In the short time Marisa was away from California's warmth, she had to brave the polar climate of Chicago. We were placed in a house together by the Schuler Scholar Program where we became close friends. We slowly came together after about a year of knowing each other. In another year's time, Marisa returned to California and Tom moved to Iowa to start a graduate program in Geology and now after 4.5 years together we will be married and living in the same place. :)