If you google the distance between London and Chicago, it’ll spit out 3,945 miles, which I’m assuming is city centre to city centre. I personally think 4,000 miles is just a better title and in reality, isn’t that far off the truth.

I’ve delayed writing this post for various reasons. I’m not even sure now is really the time I’d like to tell the story but since I feel I’m in need of a bit of therapy, maybe offloading is the best thing to do.

As you’ve probably gathered, he’s an American. Interestingly though, rather than either of our homelands, our story starts in Barcelona. In May 2015 I was there for a long weekend celebrating a friend’s 30^th birthday and had invited my two younger sisters to come along too. While walking around on a Friday night, a guy approaches one of my sisters and I stand aside to let her have her conversation. In the meantime, the guy’s friend is doing the same thing. Rather than have the two of us standing there awkwardly, he strikes up conversation.

“Do you speak Spanish?” he asks.
“Sorry no, just English” I reply.
He probes further, “oh, where are you from?”
“England”, I say.
Ice shattered.

From there on we spoke for what must have been 40 minutes that night, maybe even an hour. And we covered so, so much. Honestly, when I think back to what I know about him now, so much of that information was revealed on our first meeting.

We exchanged numbers in a hope that we might be able to meet again during the trip. But alas, seeing as I was there as part of a larger group with a set itinerary and with him leaving for Madrid a couple of days later, it didn’t work out. But we kept in touch. Messages were exchanged, questions were asked and we spent much time learning about each other and our respective countries.

On the night we met, he remarked that he’d come to London if I gave him a reason, to which I gladly offered to be his tour guide. He also said I should add Chicago to my travel list. When I got home, I checked out flight prices, hotels, factored in spending money, did all the calculations and thought no way! And in all seriousness, I was almost certain he wouldn’t come to London.

One year and one month after that chance meeting in Spain, I’m actually writing this post in Chicago. It’s my second trip here to see him and having been here for a week, I’m tearful at the prospect of going home. We’re not in a relationship. We briefly touched on the subject and while I was open to seeing if such a feat was possible, this wasn’t something of interest to him. He’s done long-distance before, which he described as “brutal” and his partner then was at least in the same continent. 4,000 miles would likely make things a little more strenuous. And he’s made it clear he’s on his own search for a mate.

Let’s face it, to be honest, so am I. It took me ages to fine tune ‘Still searching’. I started it at the beginning of June and only posted it a few hours ago. I wrote about six guys and struggled for nearly a month to complete it, yet for 4,000 miles, I googled the title (so to speak) and for the next 35 minutes the words are just flowing. It almost feels as if I were to stop typing, so too does the story.

Some others cannot understand why I would opt to come here not just once but twice. I couldn’t help myself. I’m an ‘analyse all your options’ type person. My curiosity got the better of me and I made my first trip to the US in August 2015, just three months after we first met. I had to see if an effortless 40 minute conversation could easily be extended to an evening, a day, a weekend. It could. No qualms whatsoever. Spending time with him had just come so naturally.

With just a few hours before my flight home, I already know when boarding I’ll be leaving a little bit more of my heart here.

I’ve had an amazing time getting to know him. If someone asked me to write a list of what it is I’m looking for in my future partner, I would just show them his picture. He has it all. Our common interests are one of a kind, it’s actually uncanny how many of the same things we like. Personality wise, he’s definitely a take home to your Mum kind of guy – gentlemanly, considerate, humorous, confident but not braggy, intelligent yet still inquisitive. He’s career focused, family oriented…..I could really go on.

I realise we’ve only spent concentrated bursts of time together and over a longer period, perhaps some miniscule cracks may begin to appear. But right now, when it comes to him, my only con is the 4,000 miles.