Instructors Interview: How Did You Meet?

By Carmen and Rudy

Funny, sincere, easygoing…this is how my friends describe me. And, what does Rudy say? Loving, pretty, spontaneous, caring, and the list goes and goes! Well, “Papi” (this is my special way to call him) doesn’t see my flaws!

Rudy has always been more difficult to share what he thinks or feels. Well, not until he knows you well and when this happens you will just find he is a sensitive, caring, funny, protective, golden-hearted man! My list can also goes on and on!

Let’s go back to the late 80s…It was time to organize our first School Reunion ever. Santa Angela is still a well known school in a small neighborhood in Lima, the capital city of our beautiful Peru. He happened to be the representative member of his class and so was I. We soon found each other delightful and enjoyable to be with.

We became very close friends even before thinking that God had brought us together for a specific mission: help people build strong Christ-centered marriage. Of course, we didn’t know that back then! We were just good friends doing what good friends do: laugh, chat for hours, and have fun!

It was New Year’s Eve 1988. Let me just say that in Peru, New Year’s Eve is a huge celebration. Most families and friends gather together before midnight, have a scrumptious dinner, firecrackers, nice decorations like yellow flowers for good luck, whistles, hats, and of course loud music! Salsa, merengue (latino rhytms) can be heard in every house as well as people cheering (we are so loud!) and simply having fun until dawn!

Well, it was almost 5:00 a.m. when “Papi” told about his feelings for me. He is so respectful and earnest that after I said I love him too, he organized a dinner with his mom and step dad to let them know about our brand-new dating relationship.

Those years we still lived in our beautiful Lima, Peru. I was working as an Elementary teacher while he was still finishing his studies of Electronics and working at a local gym as a Karate Sensei (coach) (Oh yeah! He is a black belt!) when we found ourselves deeply in love for each other! He was so romantic! I still remember getting out of work and finding my favorite piece of candy attached at the windshield wiper of my car with a little love note!

J Rudy would put into action his artist skills and draw nice pictures of Garfield, cartoon we both enjoyed watching, that I still keep.

We had some ups-and-downs but who has not? When we found ourselves ready for a commitment, we planned our Engagement Dinner. Oh yeah! It’s not like here in America! There are no kneeling and private times! Rudy came to my parents’ house with his mom and step dad to talk to my mom and dad about us getting married. After living 10 years in the USA, this sounds funny to us but back then, it made total sense since we wanted to honor and follow our customs and this was one of those!

We got married on December 17, 1993. There was no moving in together, no need to live together before marrying to prove our love was sincere and forever. At church, my dad walked me down the aisle, and what a surprise! My 4^th grade students were perfectly aligned to the sides of the aisle holding flower bouquets and smiling at me. 

Since then, we have shared our lives entirely thanking God for bringing us together. Almost 19 years after, we do still enjoy spending time together, dancing, watching movies, traveling, and looking at each other’s eyes while saying every day, even more than once, “Te amo, mi amor” (I love you honey) and praying to continue living a happy marriage and aging together until the very last day of our lives.