Our Love Story

"From crew mess small talk to 'I do.' ⚓️❤️

Back in 2018, we first met on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. We were both young first-time seafarers. I had never been outside the Philippines, unlike him; he had worked in Saudi for two years, so he knew the feeling of being away from family.

We became colleagues in the same department, but he already knew the work because he had arrived a month before me. I used to eat in the crew mess alone and never talked to anyone. Then one day during lunch, he sat beside me and started making small talk, asking where I lived back home. I only gave him 'yes' or 'no' answers at first. However, he kept the conversation going until he hit a topic I was interested in: anime, specifically One Piece. We both loved it, and from then on, he talked to me every chance he got. He even used to call me 'pre' because he thought I was a 'tomboy' due to how I walked and talked—I wasn't exactly 'ladylike' like the other girls.

Months passed and we eventually became friends. After our shifts, we would talk for hours. Since our cabins were in the same hallway, we’d stand outside chatting about everything. I would laugh non-stop because his humor was extraordinary. We grew closer every day; working in the same department on a cruise ship is like being in Pinoy Big Brother—you naturally bond and become close.

At first, whenever I asked him to go ashore and take pictures, he would refuse, saying he needed to sleep. But eventually, when I asked him to go out at a port called 'Lifou,' he gladly said yes. One afternoon, after spending time together in a port in Vanuatu, we returned to the ship and he confessed his feelings. He was so sincere I could see tears in his eyes. I declined at first, thinking ship romances were just a 'play' and not serious. I was afraid he might not be single back in the Philippines—what if he was married and just pretending? These thoughts raced through my mind because I had never been in a relationship; I was 'No Boyfriend Since Birth' (NBSB).

After that day, he became even more attentive. He was very clingy, always calling my cabin to tell me he’d finished lunch or was back in his room. He reported everything about his day, even without me asking. He never forced anything; he just waited until I finally fell for him and confessed my feelings, too. We became a couple, and only a month later, he asked me to marry him once we got home. I was still young and unsure of my future, but he knew exactly what he wanted. He proved his sincerity a month before my contract ended by messaging my sister and asking if he could go to Cavite to introduce himself to my mom. Even though I wasn't home yet, he went by himself. From then on, I knew he was the one. The rest is history.

Seven years in the making, and finally, here we are—getting ready for our wedding and our future baby. I can't wait to build a family full of love, respect, and genuine trust. Through all the ups and downs, we will face the world together with courage and the Lord's guidance."

Jeremiah 29:11 - "'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."