media stories, which caught the media’s attention. An online interview was followed by an interview, and the guy suddenly told the press that he was in a relationship with a girlfriend. It caused confusion as “the pair” were not a real couple. They spent happy times together. They let their guard down and lived like a couple. However, they never discussed their relationship.

A few days later, the flight was called off. The government arranged a chartered flight to pick up citizens back home. They felt it was a definite chance to get back to reality.

So, how was this relationship going to evolve? Yes, they continued dating and moved in together. A happy ending.

Interested? Enjoy popcorns and this Netflix movie with your loved ones.

online dating
English articles

Online dating

Can a romantic relationship turn into a platonic friendship? 

Unfortunately, the chances are less than 10% based on my experience. Specifically, it refers to the success rate of turning my significant others into friends after a breakup. 

No matter where people are, I enjoy exploring friendships. Somehow, a few turn out to be more than just friends. It takes two to make a romantic relationship work. Imagination enhances such development, especially for those who love someone distantly. 

One of the best things I tried was text chatting with someone without knowing what they looked like for over a month. It’s quite a fun game if you are willing to invest your time and bet on furthering a relationship. 

Distance relationships are more common nowadays, and disregardless of any stigmas, online dating can be fun. Why not try express feelings in various ways – a surprise parcel, a warm voice message, or a cute song transformed by an app? All these contribute to a new fond experience. The wild fantasy simply makes online dating a lot more interesting and engaging.

Waiting for someone you fancy to respond can be anxious. I tried to delay revealing the moment of truth for almost two months.  It was all good with the everyday chats and the closeness that I felt through the conversations. I felt connected. I felt loved. I did not want the bubbles to be gone in a second when the gift box was opened. 

Luckily, the moment of truth just brought us joy and enriched our feelings.