Tennesee Was Amazing

So I’ve been away for a few months, two of those were spent in Middle Tennessee in America and it wasn’t a typical holiday, oh no, there’s more to this. It’s a fairytale!

I haven’t blogged much about this, but through a pen pal I’ve known for over 3 years, and on New Years Eve in London, I met the girl I quite possibly, indeed I do wish to spend the rest of my life with. Thus I took an extended trip over thousands of miles to spend time getting to know her and her family, after spending many, many hours on transatlantic phone calls.

Shay Gordon, is the apple of my eye, an English Major in her final year at university in Clarksville, she brings much love to my life. It just sucks that we have to be so far apart. I will however in due course blog about all the things I saw and did in Tennessee, including being in the thick of America’s worst tornado outbreak in living history. Indeed history was made while I was there in more ways than one.

It started with a New Years kiss
I’ve never spent New Years in London, ever. Most people automatically think we met online that I must have started this, but again it’s a fairytale. I met Shay for the first time on December 31st. Part of a study abroad group which included my pen pal from Tennessee, Sherri, here to study our literature and history. I was just going down to see Sherri, who was going to make the trip a year previous, but was put off by the Swine Flu outbreak.

“Our first kiss was outside Buckingham Palace as the fireworks rung in the new year”

Fate would have it that my pen pal, Sherri would finally make it to London and her friend Shay had eyes for me. Our first kiss was outside Buckingham Palace as the fireworks rung in the new year. New Years day we met for Coffee, with the NY Parade a few blocks away. I hadn’t planned on staying, because I was just going to London for New Years. A few days later while the group were still in town, I went back down and we had a great day out and I showed Shay Camden Town, my fave part of London. We knew then, barely a week into 2011 that there was a relationship forming. I had given her a mix CD to listen to on the flight back to Tennessee.

Transatlanticism
I managed to get cheap phone calls to America, in fact cheaper than calling my parents here! From then on we’d spend upwards of 2 hours everyday on the transatlantic. Our relationship has unfolded privately to our closest friends and family on Facebook and everyone has commented on what a great couple we are. Combined with Facebook and care packages, we got to the point where we discussed visits.

“We’re trying to get together every 6 months or so in alternation. On our first anniversary, I may have some more news to blog about!”

Ok so within 4 months I was in her arms again, it was the plan to go there for June (this month), but we just longed to be together and I wasn’t sure if the phone allowed us to be physically close. I got my passport sorted and within days had a ticket to Nashville, TN. Within weeks I was on a jet plane traveling at 600mph. Was I insane? Would I make it, would we get along, having only spent half a day together together? This was mad but oh so very good, I wasn’t too worried, I was in fact quite calm.

Having lived with Shay for a decent amount of time now, we are certain of what we want to do next. She’s coming to visit the UK around Christmas to meet my family and hang out again, because it’s so painful to be apart. We’re trying to get together every 6 months or so in alternation. On our first anniversary, I may have some more news to blog about!

I Hope You Stay, American Baby
So I’ve been thinking about moving out of Walsall since October, even before I met Shay, the question always was where to? Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leamington Spa? Well the last 6 months have made me think again. It may take a while to sort this out, but things back here show little signs of improving, I’m apart from the girl I love and Clarksville is a sweet little city. Nashville is just amazing, and Centerville is kinda like living in a Centre Parcs resort. It makes sense.

I found a list of things to do before I die, written by myself 15 years ago. I guess I can tick number 4 (go to America). I’m outta here (eventually), I’ll go anywhere as long as we’re together and not having to endure the LDR.

“Isn’t it about time some good news is due after what happened from August 2010 onwards. Feels like a new chapter.”

Posted on Wednesday, June 8th, 2011