Dreams Can Come True

This past weekend, the majority of the group went on a 70 mile bike trip throughout Southern Bohemia. It was absolutely beautiful and turned out to be a lot of fun. Czech people in the country side are so much nicer than the ones in Prague. Every once in a while we would pass other bikers and they would wave and say "Hello" which in Czech is "Ahoy!"

We got to spend a lot of quality time with our teachers Mike and Vera who are really interesting and all around great people. They are also married. Mike is a half-Taiwanese American and Vera is a born and raised Praguer. So it has constantly plagued my thoughts what their love story might be. Did they meet in Prague, America? Did she learn English for him? I was so curious, and finally this weekend I got answers. And it was better than I could have ever dreamed.

Vera is aside from being the coolest woman in the history of the world also the founder of the UW Prague program, and Mike was a student on the first year's program. Before you get weirded out, they are not too far apart in age. Their age difference is in fact very similar to the age difference between me and a certain teacher I recently had. They weren't involved at all during the program, it was only years later when she was visiting America to earn her PhD that their love was rekindled. They eventually married in Old Town Square Prague underneath the Astronomical Clock (an awesome sight indeed.) And now they have two of the greatest kids I've ever met. Sebastian (Sebi) a rambunctious 2-year-old and Tobias (Tobi) a delicate little pre-me at only one month old. They are the greatest family ever, and I absolutely adore them.

Their story gives hope to me and hopefully to all of you that student-teacher romances can happen and can be great. Just a lovely thought I wanted to share.