Our Story Once upon a time, in the quiet labs of the Max Planck Institute in Bremen, two Master’s students found themselves in a unique situation. Andrey, a scholarship student from Brazil, had already immersed himself in the world of cutting-edge science. I, on the other hand, arrived for a three-month internship, armed with enthusiasm but somewhat less equipped in English—and even less in lab skills. Let’s just say, I was a walking (and sometimes flaming) disaster. Yes, I once set the lab on fire. But instead of running for the fire extinguisher and never looking back, Andrey stayed. He introduced me to a new world: a science that went far beyond my engineering labs. We were the only students working there, and maybe that’s why we ended up spending every single minute together. It didn’t take long for us to become the best of friends. I’ll never forget those 12-hour protocols, where I had hours of waiting time. We turned that waiting into something wonderful: hammocking and talking, eating watermelon, sharing stories about our worlds. After work, we’d unwind by watching Harry Potter or Tatort. Gossip started swirling in the lab that we were dating, but at the time, we were just two best friends navigating life and science together. Looking back now, we laugh about it. That Christmas, when Andrey couldn’t go home to Brazil, he visited me and my family in Sandweier. My family instantly adopted him—how could they not? His warmth and kindness melted right into our lives. Our friendship only grew stronger over the years, despite the distance: Andrey in Denmark, me in Switzerland. Through it all, we were always there for each other. And then one day, after his breakup and mine, something shifted. We went on a date. It wasn’t an easy decision. We were hesitant to risk the beautiful friendship we’d built. But in the end, it turned out to be the best decision of our lives. Today, we share an incredible journey, a beautiful home, and most importantly, the joy of raising our little girl. Life has been an extraordinary adventure, and now we are ready to begin the next chapter as husband and wife. We can’t wait to celebrate this moment with all of you!