My name is Nadia. I was born and raised to a catholic family in an east European country. My upbringing was so conservative that from the time I reached puberty until my eighteenth birthday I hardly talked to a boy other than my brothers. All my information about sex didn’t go beyond the one session of the biology class about human reproductive system. Basically, that man helps woman, somehow, to get pregnant and bear babies.
I admit my knowledge about sex was lagging behind the average girl who’s three or four years through pubescence. I just wasn’t paying too much attention to what the other girls, or even my sisters and brothers, were talking and giggling about secretively. My artistic hobbies and day dreaming took most of my spare time, and worth to mention, philosophy and psychology were my favorite classes.
One Sunday, when most of the girls and boys were engaged in some activities in the church yard, I was sitting alone on a bench watching the others with a mix of social indifference and mental curiosity. Then I noticed a young man sitting alone few feet away.
He was good looking. He has green eyes, clean skin, and rather handsome face. His loneliness kind of jolted me out of my loneliness, and as he looked back at me, I reckoned it’s good time to start a conversation with the male species for the first time in my adult life.
“Hi, is it your first Sunday…in…here…” I stammered, “I mean I have never seen you in this church before!”
“I don’t usually go to church.” He replied, “Besides, I’m not from this neighborhood. I’m just visiting some family relatives.” It turned out I know his relatives.
He moved closer to me and after exchanging few preliminary questions, we got engaged in a conversation that involved religion, interests, and personal information.
We wandered out of the church to the streets while we were talking, and I learned his name’s Alex. He grew up in another city, graduated from business school, enlisted in the army, and he is two years older than me. I had a fleeting thought of a conflict between the army and his looks. It looked to me he doesn’t look tough enough to be in the army. Anyway, a lot of young looking boys get enlisted.
We met on the next two days in the presence of some of my brothers and sisters. In such short period, I was convinced that Alex is intelligent and has a sense of humor. After a couple of days, he’d to go back to his barracks.
After about a month, Alex showed up in the company of my older brother, and I was taken by surprise when he proposes to me. He had to do that in the presence of my older brother according to our tradition, since my father was not alive. I figured out he talked it over with my brother before they came to see me; however, I gladly accepted his proposal, sure that love will tie up our souls.
After about a year, Alex came to the end of his enlisting commitment and got a job in a shipping company, and after another six months we married.
I wasn’t mistaken. Alex’s a loving and caring person, and we share a lot of understanding. We traveled to many countries during and after our honeymoon. Alex is also talented, and I learned many things from him. He taught me, among other things, how to play tennis, swimming, playing cards, and above all, love.