We met in Victoria, Canada. It was 2019, I had just flown from Wisconsin to start my MSc in Astronomy, and the only thing I knew about Victoria was that it was rainy, and the university was in the middle of the woods. I don't remember exactly the first time I saw Doug. In all likelihood it was on one of his routine passings through the hallway which housed all the astronomy grad student offices - sticking his head into each office and asking if anyone would like to join for Beer Time, before departing for the university pub. It would be almost three more years though before we really started to become close. Many things happened in the meantime - new friendships, my transition into the PhD program, the pandemic... Two and a half years later, it must have been March 2022, we were sitting at a bar in Vancouver and Doug was talking about his plans to work in Edinburgh for a few months after finishing his PhD that spring. By wonderful coincidence, I would also be travelling to the UK that summer for a conference. "Wouldn't it be crazy," I said, "if I visited you?" Cut to four months later, I'm standing with my suitcase at the door to Doug's apartment in Edinburgh, wondering if maybe I should have confirmed that Doug's invitation wasn't just a politeness. But all my anxiety disappeared as soon as he opened the door. I was only in Edinburgh for two days, but I think I can at this point confidently say that those two days changed my life. In Doug I found one of those strong and deep and immediate friendships, which demand to be felt. It wasn't love at first sight, it was friendship at first laugh. The coming November and January I visited Doug in his new home in New York City. It was my first time visiting New York, and as I was falling in love with the city, I was falling in love with Doug. Of course, we were still "just friends". At one point I remember thinking that maybe I text him too much for someone who's just a friend, and making a firm decision to slow down. Which, of course, lasted all of an hour, before we were back to trading messages every 10 minutes. I think we were both a little afraid of admitting it was more than just friendship. Friendships are safe, relationships are scary and fragile. In March 2023 we reunited in Berlin to celebrate our birthdays (which are one day apart). We spent four days in a bit of a whirlwind, going out, partying, staying up until the sun creeped up and birds sang. As the last day was dawning, after a long night of partying, once everyone had finally gone to sleep, Doug confessed. And the rest, as they say, is history. I was scheduled to fly to Krakow that day and then back to Victoria. Doug was flying to Edinburgh for a few days and then home to New York. I changed my flight to come to Edinburgh. Once again we were reunited in Scotland, except where the first time we were discovering friendship, this time we were discovering love. At the end of the few days we were in Scotland, Doug bought me a ticket to come home to New York with him. I came and never left.

We first met in grad school many years ago. Our relationship at the time was collegial, but I had imagined that we could be good friends based on our interactions and interests. Back then, I rarely worked on Friday afternoons as a grad student, and would roam the halls to annoy everyone and ask them to drink beer with me (beer time!). It was there that we got to know each other better, as friends first. Over the years, Asya and I lost touch until she mentioned that she was going to visit the UK. Coincidentally, I was working at the University of Edinburgh at the time so I invited her to visit for a few days. I think Asya thought that this was a joke, but I genuinely appreciated a friend visiting since I didn’t know anyone in the UK at the time. She arrived, and we explored the city, museums, food, and lots of Irish bars with my crazy Irish flatmate. During our time in Edinburgh, our friendship grew deeper. That was when I first realized that Asya could be a life-long friend. Because of that, I invited her to visit me in NYC in the fall after I moved there. Asya visited NYC and I showed her around the city and our friendship grew deeper. I learned more about her Russian/Polish culture, her love of languages, and her love of food. She discovered a Russian bar in NYC and introduced me to maybe one too many flavored shots of vodka (and accompanied pickled vegetables)!. After she departed, we began to keep in touch frequently (ever increasing in frequency!). During this period, I think that I subconsciously began to form a deeper bond. I couldn’t stop thinking about her! I invited her back to NYC. During that time, we talked endlessly! I cannot even remember what we talked about because it didn’t matter, it only mattered that I was talking to her. I couldn’t believe how much we had in common, and how easy it was to talk. I believe I was more in denial about how I felt, but I started talking more and more to my friends about how great my new friend Asya was. I truly knew I had fallen for Asya when I noticed her laugh sounded different. All of a sudden, it made my heart skip a beat, it was all I wanted to hear! I started to get nervous, when I am never nervous! But, I was sad because she had to return to Victoria. I learned that she was going to visit Germany for a conference at the same time as I was going to Germany to visit my best friend. Good news for me! It just so happened that our birthdays are 1 day apart, and they were both while we were in Berlin. That night, we roamed the streets of Berlin with our friends, and stayed up until the sun rose — ending the night with our first kiss! I happened to be travelling back to Edinburgh following Berlin, and invited Asya to visit with me again. She agreed! I couldn’t believe that she agreed, and everything was perfect. We talked, explored the city, I drove her to Loch Ness and through the Scottish highlands (we saw the Loch Ness monster), and I asked her to be my girlfriend. She agreed! I was ecstatic. But what about the future? She did not have a job yet and had nowhere planned to move in September of 2023. I invited her to live with me in NYC in my tiny apartment. She agreed! I was ecstatic. She moved in with me in April 2023. During the next few months, we travelled the world. We visited Canada, Turkey, Poland, and Tenerife. I met her family in Poland and had some of the best food I’ve ever had! I saved her life from an enormous cockroach in Tenerife, and we became part of a pack of stray dogs while we walked through the mosques at 3am in Istanbul. After these adventures, I became certain. There was no other person that I would rather spend my life with. This was the first time that I felt like this in my life, and it made me extremely joyful and nervous! But, I was ready. Sure. Confident. I proposed to Asya in our kitchen at home; She agreed! I was ecstatic. And, I have been the happiest I have ever been in my life.