LDR Couples: Ryan + Reena

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Ryan + Reena!

I really am proud of couples who have made it through the distance. So as part of this advocacy, I am featuring couples who would love to share their success in how they have celebrated the romance, nurtured the love and defied the distance in their relationship.

I was so happy to hear (well, actually see on Facebook) that an ex-officemate of mine finally tied the knot with her boyfriend (yes, now husband!) whom she was in a LDR with. I remember when we used to chit chat on how they made things work for both of them. And at that time, the idea of a LDR for me and Dodong was very remote so I couldn't relate as much.

Here's their story…

What is your love story?

We met in Boracay, where a lot of love stories begin.  I was on vacation, Ryan was on vacation.  When we got back to Manila, we dated until it was time for him to go back home to California.  That was in the Christmas season of 2005.

Ryan + Reena

We kept in touch via phone and sometime in June of 2006 we just decided to make the relationship official – on the phone too!  Since then we would promise to visit each other at least twice a year.  I would take at least a 1 month vacation there or he would come to Manila.  The longest vacation I took was in May 2008 when I stayed in California for 3 months.

Ryan + Reena

We were pretty serious about the relationship from the start but we were very skeptic about how it would work.  In November of 2008, Ryan came to Manila for a surprise visit and that's when we realized that we just couldn't do the long distance thing anymore.  So he decided to stay here and we got married May 2009. 

What are the challenges you've faced being in a LDR?

Ryan + Reena

Oooooh the fights we would have because of misunderstood text messages.  And once in awhile we would also get so frustrated about the long distance situation, we would find ourselves in the near brink of just giving up.

How did the distance help your relationship?

The relationship developed in a way that regular boyfriend-girlfriend relationships sometimes don't…we had hours and hours of conversation.  From the trivial to the deep.  We found ourselves talking about everything from our fears to our friends and fiends.

Ryan + Reena

So instead of our mind getting muggled by hot kisses and comforting hugs (sometimes people confuse that for love), we built a friendship and love that we know will last until we grow very very old.

What are the Top 3 Tips you can give those who are in LDRs too?

a.  Communicate my dears! Technology is now so advanced, take advantage of it!  Even for just 1 minute a day, you have to find the time to talk.

Ryan + Reena

b.  Update each other constantly! Post pictures of yourself (especially the pretty ones) so he remembers how cute you are.  When you're happy, when you're sad… text him so that he is always a part of your life even if you're very very far away.

c.  Always make plans. Plans to see each other, plans to talk the whole Saturday on Skype, plans to finally be together — especially the last, you have to make some kind of deadline — even if it keeps on changing.

Ryan + Reena

What's your Loving the Distance story? Share with us your love story and email to us@lovingthedistance.com

Love the distance,

Inday I. Nagintay