Their first date lasted 40 minutes and a cup of coffee. They’re still not quite sure the second date ever ended. The summer of 2018 flew by with Sean’s BBQs (braais), meeting new friends, first kisses at Náměstí Míru, traipsing around every corner of Prague, sharing music and movies, picking up beers at the corner store, and taking midnight buses home. In October, they went on their first trip together to Budapest. Little did they know that trip would be the first of many. Since then, they’ve been together in New York, Cape Town, Chintsa, Milan, Berlin, Bangkok, Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City, Split, Arles, Pula, Washington D.C., Chicago, Lisbon, Bamberg, Aspendos, Savannah, Lucca, and too many other cities to mention. By train, plane, or automobile, exploring new places together has been a great joy for Sean and Kris. The next few years saw more trips to the US and SA, many road trips, float trips, cabin trips - all of these have galvanized their friendships and their partnership, and are some of their most cherished memories. 2019 was the year they had the chance to show each other where they grew up. Kristine visited Sean’s hometown of Washington D.C., and Sean met Kristine’s parents, Zetha and Danie, and her brother Joshua in Chintsa, South Africa. Sean experienced some of the best beaches in the world, along with local giraffes, rhinos, and monkeys, while Kristine explored the Smithsonian museums, the Lincoln Memorial, and the National Portrait Gallery. Two very different worlds, and equally amazing places to grow up. In 2020, they moved in together. Their first home, “Melounova,” was full of fun and figuring life out. They discovered a shared love of hosting and entertaining, cooking for friends, and staying up late over glasses of red wine and board games. Through a pandemic, career changes, and more, they solidified their unit and became family away from family. Sean and Kristine are very proud of how many people their relationship has brought together - best friendships, roommates, new jobs, and even marriages have have resulted from entertaining their intertwining circles. In 2024, they moved to their new and current flat, which they are happily making a home. On Christmas morning 2024, Sean proposed in Washington D.C., next to his mom’s Christmas tree. It was cosy, and private, and warm - perfect in every way.