Our Story

Every love story is beautiful—but ours is our favorite. Below, you’ll find both of our versions of how we met, fell in love, and found forever in each other.

Jeremy

I could write pages telling you about our story. It’s an amazing story, honestly! Think about it…We have travelled to 18 countries together, seen some of the world’s most amazing natural and historical sites, and even enjoyed crispy scorpions and chewy cicadas. Well…enjoyed is a strong word. But okay, I get what you are thinking. The vast amount of experiences we have shared got me to this point. And while yes, that is true, it’s more than just the “wow” moments we shared. Looking back, the little things got me to this point. Curious? Well, let’s go back several years.

How I Met Anjini

Anjini

I couldn’t have imagined that when I moved to China to teach science—and would be working at the same school as my friend (shoutout, Angie!)—I’d end up meeting the love of my life. Moving in July 2021, when COVID regulations were in full swing in China, was quite intimidating, especially with the looming three-week quarantine upon arrival. I reached out to my new school, and since regulations were changing daily, they connected me with another science teacher who had arrived just two days before me… and, you guessed it… it was Jeremy.

How I Met Jeremy

How I Met Anjini

July 4th, 2026…the day I get married to Anjini. July 4th, 2026…Dang. I can’t stop thinking about that date, but how did I even get to this point? I could write pages telling you about our story. It’s an amazing story, honestly! Think about it…We have traveled to 18 countries together, seen some of the world’s most amazing natural and historical sites, and even enjoyed crispy scorpions and chewy cicadas. Well…enjoyed is a strong word. But okay, I get what you are thinking. The vast amount of experiences we have shared got me to this point. And while yes, that is true, it’s more than just the “wow” moments we shared. Looking back, the little things got me to this point. Curious? Well, let’s go back several years.

Thursday, January 28th, 2021. I was getting on a Skype call with my future employers at Kinglee High School in China to discuss the Chinese visa process. I was excited, as my future coworkers were going to be on this call. As our little boxes start popping up on the screen, I looked at one particular box and thought, “Oh! She’s cute!” Yes, it was Anjini. Ah, July 4th, 2026…the day I get married to…ahh! Sorry. I got distracted. She does that to me. Anyway, that’s when I first saw the person who would become the center of my universe.

Now, fast forward several months. It’s July 31st, 2021. I was in China in my little quarantine hotel. I got a message from the school saying there was another teacher who was about to head to China and wanted to know about the whole moving process. Of course, I was more than happy to help, but once I found out it was that cute teacher from the Skype meeting, well…you could say I was a little more than happy.

Two weeks later, I got transferred to Zhengzhou and put into the room I’d call home for the next two years. And as fate would have it, Anjini’s room was right next to mine! Whenever the staff brought us our food, she would wait for me to get mine before getting hers. But one day, we both opened our doors at the same time, and that was our first in-person conversation! Now, as the teaching nerds we are, we decided to have a little video meeting to discuss our class planning. I remember thinking, dang, I have so much to learn from her. She would make for a great teaching mentor. After a week, we were allowed outside of our rooms, and the quarantine came to an official end! We started to work, and you will think I am making this up, but her classroom was also next to mine! Was something pushing us together? I’d believe it. Early on, we bonded over cleaning up the lab. Anjini wanted to throw everything away because we had no idea what it was, but I had to reel her in a bit. That part of our relationship hasn’t changed.

Anyway, there we were, September 4th, 2021, already calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend. Talk about fast! We barely left quarantine and started falling in love. It was magical! Hmm, I just realized that this story began with me using “I” and at some point it changed to “we.” I guess it will be “we” from here on out. Janjini has arrived!

Okay, so there we were, bonding in China through shared lockdown experiences, trips to the coffee shop, long walks in search of the next required COVID testing site, and weekends at the Meridien. Now I’m sure you have heard of core memories before. Well, one of Janjini’s early core memories was when Anjini found out she got accepted into her dream master’s program at the University of Oxford. I was in the middle of showering when Anjini barged into my room, cheering. Naturally, I immediately jumped out, barely dried off, and celebrated with her. What a moment! But that moment led us to make a huge decision. Were we going to commit to a distance relationship for the next year? We had only been dating for four months, and there we were, making a big decision like this. On top of that, it meant we would also have to apply for jobs together for the year after. That’s a lot of commitment for such a young relationship. But after a total of one, maybe two conversations, we said, of course, we will do it! We felt connected. We wanted Janjini to continue, so it did. We finished the school year together, had a tearful goodbye on my end, and then she left. But we had made a plan. We knew what our expectations were going into this hurdle, and we met it head-on. We called twice a day, had weekly date nights at restaurants with our phones propped up across the tables, and did many Netflix watch parties.

One month turned into two, two turned into three (September 4th, 2022 - one year together!), and three turned into four. By now, it was October, and we began the job search. This was a bit scary though, as it meant we were 100% committing to moving to a new country together. From this point on, all decisions became “we” decisions. It was also around this time that China imposed a very harsh COVID lockdown. I couldn’t leave the school campus, and people came daily to test us for COVID. Even groceries had to sit outside for a day before we could gather them. This was a very tough time, but Anjini was always there for me. A constant support. Anyway, we got a job interview at the Metropolitan School of Panama and spoke with them on November 19th, 2022, late at night. When we finished, we naturally wanted to debrief, but Anjini, being the amazing woman she is, had planned something special. On our next call, only expecting her, I was surprised with my family there too. After all, it was November 20th now - my birthday. That’s who Anjini is. How could I not fall in love? Two weeks later, the surprises kept coming. The school allowed us to go home to avoid being in months of lockdown. A few days later, I was flying to Toronto to see Anjini 6 months earlier than expected. We planned a trip to the Netherlands and Italy, we got COVID together, and we accepted a job at the school in Panama. Life was great! And even though I had to go back to China, it was only a few more months before we would be reunited for good.

At this point in our relationship, many of you reading this know Janjini. We’ve shared stories and photos of our time together. We bought a car. We travelled to 18 countries. We spent quality time with so many of you. Oh, and fun fact. Our classrooms are still next to each other! I am not making this up. Anyway, as our relationship developed, we knew the direction in which we were headed. It was time to make a plan. March 4th, 2025. At a vineyard in Chile, I proposed to Anjini. Talk about core memories. But let me tell you a secret. When I proposed to Anjini wasn’t the first time I WANTED to propose to her. There were two other moments in which the urge was strong. Remember that trip to Italy? That was the first time I felt the urge to propose. We were in a restaurant called Vanda, and I had to resist all the cells in my body to not drop down to one knee and ask her. The second time was during our grand Eurotour in the summer of 2024, and I am sure many people were wondering if I would propose on that trip. Trust me. I wanted to. But the timing just wasn’t quite right.

Well, there you have it. July 4th, 2026. The day we are going to get married. What got us to this point? It was all those moments. The big ones. The small ones. The coffee shops. The COVID tests. The classrooms. The video calls. The surprises. Janjini became a team early on, and we have continued heading toward the future together. And that’s how I met Anjini.

How I Met Jeremy

When I think back to my first impressions of Jeremy, I thought he was kind, incredibly helpful (sending me long, detailed messages about his quarantine experience), and… okay, fine, I’ll admit it… pretty darn cute. Oh, and cheap (there’s a story behind that!). During our final week of quarantine in our school-assigned rooms—where we’d be living for the entire school year—our colleague-turned-friend Guillermo offered to buy us pizza so we wouldn’t have to eat quarantine food the whole time. Me, being the picky eater I am, was very appreciative and accepted. Jeremy, however, did not… hence why I thought he was cheap. Little did I know, he was suffering from food poisoning from his first quarantine hotel in China and was low-key dying.

After quarantine, Jeremy and I connected immediately. Within a week of meeting in person, we somehow ended up dating—September 4th, 2021. Sparks were flying! With our friends in China, we played cribbage, stayed at the Meridien for weekend getaways, endured endless COVID tests, and traveled whenever we could. Just four months into dating, I was accepted into the Educational Assessment Master’s Program at Oxford! That meant I wouldn’t be staying in China for a second year. So, after only four months together, we had to figure out what to do next. Long distance for a year (with me in Canada and him in China) or… something that would break both of our hearts. Long distance was our only option. When we said goodbye in June, I knew we’d either reunite in a year or never see each other again.

During long distance, I’d like to say we crushed it. Even with a 12 or 13 hour time difference (daylight savings), we were calling each other twice a day. Did we have weekly date nights, including one where I even took my laptop to Moxies for a virtual dinner? Absolutely! Every month, we celebrated by writing each other letters to open once long distance ended. This was the start of our "Monthaversary" tradition (yes, some of you are cringing—sorry, not sorry).

On September 4th, 2022—our one-year anniversary—we officially created "Janjini Day"! Our first year together was celebrated virtually. (Anil thinks our couple name should be "Jerini," but it’s too late… Janjini it is!)

Fun Fact: We’ve never celebrated an anniversary just the two of us in person. Our first was virtual, the second my friends Ashfiya and Ekaterina were visiting us in Panama, and the third my mom was visiting.

Surprise, surprise—Jeremy got locked down in October 2022 but was allowed to leave China for a month during Chinese New Year. His first stop? Me! He met my family, and we did an adorable Christmas photoshoot. Then, I was supposed to fly to Cedar Rapids, but my flight got canceled the night before. Did I freak out? Absolutely! Who wouldn’t? How could I go even one extra day without seeing Jeremy? I called him in a panic, and we scrambled for solutions. In that moment, Jeremy decided—without hesitation—to make the four-hour drive that night with his sister Macy to Chicago so he could pick me up at the airport the next morning (too cute!). Jeremy’s sister Ana later told me that was the moment she knew he was madly in love with me. Only love could make her brother, who hates driving, willingly drive four hours each way.

After meeting Jeremy’s family (and eating the best pineapple chicken ever at Mas Margaritas), we traveled to the Netherlands and Italy. We got COVID and had to stay an extra week in Italy… what a tragedy. Saying goodbye in January was hard, but we knew we’d see each other again in six months.

One month later, in February 2023, we accepted jobs together. Janjini was moving to Panama in August 2023! After six months of non-stop calls, we were finally reunited. That summer, we spent more time with each other’s families and loved introducing each other to friends. Then, off to Panama we went!

In Panama, we started a new curriculum, rented an apartment, and bought a car—terrifying! Work was intense for both of us, but after a year apart, we refused to be separated. We lived together, worked together, and even had classrooms next to each other with a glass door in between. On tough days, I’d just peek through the door at the cutest person ever, and everything felt better. When we weren’t working (which, honestly, felt rare that first year), we played Overcooked on the Nintendo switch, watched movies, and cooked together.

Cooking became our escape, and Jeremy’s singing-and-dancing performances while we prepped meals were a highlight. And, of course, we kept playing cribbage—though some games ended with one of us getting mad (I won’t say who).

In our first year in Panama, we traveled to Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, and Peru. I was on a mission to visit 30 countries before turning 30, and as I write this, I’m close!

As teachers with summers off, we planned a grand Europe trip: Ireland, England, Portugal, France, and Monaco (remember, 30 by 30 was the goal). We visited Jeremy’s family in Puymeras (southern France), went to Oxford so I could meet my Master’s supervisor (and hang out with friends—shoutout, Peter!), and tried incredible Port wine in Porto.

Back in Panama by August, my goals were finishing my Master’s dissertation and working less… well, 1 out of 2 ain’t bad. Life with Jeremy was incredible—we celebrated Christmas and New Year’s together, hosted lots of family and friends, and enjoyed mojitos at our favourite rum bar.

Then came March 2025—time to visit our friend Guillermo in Chile! On March 4th (3.5 years together… 42 months… yes, we love our monthiversaries), in a stunning Chilean vineyard, Jeremy asked me to marry him.

YES!

After 42 amazing months and 18 countries together, we got engaged!

We started dating on September 4th, got engaged on March 4th, so naturally, our wedding had to be on the 4th too. As teachers wanting a summer wedding, July 4th was the obvious choice—and luckily, in 2026, it falls on a Saturday. Perfect! And that’s how I met Jeremy.