UNBELIEVABLY TRUE: A LOVE STORY

"the supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved"

Technology is here. Internet is everywhere. A friendly greeting via IM (Skype) started it all.

March 2007, a relaxing day at work when a message popped on my screen saying hi/hello. Profile - Sex: Male, Age: 23, Language: English, Location: Brazil. The fact that he was from Brazil brought me excitement. I love havaianas and i´ve got plans then of enrolling in a capoeira class. Here comes a guy I can chat with about some of my interests.

On the other side of the connection is him. He was finding people on skype to chat with so as to practice his english conversation ability. There he found my name and delighted to know that a Filipina can speak english. As a conversation starter, he sent me an IM. Portuguese is the only official language in Brazil. In daily conversation, business, sports, school etc. Everything is in portuguese. There are english subjects in school but that kind of curriculum just to teach basics and mostly (if not all) cannot learn fluent english from it. For a brazilian to have a comprehensive english learning they must enroll in an english school like WIZARD (where i teach) or have a private english class at home. Lucky for us Filipinos having two offical languages, Filipino and English. We don´t need to burn a hole in our pockets to be able to speak english.

To continue, virtual friendship has started and by May of the same year he said that he´s starting to like me and asked me if I can be his virtual girlfriend. Hello? Are you ok? Am not the type of woman who will go for a virtual romantic relationship. Prove yourself to me. Come to the Philippines. Meet my family and friends and from there we´ll see, as i´ve told him. Regular chatting continued. Everyday, yes everyday we would talk as if it was the thing that can complete our days. Three months after (August 2007) he couldn´t anymore hold himself and without any hesitation told me that he loves already. But then, there was another more shocking revelation. He was dating a girl for four years, another brazilian, a real relationship. The relationship was on the rocks and there was a confusion on his part. There´s one thing i´ve asked him, `can you be with this woman for the rest of your life´? Hell NO - he answered. I dared him to break up with her. Tried to take out his confusion and opened my heart to him. I would never give him up. I somehow fought for my love. From there, we have leveled up the virtual relationship. We got more infatuated with each other. Longer chatting hours, exchanged love letters, he would send me flowers and gifts to the office and the most risky part was the drawing of the action plan on how are we going to meet. I was firm about him going to the Philippines and not me meeting him anywhere else. Before the end of 2007 he was finally free from that 4-yr boring but real relationship.

Early part of 2008 when I finally realized that he was the man I wanted for my life. The virtual love affair has deepened that we were almost having each other (virtually) the whole day. I would sleep with my webcam on and vice versa. We were each other´s alarm clock every morning. Met his family, celebrated birthdays and holidays, he has seen my niece grown. Everything via webcam. We made dreams and made a life through bandwidth. When the plan about him going to the Philippines has finally been decided, he had problems getting the permission of his mom. My husband is an adopted child. Taken out from an orphanage in Sao Paulo when he was three years old. He was adopted by a 39-yr old spinster and gave him her family name and provided all the tangible and intangible things that a child needs. She´s his foster mom that treated him like her own child until now.

For the love of his son, she had no choice but to let him follow his dreams and support him all the way. He scheduled his trip to the Philippines, applied for a passport, and bought his tickets. December 17, 2008 he arrived in the Philippines. His first travel abroad and his first airplane ride. It was so tough for him but the desire to meet me was real strong. Without any doubt I appeared at the aiport to fetch him. And there he was! So beautiful in person. He´s tall, smelled good and got those strong chest. Oh man! I can´t resist this brasileiro. On top of it all he was able to prove me his good intentions - HIS LOVE - OUR LOVE - He wanted to consumate it for real.

35 days in the Philippines. We stayed together the whole period. Spent our first christmas and new year together. He met my family,relatives and friends. Carrie (my niece) was so fond of him. Thanks to my former boss for allowing me to be on vacation that long. He was such a conversationalist and was very friendly to everyone he met. During this vacation we were assured that we were meant for each other. The way we converse, the way we settle petty issues, respect and sustainable passion were there - everything fell into its right place. We made a decision to be together for the rest of our lives. End of 2009 we will be together for real everyday of our lives. January 21, 2009 he went back to Brazil. It was so heavy. Shed lots of tears (not at the airport please). When you have experienced the happiest days of your lives together, it was so difficult to be afar from each other again.

Back to reality, back to our virtual world. I remember him saying, it may be virtual but the feeling is so real....Am back to my regular days at work, he´s in Brazil with his stuffs. We couldn´t wait any longer, shortened the original plan. I gave up my promising career in the Philipines, a car to own and a good salary to name a few. With the blessing of my parents I flew to brazil 2nd of July 2009. It was a lot of risk. The risk was calculated. I was pretty sure that it will be compensated with non-material things that are far more important than having a good career. He was the man for me and he´s everything i´ve ever wanted. Ultimately I had to choose what´s my priority. The priority was to be able to raise a happy family of my own and to be with a man that can love and accept me for who I am through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

I arrived in Brazil July 3, 2009. My first travel abroad as well. Not for a vacation. For good. Adventure. A big big adventure that will change my whole life. The welcome was so overwhelming, I was accepted my his family wholeheartedly. Everybody was friendly, nice and so sweet. 3 months later, the brazilian judiciary granted our marriage license. We got married October 17, 2009. We made it! Loving each other more and more everyday. Seeing imperfections perfectly.

Call it fate, call it destiny...but we will never reach this stage consumating our real love everyday if we didn´t have the courage to cross beyond borders. Mr and Mrs Bacci, we are the most courageous man and woman so to speak.