- My wife and I met on the set of a music video in Austin, Texas. We hit it off immediately.
- I lived in Australia with my twin sons, while she didn't want kids, but we decided to make it work.
I was living in Australia when I met Cecilia on a work trip to Austin, Texas, in early 2014. A friend invited me to participate in a music-video shoot — very appropriate for Austin — and she was there, too. We instantly connected.
It was a strange setting to meet someone: There was loud music, an abundance of cameras, giant light towers, free alcohol, and a hive of activity. But despite the hundreds of people there and all that was happening around us, we spent all night talking.
Even among the commotion, it felt like we were the only ones there. If the cameras had been trained on us instead of on the band performing, they would have seen two people oblivious to what was happening around them as they were engaged in deep conversation.
I was due to fly home the next day but pushed my flight back by 24 hours so we could have a proper first date
We met for a coffee the next evening. The date night went into the early-morning hours as we walked around Austin's streets (and bars). It ended only because of my early flight home. I still hadn't even packed.
The story could have easily ended there. We lived on opposite sides of the world. I was 40, divorced with two kids, while Cecilia was 29 and didn't want to have children. If we were two objects in a Venn diagram, there would be minimal overlap.
Despite these differences, by the end of the date I'd convinced Cecilia to book a trip to Melbourne to visit me and my twin boys.
3 weeks later, Cecilia arrived in Australia for a 10-day date
I'd planned an extensive itinerary for us. Cecilia met my parents, friends, and children — and, of course, some kangaroos and koalas.
Introducing her to my 7-year-old sons was a big step for me. She was the first potential partner of mine they'd met since their mother and I had divorced, and I was worried about how they'd react.
I didn't need to worry; they connected immediately, though I'm sure that Cecilia's buying them lots of treats helped.
Our 10 days together flew by, and we had to make an important decision.
We faced the question many international couples know all too well: What happens next?
Though we'd had a fantastic time together, a few questions hung over our heads. Should one of us move? What would the future hold for us? Are our differences too big an obstacle to overcome?
I couldn't move to Texas, as my children's mother wouldn't allow them to move overseas, and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving them behind. Cecilia had never harbored visions of living abroad, and, as an only child, she didn't want to leave her parents.
We decided to try a long-distance relationship to see if we had a future.
Long-distance relationships can be the Mount Everest of relationship challenges
Living so far apart, battling time zones (we had a 17-hour time difference) and separation, burdens a relationship. When one of us had important news to share or was feeling stressed and wanted to talk, it seemed the other one was always asleep.
I resorted to keeping my phone on at night in case I got an important message — and that led to a lot of sleepless nights. And, of course, we couldn't attend special occasions such as weddings or birthdays together.
There were plenty of reasons to give up. After all, Austin is a long way from Melbourne — 8,870 miles, to be exact. Twenty-four hours of travel, at least two flights, and a series of never-ending lines at airports. It's a world away.
But we had one excellent reason to try: We had a connection that made it worth putting in the effort. I'd been on several first dates back in Australia, but none felt like my date with Cecilia. It seemed effortless; we just fell into a natural groove, as if we'd known each other for years. It also helped that she laughed at all my jokes! Neither of us wanted to abandon the possibility of a long-term future, so we decided to give it a go.
Thankfully, technology made the distance somewhat smaller. We spent many hours talking on FaceTime, messaging each other, and sending emails.
We even went old school and sent postcards at times. While a text will be read once, a letter will be read many times. It was also a physical connection, something I could touch. I could smell her handwriting; honestly, I could.
Cecilia made the big decision to move to Australia
Living apart may seem like the setup for a romantic comedy — but like in all rom-coms, eventually there's a fork in the road, the ultimate decision that determines whether the relationship will last.
In 2014, I visited Cecilia while on a few business trips to the United States. While I was there, we discussed our future together.
After eight months of long-distance dating, Cecilia decided to move to Australia.
There was an adaption period, and I'm grateful she stuck it out
The most significant change for Cecilia was moving from a neat, orderly apartment with her female cousin to a chaotic, noisy, messy household with three males and a dog.
She also needed to adapt to being both my partner and the stepmother to my twins. While there were challenges here and there, she fit seamlessly into our family. To try to minimize her homesickness, we've made sure to head back to Texas once a year together. In 2018, we were even able to bring my children and parents to meet Cecilia's family.
The biggest challenge we've faced so far was during the pandemic. For nearly two years, in 2020 and 2021, Australia closed its borders, preventing travel.
This period was challenging for Cecilia, who couldn't visit family and friends and missed many special occasions. It's one of many sacrifices she's made to be with us in Australia.
This story really does have a 'happily ever after' ending
A few months ago, Cecilia and I married in San Antonio. My two sons were my best men and gave a heartwarming speech touching on everything Cecilia had done for them.
Friends and family from around the world gathered to celebrate.
What started as a chance meeting at a music-video shoot eight years ago changed the lives of four people forever.