Monica and Francisco first met in 2011 on Brown University’s college campus, where they both studied. As acquaintances, they only had a few interactions - one fun memory was a night out for a casual dinner with their mutual friends. At the conclusion of dinner, the group took a photo together, and there they stood at either side. Little did they know that a beautiful story would unfold many years later. As the years passed, their lives unfolded in different directions, yet they remained connected through the occasional message, bonded by the memories of their college days. In 2020, by a twist of fate, Monica and Francisco found themselves both planning trips with their friends to Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval, unbeknownst to each other. It had been over five years since they last saw each other, but the stars seemed to align, bringing them back together under the festive atmosphere of Brazil's most celebrated tradition. Through Vitor, they both realized they would be in Rio at the same time, and Francisco reached out to Monica to see if she’d like to join together during a night out of celebration. Monica agreed to it, and in the evening, the two travel groups joined together for a night out in Copacabana. It was that evening that they found themselves at a small local bar, speaking to each other for hours, sharing experiences and reminiscing about their university days. Time flew, and when they looked at the clock, it was nearly 2:00am and the bar was closing. They didn’t realize how quickly time had passed, but there was a mutual feeling that they wanted to continue to learn about each other. While they continued to talk and spend time together at Carnaval, the trip soon came to an end and they both returned back to the US to their respective homes – Dallas for Monica and San Francisco for Francisco. This was February 2020. And then, the pandemic hit. Cities began announcing lockdown, but they knew they still wanted to stay in touch. Through dozens of hand-written letters filled with hopes, dreams, and day-to-day musings, they bridged the gap between them, their bond growing stronger with each word. Finally, in August 2020, Monica serendipitously received an exciting new job offer in San Francisco and she took it! Francisco flew to Dallas and helped her pack, and together they roadtripped across the country, stopping at the Grand Canyon, on their way back to San Francisco. While the pandemic was difficult, and being away from their families made it an even more challenging time, Monica and Francisco found themselves growing closer, supporting each other, and demonstrating that their love and commitment for each other was genuine. After 3.5 wonderful years together, on November 11, 2023, while on a trip to New York, Francisco proposed to Monica and asked her to marry him in front of an intimate group of both families, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their love story.