Rebecca Anaya and Gordon Dale

00:06 Hi, my name is Rebecca and I'm 33 years old. Today is August 14th. And I am in Atlanta, Georgia, with my boyfriend, Gordon Gordon. I am 31 years, old today is August 14th. Also in Atlanta here with my girlfriend, Rebecca.

00:30 Today, we're talking about her and to make love story.

00:36 Gordon. What is your favorite memory about our first date? And a couple of weeks before the entire lockdown. You know, we all will kind of experience. And I remember the first date really well, because I was unfortunately I had a text to Rebecca that I was going to be a bit late cuz I was in the hospital and I was like, I don't want to show up to my first day in Scrubs. So I was like, I'm going to be a little late. I have to make it home. I have to change but I was ever so flustered that you know, I was like, walked into the restaurant, was on my phone, trying to like call her and she was right there and and she waved hi to me. And I just remember feeling so bad for being

01:36 Definitely not off to a great start. But how about you? What did you what did you think of? What was your favorite part about the first day? Just to clarify? Our first date was March 9th 2024. I was

02:21 Are there in a little while to get a date. Figured out, if I live in Atlanta meeting on a day, when I was going to be in Atlanta, any way to drop my sister off at the airport. I land in the US.

02:47 You tried to change your flight, shouldn't have to quarantine on her way back to Thailand. We are going to watch me about coronavirus.

03:08 Not going to be that big of a deal and be like, yeah, I definitely remember that because I actually did my PhD and Immunology and I know what, you know what we talked about and like our program every presentation as we always talk about, you know, the impact of what, you know, you never really expected really starts in your lifetime. Like, at least not one of those yellow. And so, I remember when we were at the day we were talking and I was like, well, you know this before?

04:08 Kind of like the flu you noted to go get it and then it'll kind of just fizzle out and could not have been further from the truth.

04:18 Maya and I work in study abroad and we had just had all of our spring break, but he brought students come back and we have no idea where in person programs. I think one of my favorite memories from that date.

04:47 You having two, such a great big smile on your face the entire time? I don't normally tell embarrassing, stories, really good. Really comfortable. And we ended up staying pretty much like looking back, a good thing.

05:25 We talked about meeting up in 4 hours to making that night. It was a very nice. I like, after the day wrapped up. One of the other really noticeable things that are notable things about the date. Was that a bag of tea, from Thailand, or not, a single bag, a bag filled with bags and really beautiful. The key butterfly pea flower that turns blue. And if you had a little bit of lemonade

06:25 Definitely one of my favorites.

06:37 Did you get the T months of dating coronavirus, you know, the first date was off tickets.

07:02 3-day been for a long time. Nothing that other first date. And then we went hiking. I had forgotten a wine opener that you were able to 15 minute or deal with the knife slowly carving away at the top of the Court only to barely get it. So I'm really glad that, you know, you were impressed with my I think one of the things that I can be

08:02 We had an incident where?

08:06 Bright and sunny. And I probably should have put on sunscreen. I think you made a comment.

08:12 Yeah, I see. You got a sunburn. I guess you'll get a sunburn. That's kind of your choice, but, you know.

08:34 Another thing. I really appreciate it.

08:49 Man, we had a date. Yeah, so making salad on a good day. There would be decent amount of people out and about, but what was, this is my first time in like and I didn't know what it was like, basically it goes down. There. Wasn't anybody in town town, maybe one other person trying on fire walk and it just felt kind of like, like, you know, just walking through town. And I remember that being, like, one of the first times or her ass is feeling the effects of like, what ended up.

09:49 Anand. Yeah, it was a surreal experience for our next date. How do you remember her locked out? Pretty? Yeah, at that time. I was on my surgery rotation at Atlanta Grady Memorial hospital. And I was on the phone service at the burn unit, and you know, that was intense and everything. But one thing that was interesting about being there, when the lockdown it was that we were starting to get news of the lockdown, and my pending was saying, you know, this is ridiculous. You're a medical student. Your job is to learn the hospital Force you out, and he's like,

10:49 Guys come back tomorrow and we'll get like you in the or we'll make sure that you get practice tonight.

10:56 Well, I came back the next morning and you just said, go home. It's just like a massive shift in expectation really quickly. And so I remember lots of translating to just like, really not knowing how to prestige, with dating. Like, you know, I like my entire, like, what took up most of my time changed overnight.

11:23 You had no idea what was happening, people in the medical school were saying that, you know, if this gets really bad, he might call on you guys to do stuff, and it was just like so much uncertainty. So, you know, I'm only that time things kind of slow down for us a bit. Yeah.

11:47 Oh, you are feeling all this was going to proceed and I don't think we really settled down. So I decided to do some virtual dates which were really nice. We ended up having. I didn't believe it was like two virtual could do without those again.

12:11 Otherwise, yeah.

12:17 Yes, and there is no real shortage get out 4:30 to get through this just because, you know, we are like it. When I cried with me, don't you think about? I thought it was great. I mean, after the second date, I was kind of feeling, you know, like

13:06 It would be nice to be in person again, and so I remember you agreeing and bring down my bike ride, my bike to a bike, but that's my story. What I wanted to get in the first place by that place was closed, but we ended up getting some Sublime which is in the Atlanta area and brought those down. And yeah, I remember going to Revolution with this. Where are we really loves and they were closed and it was kind of sad cuz I was really had really have my mind on ya.

14:06 Yeah, they definitely are a winner but, you know, ended up getting some supplies and I think we had pretty good.

14:25 If I need my apartment.

14:28 Coffee, e. L who had led the program to watch something? And not that I can remember. Those are really good.

15:04 I guess the bike ride was a couple of dates after that, then.

15:17 What were your favorite? That one? We went bike riding around making and we've been out of town Town, kind of towards the water treatment plant. It's like kind of located maybe about a mile out of where the mile and a half from where you live. But on the way to it, it's pretty Scenic bike ride. You got a lot of like that. It's grazing pasture and some trees are like Scenic need to know that. I would not suggest that it is over.

16:17 Fax number to the park that was there, which was pretty nice. I remember, just really liking that bike ride and think it was really fun to do that with you because there's a couple of cars on the road yet. We had a pretty bike trails in downtown biking in more recent days, a bit more difficult. Definitely, one of my favorites.

16:50 We also got to see why do pipes together. Beautiful scenery along river, probably should definitely a sugary Donuts before hand is not the preferred fuel or a hiking Day Dental.

17:47 Remember to do list to get back just needed some time and I went up to take a look and I remember thinking I was like, okay. Well, we're going to definitely have to come back so you can see the waterfall waterfall that goes through a boulder. You got out like a wading pool at the bottom so you can be surrounded by Stone on pretty much all sides and have the water to keep straight down. Very, very easy. Trust me. I'll hopefully soon, we can get back to you.

18:31 You said to me, that what I said.

18:52 Can't remember that really well. I got outside like the Nashville area went to a couple of breweries that they think you went to Green, Man Brewing. And then we went to

19:15 Rihanna Ariel, 100% not really know. Yeah, he did that. And when he definitely has like the worries of any black bears, but I see that there, it was really cool to like, you know, I know get away from like, yeah, I am or urban area and, you know,

20:15 Set up in the mountains and have some really cool fuse and just definitely really fun trip to do with you.

20:23 I'll come back to the bar in a second, but that hike was just so interesting because we were going to go. We were going to kind of more gradual Heights, but we ended up going on. Once I kind of basically went straight down the mountain and it was just so beautiful and I like Misty Rain that was going on the time. So everything was just kind of like magical a little wet, little muddy, but like, that wasn't too bad. And, you know, you're just being a drag queen.

21:17 I'm going to go and like maybe like an hour and a half later, at least have to go so slow and get to the bottom and get this area. We're closed out. And I remember being like later this afternoon. I turned around to come down and see all the way we have to go back up.

21:41 Yeah, it was like a Mona has Trail, but it was pretty much straight up and it was like, I think it was, like, anywhere from like 1500 elevation gain time. So it's just a lot of the trail. Wasn't the easiest Trail lot. A lot of roots, lot of Boulders, you had to kind of get over. So I'm thinking like, I will we have to get back to the car and, you know, we're pretty tired at this point. Just remember, Connor back. Okay. We just got him up for a little bit. Definitely a bonding experience. It's definitely a memory pretty firmly planted.

22:32 But you know, he gets the tops mentally and where you know, we're exhausted just tired just over the day away. Mitchell enjoying the scenery being kind of down the slopes of driving and we are that is running away from us.

23:04 Freaks out and all of a sudden starts running back up the rock wall. And it does this thing that it's just like it must have been one of the funniest things I've ever seen it. Like, literally no pun intended at Little Rock, like it, spreads out and just wraps itself around the Rocks, just so I can stay off the road.

23:38 Definitely not. You got out of the way very quickly.

23:49 Xperia your apartment and I had I had spoken to one of my good friends Ornella and she had asked me how I was feeling about you, and I remember saying that, you know, like I have like really strong emotions and I love you. So I was mentioning that I had spoke to Cornell it to you and then you're like, well, what did you guys talk about? And then I was like stuff cuz I didn't really seem like the right time to talk about these things than just you. Like I love you just like

24:44 She almost looks like a wet. Yeah. Yeah, so unfortunately, I did almost let it slip and then she asked me, like, as well. What were you trying to say? And I was like, are we, are we doing this right now? Cuz I think we both knew what was coming, but it was just like, you just want to do this just seemed like really not. It didn't seem like quite the right time. And so I remember I remember also staying that night and kind of like half Whispering it and then being like groups also probably not the right time. And then after that,

25:34 Yeah. Yeah again just like didn't seem like the right time to fess up to that sounds like else. I will definitely say it at a more opportune time. And then that was I think the next day it was the day. We went to a line and has a really nice outdoor beer garden. And yeah, it was like it was like just a little bit of light in the sky and I remember sitting out there having a beer and was just talking and then that definitely felt like a more romantic time to say, I love you. That is so that's where I sent it.

26:25 You never open that wind up staying at that point because you're so never know. I think I definitely think I said that one.

26:37 Yeah, I think it was a combination of wanting it to like feel like romantic and like not a casual thing to, to say. Am I also like yeah, I guess there was a little bit of a concern about just like, I don't know what she's going to say.

27:00 Romantic. Just to all the near-misses.

27:10 What Multiverse?

27:15 I think my favorite part of this relationship has been just like the Eunice which is to be around you and so like yeah, go and have like a pictures together and do all sorts of stuff like that and really, really nice. I also like how you're very good about checking in with me and see how I'm doing. I think we just have like really good communication. Those are going well.

27:53 Appreciate what you want to do my own thing.

28:28 You're want to do whatever you want to do. I can just survive, like, here's my two cents and that's if you want to if you don't want to listen.

28:38 Yeah, I remember trying to make this as their am. I was thinking like, well, you know, you just have to put some basil, olive oil parmesan and I remember like tasting it and it was way too salty. Like so so so salty and I just remember panicking cuz at this time I think you were in the bathroom and I was just like this is just not in a state before anyone sees. So I remember her just spending like the next like 2 or 3 minutes. Just like we're going to put more olive oil.

29:38 I didn't say anything about this is good. Like

29:46 Yeah, and luckily it came out only after the entire meal was done. I was like, so, by the way, that's a near disaster.

29:59 Yeah, definitely learn from my mistakes in the taste as you go. It doesn't taste good. That's not going to be good when it's done.

30:09 Has been the biggest found exclusively in.

30:17 No friend. Oh, yeah. Well, I think having the entire relationship in the pandemic is both good and bad. The good is that they can defy the time to focus on us pretty much. Thus, far has been domestic. And we haven't been able to do some of the like and see summer solstice at both want to go see into I think it's also just like to hang out a bit hard with like figuring out like, you know, what are safe things to do? I know really all we did a lot of stuff like that but, you know, especially like at this present time.

31:09 Yeah, all the times that they are Ian and it's like, okay. Well should we go to eat out tonight? Or should we just grab once? Everything kind of settles back down? It'd be really nice to just have kind of like the ability to do these things without those thoughts, without those considerations.

31:57 How do you think that he will be wants to get out?

32:01 Demon, dating between us or like, like large bathing culture. I think that dating outside of endemic gives us more opportunities to do things. Basically, we just have this entire set of things that we could do an old memories, but that we can finally do and do members with, you know, I think it's going to be actually really good time. Once once things settle down.

32:40 What do you think about life?

32:52 That's a great question.

32:58 Well, I think my first trip to ask but would have probably been just at 2 a.m. Or abroad trip. I don't know what that is. Dogs supposed to eat something. I'm more of a getaway.

33:13 The natural.

33:17 But I think fundamentally it wouldn't end whole lot. It just changes like the details of what we got to do. So, you know, we could spend more time with friends. You know, I think it's still be hard, but we would have had a chance to be easier to get to and from. So, I guess develop a relationship, a little smoother. Yeah. I think we've developed it.

34:08 What do you think works for us as a couple?

34:13 Definitely a lot of intentionality with time and spending time together. I mean, we've basically

34:20 Since dating every other actually there's like a maybe like I'm over a year like every other weekend.

34:30 Tell ya do every weekend together, but every other weekend, either, and plants are making, or if we're going to visit family during the holidays to work Monday in there. At least we can spend together at least putting, you know that,

34:53 The effort towards spending time together and see what time I think was was definitely one of the big things that really helped us.

35:28 Tradition for future. Homemade pizza.

35:44 Once again.

35:49 I think my the most I'm looking for new deathly traveled, a lot more places than I have not been to as many places. Not even have you been to. So, I think it'd be really cool. It kind of like see what you are like in your element of traveling and like be able to go places and Mike strantz cultures together. I think I'll be just really fun. It's just something we haven't gotten the chance to yet.

36:33 Show you around the landscape and just seems like a really fun for people. He really cool to go on that different. Not on top of the beer. They serve it on top.

37:20 Yeah, I think that would just be a super fun thing for us to do together.

37:29 Where would you want to go right after?

37:41 Yep, definitely cannot wait for that to be over so that we can do all these things. It would be.

38:01 I think some of the best times we have together.

38:15 We haven't got you a whole lot of you. And yeah, I think there are a few people that be fun to have a dinner party with here in Atlanta. Hopefully we get to get together soon.

38:53 I can't think of a question on the spot.

39:06 Thank you for showing me. You know where to find me.

39:15 Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me as well, and interviewing me to talk to you about this stuff.