Author: Catalina

Hi, guys! My name is Catalina. I'm currently fun-employed and trying to figure out the next steps in life. But while I'm doing all of that, I'll be sharing bits and pieces of my life. Look out for foodie adventures, travels, celebrations, music, beauty, and much more! Lots of love!

Hi, I’m in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend, been together for 8 months, however, my parent’s have stopped me from seeing him as they don’t agree until I turn 18 in a few months.. How can I help with the pain? How do you keep your relationship going? What do you do to keep in contact? Many Thanks, Anon. x

Hi, Anon! 

Wow, I think these types of situations are so hard! I give you props for having the strength to believe in yourself and in your love and to carry on regardless of what others (yes, including your parents!) say or think! I do understand however that they are your parents and you are under 18… That does make things a bit tricky. Hang in there! 18 is just a few months away! ❤ 

As to your questions: It is really hard to be far from the one you love, as I’m sure you know! Richard and I text as much as we possibly can. With Richard at work and me running around here and there, haha, it’s a bit difficult sometimes. We also try to Skype every other day, but we’re really flexible on that because we know our days can sometimes turn out so much differently than we planned! We’re really open-minded about that, but if there’s anything he needs to tell me or anything I need to tell him (even if the other is asleep), we always text each other. I think the most important thing is clear, honest communication. And I think that kind of communication really helps us keep it all going because we remind ourselves how much we love each other and that our current situation is only temporary – even if ‘temporary’ means months and months of separation… It’s not forever, right?  

At the end of the day, Richard and I love each other so much and are really future-oriented. So, we know this LDR is just a means to an end – a very happy end. 🙂 That’s what really keeps us going and helps with the pain of lonely nights and separation… 

I’m sorry that this was a little long, but I really hope it helped! 

Sending positive vibes, anon. 

Home Sweet Home… On the Other Side of the Pond!

The last time I blogged, I was still in the UK, but on January 27, I had to come back to the land of the free, the home of the brave: AMURRICA.

And although it’s somewhat bittersweet because I miss Richard (we’re in a LDR and on Tumblr @heartsacrossthepond), I’m so happy to back.

To those of you who have kept checking in on here and are still followers: Thank you so much! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

I’m back at it! So keep watching this space for posts of my life now that I’m back home. 🙂

Lots of love,

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Hey do you know more international couples? I need to talk about something. My long distance boyfriend was supposed I move to Europe because of a war where he lives but Europe isn’t accepting any refugees and he just told me he won’t be able to move and I’m so so sad because we were supposed to see eachother. I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest 😥 I’m worried we may never physically see eachother

Oh, my goodness… This is heartbreaking!! I am so sorry!!! Are you guys still able to talk? I am sending you two so many positive vibes! I hope you get to visit each other soon…

A couple international ldr blogs that I can think of right off the top of my head: fromcalitogermany canada-2-england 2300milesoflove.

Lots of love, anon!

Tag You’re It: 10 People I Want to Get to Know Better

Tag 10 people you want to get to know better

Thanks inlovesince2013 aneonaway and leffelovesdestrua for tagging me!

Time and date: April 9, 2015 5:59 pm

Average sleep hours: 7-9 hours

Last thing I googled: Keurig coffee machine

Nickname: Cat, Catsky

Birthday: September 2

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Straight

Height: 5 ft. 5 in.

Favorite color: Purple

Place that makes me happy: Tropical beaches

How blankets do I sleep under: Depends on the time of year… 1-3 I would say.

Favorite movie: I really can’t choose just one! 

What I’m wearing rn: Sweater, leggings, Uggs

Last Book you read: Something not so fun for school… Currently reading Presidents in Crisis

Favorite beverage: Gin, lime and soda

Most used phrase: My mom would say that during my teenage years it was “whatever.” 

What did you last say to a family member: “Bye, mom!” She was heading to a BodyPump class.

Favorite food: Mac and cheese (yum!)

Last movie I watched in a theatre: Insurgent

Dream vacation: Anywhere tropical with my love

Dream wedding: A no fuss visit to the local courthouse

Dream pet: Pibble 🙂

Dream job: Rep mgmt/branding/image/corp comm consultant for any Fortune 500 company
I tag: ourlovefromafar distancemeanssolittle long-distance-lovin reckless-romantic bummyldrcouple 720miles 5106-miles-of-true-love theldrblog theldrjournal distanceisnotabarrier

Your Love From Afar Challenge: Week 7

Monday- Tell us about your different cultures, languages, and customs.

How do you deal with each other having different cultures, languages, and customs? (If you have the same background explain how it affects the relationship)

Do you learn more about how the other person thinks when you learn about their culture?

What are some funny, frustrating, or surprising moments you have shared because of these differences?

Cat: Whoa, these are some good questions! Okay, so, I was born in Lima, Peru. My mom is Peruvian and my dad was American. So, I was kind of brought up as a hybrid of the two cultures. So, even though I’m Peruvian, I definitely identify with certain parts of American culture because I have lived here my whole life (essentially) and because my dad was American.

I can’t speak for Richard, but I really like having a different culture, language and customs from him. I feel like I have learned a lot about both British and Welsh cultures, and I have loved it, truly. I mean, Welsh is a really cool-sounding language. I can speak for Richard when I say he will totally disagree with me on that, haha! Overall we really enjoy learning about each other’s cultures from each other. It’s been a really fun learning experience for us and our families!

I definitely have learned more about Richard’s mindset since I have learned about his culture. He really does embody the phrase, “Keep calm and carry on,” even though that phrase totally annoys him, haha! And that’s one of the many things I love about him. And it’s completely opposite to my family: We’re passionate about everything we do – It’s the Latin in our blood, haha! I love the balance he puts in my life. 🙂

From what he has told me and from what I perceive, sometimes it does bother him when my family and I lose ourselves and start talking in Spanish in front of him. Oops… Our bad… But he wants to learn more Spanish, and since I’m definitely teaching our children Spanish in the future, he either needs to hop on board or our children and I are going to have secret conversations, haha! (You all heard it here first!)

To end on a happy note:The fun moments we’ve had in regards to our different cultures has been cooking for each other. Richard loved my lomo saltado, and his mom and he loved my chile relleno. And my family can’t stop raving about Richard’s homemade focaccia and Bakewell Tart. Food ftw.

Richard: For me I enjoy us sharing different backgrounds as it means we open our minds to new ways of thinking, and collectively we make better decisions. I studied Spanish at GCSE level (14-16) but I have forgotten a lot unfortunately… Apart from enough to say silly things haha In terms of culture, we do compliment each other, as Cat gets me to dream more and be more hopeful and I keep her calm.

Yes, some times the Spanish speaking does bother me 😛 From my own background of growing up in a two lanaguage country, the social rule was essentially that if everyone speaks a shared lanaguage, then that’s the one you use apart from if you’re stuck on a word to use etc. I do feel bad getting annoyed with it but sometimes when I can’t take part in conversations that are happening by me, it does get to me. But, I do want to learn Spanish to have better conversations, teach our future children Spanish, and for business use in the states 🙂

As Cat says, food has played a very big part with our families connecting 🙂 I also made a Christmas dinner for Cat’s mum and Aunt when they were here for Christmas which went down really well! There will be competition in the future, but we actually cook our Christmas dinners on separate days (24th and 25th) so it’s all good!

Overall, any quirks have been growing pains when two cultures come together but 99% has been great and we’re in it for the long haul 🙂 She’s definitely improved my life and my outlook and I’m very thankful for having her in my life 🙂

FYI

So, you might have noticed that Richard and I skipped a few days there on the challenge. 

The thing is, to be 100% honest with you guys, things have been so cray over the past few weeks that we didn’t get to draw or write love letters to each other. We love that idea though! We will be doing it later in the year and we will snap pictures of us sending it to them. 

Also, we don’t play multiplayer games online. We’re going to figure out how to play multiplayer modes of Mario Kart on the 3DS (hopefully) soon. So, if that happens, I will snap a picture of that!

We’re just trying to catch up, and I hope you guys don’t mind. 

We’re just, in the words of the wonderful Tim Gunn, making it work. 🙂 

Your Love from Afar: Week 5

Monday- Do you both play any games together?

What games do you play? Who usually wins? Do you place any bets or rewards?

We do! Richard and I love playing games on the Wii and the 3DS. A few months before I left, I became obsessed with playing Mario 3D World and Mario 3D Land. I love playing Mario Kart 8 too. Basically, anything Mario, I will play it, and Richard will join in. Richard is way more of a gamer than I am though. He loves his new PS4, and he likes playing what I call his scary games on it. I definitely do not do scary well so that’s his time or time with his boys. Outside of game consoles, we love to play Scrabble, haha!

Hands down, Richard usually wins. He’s been a gamer all his life, and I love that about him. His hand-eye coordination is insane, and he’s so intuitive with all sorts of games. Although it means that I lose a good amount of the time, I can’t hate. I can’t! The way I see it, at the end of the day, if we get to spend time together, I’m happy. 🙂 (Cheesy, I know. Please still be my friend.)

We’ve never placed any serious bets and rewards to games… Thank God! I would be broke if we did, haha!

Your Love from Afar: Week 4

(Trying to do some major catch up here…)

Friday- What are your favorite things to talk about? Do you talk on a regular basis?

We talk everyday. 🙂 Our favorite things to talk about are how our days were and how we envision our future. Richard wakes up before me because of the five-hour time difference, and he usually texts me before he goes to work. His morning texts really start my day off on the right note! We always say good night to each other as well, even though it is totally not good night for me, haha. But from the moment we first talked to each other, we have always said good night to each other. It’s one of our golden rules. 🙂