STORY 7 :Cindy & Yadav Jul 05 2023

Yadav's and Cindy's love story began when they were in college. One day, Yadav arrived late to tuition after missing the bus and ended up sitting next to Cindy. She immediately caught his attention, and he spent the rest of the class gazing at her. They subsequently began hanging out together as part of a group of friends. For Yadav, what started as a physical attraction developed into something more serious as he got to know Cindy better. He was drawn to her cheerful and amicable personality and found that she had a touch of craziness that appealed to him. He also appreciated her natural simplicity without artifice.

Cindy's first impression of Yadav was that he looked really nice in his school uniform when he came to tuition, but she was cautious because he seemed like a player. When Yadav proposed to her, she turned him down. Despite Cindy's reservations, Yadav was determined to win her over. He spent months wooing her, showering her with attention and small gestures of affection. He was patient and persistent, and eventually, she began to appreciate his genuine kindness and caring nature. She finally realized that she also had feelings for Yadav, and they started dating.

What started as a physical attraction evolved over time. Cindy began to rely on Yadav for his calm and steady presence in her life. She felt that she could tell him everything that was on her mind and in her heart. When they went out, Yadav would take the bus to accompany her home, then take the bus back to return. He also went all out to create something special for her birthday each time, keeping it a surprise until the last moment. Yadav, in turn, learned to appreciate Cindy's intelligence and insight, which he applies in resolving his own issues. He feels that Cindy understands him really well and knows what he needs in order to be there for him. They often know what each other is thinking and have a connection that they do not feel with other people. Cindy gets Yadav to think before taking action while she learns patience and resilience from him. They are very complementary and make each other better.

Their love story was all roses and rainbows until the time came to make their relationship official and involve their respective families. Cindy feared that their cultural differences would never allow them to be together and was worried about how her family would react. Yadav was more optimistic because his own parents had gone through their own struggles in their relationship, and he felt that they would understand him. By that time, Yadav and Cindy had been together for three years, and they occasionally posted their pictures on Instagram. One day, Yadav's mother came across the photos of her son with a girl and asked him who she was. Yadav's father also asked him about her, and he admitted that Cindy was his girlfriend. Unlike what Yadav originally thought, his parents were not agreeable to his relationship with Cindy. They tried to make him change his mind by voicing their doubts about whether a girl from another culture would understand their own. Yadav could feel the no-nonsense tone of their voices and understood right away that things were not as he expected.

Yadav had to inform Cindy that his parents did not agree to their relationship, and this created a big uncertainty between them. They decided to keep a low profile for some time without breaking up. Then one day, there was a wedding in the family; Yadav's mother's sister was getting married. Yadav took that as an opportunity to bring Cindy with him and introduced her to his mother. He was relieved to see his mother and Cindy get along well and chat for a long time. However, a few days after the wedding, Yadav's mother came to him and told him once again that this relationship would not work. Yadav's plan had failed, and he took it as a hard knock. But now, Cindy was with him in the fight, and they were determined to be there for each other through thick and thin.

Cindy knew that it would not be an easy task to convince the parents to accept the relationship, but she was willing to do whatever it took to make it work. She has been passionate about books since she was young and tends to relate to strong characters. Her favourite heroine is Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice, who is not afraid to speak her feelings and stand up for what she wants. Inspired by her, Cindy was determined to win Yadav's parents over. She realized that if she wanted to be accepted by Yadav's family, it was up to her to make an effort to understand their culture. Yadav's parents are very religious and fast 3 or 4 times a week and perform prayers before starting anything. Cindy started learning more about Hinduism and Indian traditions. Over time, Yadav's parents got to see Cindy's sincerity and her genuine efforts to learn about their culture and appreciated her openness and willingness to adapt. They slowly started to appreciate Cindy's character and finally accepted her as one of their own.

Once things got better on Yadav's side, Cindy decided to talk to her own parents. Initially, they did not take it well and would just ignore the conversation when she brought it up. Yadav decided to put his weight behind Cindy to support her. Yadav has been into sports and keeping fit since he was young and practices Boxe Francaise, where he was a national champion. For him, boxing is 70% about having the mental strength to never give up, no matter what is thrown at you.

Cindy's parents are from China and are also attached to their culture. They primarily speak Mandarin. Yadav, therefore, took a basic Mandarin course to be able to communicate with Cindy's parents and show them that he was willing to make an effort to bridge the cultural divide. They were surprised that this guy could speak Mandarin while so many youngsters in their own family could not. They saw that he was making an effort and considered it as proof of his love for their daughter. Yadav continued visiting their house and even cooked in front of them until they were finally convinced and gave their approval.

Yadav's reference is the movie Interstellar where the travellers found themselves lost deep into space and let themselves be guided by the only sentiment they felt at that moment, which was love. Likewise, when Yadav and Cindy found themselves alone, uncertain about what the future held for them, they chose to trust the love they felt and knew to be real.

After several meetings, the two families finally gave their blessings for the Yadav's and Cindy's union. The wedding will be celebrated following the customs and traditions of both cultures. Yadav and Cindy are happy that they were able to convince their parents of their love, and this is now a source of strength for them. It makes them feel confident that they can overcome anything as long as they have each other.
Yadav and Cindy are set to begin a new chapter in their lives when they exchange vows and become one in marriage in June 2023.