I was visiting a friend in England, had some extra time and my friend suggested a trip to Dublin. I met my fiancé Jindrich Goc in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday June 24, 2006 – the day of my arrival in the city. (The day Jindrich and I met in Dublin was only his 5th day in Ireland. Jindrich had moved to Ireland for work.) He and I were staying at the City Manor Hostel on Gardiner Street in Dublin. Jindrich was in the kitchen when I first saw him and I thought he was attractive. Later that night his friend Norbert translated English and Czech/Slovak and we were able to introduce ourselves.
Sunday afternoon my backpack was ready, travel guidebook to Dublin in hand I departed from the City Manor Hostel to take on Dublin solo. I was about four paces on the city sidewalk when I thought, “I just have to ask, I’ll never know unless I ask, he could say no…and that’s that.” As I turned around there was Jindrich on the porch of the hostel looking in my direction. Our eyes met, I proceeded back towards him and he towards I. I cracked open the guidebook, pointed to a map of Dublin and asked him if he would like to go with me. He replied “Ah ti, ah Jindrich – Dooblin?” Jindrich and I began our walk about the city. We quickly found a way to communicate through his very limited English and my non-existent knowledge of Czech. Numbers, gestures, drawing pictures and a lot of pointing. Important information gathered – we were the same age, single and neither of us had children. We spent the rest of the day together until midnight. The following day we went to Bray and Powerscourt. Then Tuesday morning we visited a museum and he accompanied me to the airport and waited with me until my flight time. We hugged goodbye and he kissed me.
Jindrich and I communicated though email, text message, post and telephone after I returned to the United States. We mailed each other birthday presents and our fondness for each other grew. I decided that I would travel to Ireland for Christmas. I arrived on December 14, 2006. Jindrich and I fit so well together and our love for each other was sweet. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas together exchanging presents, visiting the Hill of Tara and an American style Christmas dinner. On December 27, 2006 in the process of conversation Jindrich proposed marriage – expressing his love for me and desire to have a life and children with me. I was very eager to say yes and I did. We contacted parents and friends to tell them of our news. I returned to the USA on January 13, 2007.
On March 27, 2007 I made another trip to Ireland to see Jindrich. We spent the Easter holiday together. We hiked, camped and travel to western Ireland. We spoke of our marriage plans and wrote down our guest list. We discussed where to live, getting another dog and our future family.
I have a home in Denver and a dog – I have lived here for two years and am established. We plan to have a religious wedding blessing ceremony at the Hill of Slane on October 27, 2007. Ireland is where we met and both our families and friends are able to travel without visas or restrictions to Ireland from both the USA and Czech Republic. We will legally marry at the Webb Municipal Office Building on Colfax in Denver Colorado within the first week of Jindrich’s arrival.
Jindrich and I speak on the phone every Saturday or Sunday. We text message throughout the week to tell of our daily lives and express our love to each other. We look forward to being in the same place in the future as husband and wife without an ocean in between us.
