Gabriel + Gabriela – A Love Story in G Major

Our story began when WhatsApp was known as MSN Chat and when talking via Skype was a dream. I, a lover of all arts, knew how to play one song on the piano and had posted a photo looking like a pianist on Facebook, which was taken at a youth convention in Huesca, Spain. Gabriel came across my Facebook page and was “tricked” because he thought I was quite the virtuosa and decided to look at my profile. It all started with:

(Gabriel) – Hola…es un gusto escribirte. Me encantaría conocerte, soy Gabriel. Muy lindas tus fotos, en especial la del piano. Veo que también tocas violín. Tal vez podamos compartir experiencias o algunos archivos. Soy de Bolivia, no sé si entiendes lo que escribo, ¡espero que sí!!! También toco piano…Que pases bien, Bendiciones.

(Hi…it’s a pleasure to write to you. I’d be enchanted to get to know you. I’m Gabriel. Your photos are very nice, especially the piano one. I see that you also play the violin. Maybe we can share experiences and some sheet music. I am from Bolivia; I don’t know if you understand what I am writing, but I hope so! I also play piano…take care. Blessings.)

(Me) – Hola … yo me llamo Gabriela… en primeiro, muchas gracias … pero tengo que decirte que toco piano, violin y guitar de oido … no soy muy buenas jeje …Soy de Portugal y te entiendo muy bien, yo hablo con algunos amigos mios en malo espanhol … jejejje … pero sera un placer compartir experiencias o archivos contigo tu hermana es muy simpaica también. xau y q Dios te bendiga.

(Hi…my name is Gabriela. First of all, thank you very much, but I have to tell you that I play piano, violin, and the guitar by ear… I’m not very good, haha. I am from Portugal, and I understand you very well. I speak Spanish with some of my friends in very bad Spanish, hahaha. But it would be a pleasure to exchange experiences and music with you. Your sister is very nice too. Bye and God bless.

(Yes, those are the original messages. Gabriel made a book/encyclopedia of our conversations. My Portuñol was “wonderful” in 2010, as you can see. How embarrassing!)

We talked a lot, but there was a “however”… I had never dreamed of getting married, nor had any pretensions to date anyone. I have always been stubborn, owner of my nose, and patience is not one of my virtues. When I realized that Gabriel was beginning to like me in a different way, I thought it would be better for him to look for another girl who liked him that way, because I was not interested. Poor thing, he suffered in my hands. I was really mean to him.

But he surprised me because he didn’t give up on me. That stubborn boy, even without knowing me personally, decided that he wanted to win me over and was not going to give up. And so 6 years went by, with many stories, venting sessions, laughter, and tears, until I realized that he had managed to enter my head and heart in a way that I had not planned. Well, the time had come to see what we would do, as there was the tiny matter of the entire Atlantic Ocean between us.

Finally, we chose a neutral place for our first meeting: Spain. I was the first to arrive at the airport, and I was waiting for him who arrived accompanied by his sisters: Raquel and Patrícia.

Anyone who knows me knows that I always dressed a little differently and that I have a “crazy” fashion taste. I was dressed in a very “romantic” outfit: black hat, black skirt, black cape-like poncho, and socks with dark patterns. Later I learned that Gabriel was scared and thought that I had become a ghost because only half of my face could be seen. But his fear rapidly dissipated and after 6 years of friendship, hours and hours together via Skype, endless messages via Messenger and WhatsApp, this playful Bolivian asked this Portuguese girl with disheveled hair to be his girlfriend on October 19, 2015.

Now being away from each other was much more difficult! Shortly afterward, Gabriel bought me a ticket to meet his family and spend some time with them in Bolivia. It was my first trip to another continent, and I was super excited to get to know another culture and to spend time with Gabriel, of course. I was also nervous because I was from a different culture and country, and I didn’t know if his family would like this white calla lily. Fortunately, everything went well and I received a new family, as well as a country that won my heart.

Six months later, it was Gabriel’s turn to visit Portugal and meet my mother. This mischievous boy, when he heard that he had been granted the visa called me and said that his visa had been denied and now he would have to wait another six months to try again. I almost had a heart attack! But it was a joke and in August 2016 he arrived in Lisbon (finally, hallelujah!). It was as if my orange was complete.

We went for a walk around the city, and he saw that it is possible to melt under the sun, but I was very happy to be able to introduce him to part of my little world.

And it was here, in Portugal, that after asking me 108867526 times, jokingly, to marry him, he asked again seriously (or I answered seriously). The visit that was to last for 3 months extended to 9 until we got married on July 9, 2017, and he lost his return ticket.

We have been married for 3 years now, and we are still two kids who love to play, hug, and laugh together.

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