From Online Searching to Marriage: A Story of Love

Finding love looks different for everyone. Online dating is more common these days, but flying across the country to find a spouse still qualifies as taking a chance on love. Watch how this now-married couple found each other from a Google search.

Video Transcript

Josu Zubizarreta: She was like, “I know it’s the one for you. I know it’s everything.” So, I’m like, “Alright. I’m going to add her on Facebook.”

Ziortza Gandarias: When I open the computer, I have already a message from this mysterious guy.

Josu: I hope she doesn’t think I’m a creeper.

Ziortza: I am from the Basque country, north of Spain. It’s a beautiful, beautiful country. I remember my 20s being a little bit like a roller coaster. You have to have already a career, you have to buy a house, you have to find a partner. I knew that there was something more. I have the eager to travel and learn languages, meet people, different people.

I put in contact with a professor that I met when I was doing my master’s, and she told me, “Well, if this is what you want to do, you have to go to United States.” And, I was like, “What?” “You have to go there.” And, I said, “You know what? Let’s go.”

When I came to the United States, I was hoping to be a nun or something like this, because I was so upset with romance. I was like, “I don’t want to meet anyone. I just want to focus on my studies.”

Josu: During that time, I felt more comfortable with myself. I felt more comfortable with what I wanted in life, ready to go out on a limb. I get two phone calls, and it’s a Friday night, and I’ve had some drinks, and I don’t want to answer the phone, because it’s my Mom.

From the moment I was little, she was always trying to make matchmaker some way. “I read this article. I know it’s the one for you. I know it’s everything.” I’m sure she was just looking online, probably just Googled it. “Cute, nice, Basque girls” probably. I pulled up the article she was talking about. I was like, “Oh, wow, okay.” Then I pulled up her Facebook.

I’m feeling good. We finished our exams. I’ve got some liquid courage, so I’m like, “Alright. I’m going to add her on Facebook. I hope she doesn’t think I’m a creeper.”

Ziortza: I said, “Well, I’m sure that it’s a Basque student doing a PhD but instead of in Reno, in Boise. So I said, “Okay. I’m going to accept him.” Well, when I open the computer, I have already a message from this mysterious guy.

Ziortza and Josu kept messaging…everyday.

Ziortza: “You know what? The best thing of the day is when I am able to write to you and have your message back.”

Josu: Maybe a month or so in, we’re like, “Hey, we should probably meet.” I was like, “Alright. Let’s do this.”

I was nervous, and I had everything lined up. I’d gotten a hotel for myself and thought, “Okay. I’ll go. I’ll take a shower. I’ll shave. I’ll get everything ready.”

Ziortza: He was like, “Don’t worry. I will go and pick you up.” I was like, “No.” After himself coming all this way and just wave him like this into my apartment, I was like, “No. I will go and be waiting for him.”

My heart was beating so crazy.

Josu: I come down the escalators, and she’s right there.

Ziortza: Suddenly, I saw him coming down the stairs with his handsome face. It was like we saw each other, and I already felt like, “Yeah. This is the one.”

Josu: It reminded me of something my grandma always said: that strong Basque woman, sort of, ‘this is it. I’m going to take it. Let me grab you by the hand and let’s go.’ At that point, I was like, “Yeah. Let’s do this. This is going to work.”

Josu and Ziortza were engaged less than a year later.

Ziortza: You have to leave your comfort zone if you want to achieve new things in life. I think being with him, I am a better person.

Josu: You feel that things are working out. You’ve met the one, and you’re excited about it. You’ve got to put yourself out there, have faith that you are going to meet the one.

Heart open [Church bells]