What if we told you that the pandemic was a boon to some people who found their happily ever after? Even if you don’t trust us, it’s definitely true! While the rest of the world was fighting the odds and dealing with a fatal disease known as Coronavirus, a few people turned to dating apps to discover true love. One such couple from Malaysia, Sarthak and Julia, discovered that they had found their perfect match when they were stranded at home.
Let’s take a look at how Sarthak Ranka, an Indian who works as a strategy director at Ogilvy, met the love of his life, Julia Maria, who is a German working as a managing director for the Malaysian subsidiary of a German food and beverage company. It’s true that “love knows no boundary.”
While swiping right…
Instagram/sarthak_ranka
It was during the lockdown that Sarthak and Julia fell in love. Let me elaborate! Julia Maria, a German girl who currently lives in Malaysia, was working as a managing director for the Malaysian subsidiary of a German food and beverage company when she first interacted with Sarthak Ranka on a dating app. Sarthak Ranka is originally from India and currently works as the strategy director for one of the world’s largest advertising networks, Ogilvy, in Malaysia.
One afternoon, while Julia was browsing through a dating app looking to converse with like-minded beings, she swiped right after realising that they shared similar thoughts, values, and life goals. Sarthak was compelled to respond, and he soon felt a connection with this stunning young woman who eventually became his wife. What started as lockdown boredom turned into love, laughter and happily ever after.
On convincing their families
Instagram/sarthak_ranka
Sarthak revealed, “Thankfully, convincing our parents was smooth sailing. Both sets of parents embraced our relationship from the beginning, recognising the genuine happiness we found in each other’s company.” Honestly, intercultural marriages can indeed bring their own set of trials and tribulations while being more enriching and rewarding. Thankfully, Julia and Sarthak are blessed with modern parents who supported their kids and their decision to walk the aisle as a married couple.
Adding to this Sarthak shared, “Julia values the organic connection she shares with my family and how seamlessly she has formed her own bonds. She even goes on trips with my family when I’m not around, highlighting the beautiful connection they share. While I appreciate the warmth and genuine connection with Julia’s parents, transcending language barriers. We regularly exchange messages with each other, using Google Translate.” Isn’t that beautiful? Hell, yeah!
Julia and Sarthak envisioned their future together
Sarthak Ranka
Following their initial encounter, Sarthak had a gut feeling that Julia would make a wonderful wife since she would be able to embrace his silly side and love him for who he is. Sarthak went on, “The gestures and the comfort of being my silly self around Julia meant more to me than the big things. And Julia easily imagined herself and me together in the future, enjoying the serenity, harmony, and shared responsibilities of our day-to-day existence.”
In all honesty, Sarthak appreciates the steadiness Julia brings to their relationship, but she emphasises the peace she never experienced in past relationships. Julia found all the positive traits she was searching for in a spouse throughout their courtship, which enabled her to determine her next move with Sarthak.
Sarthak on the challenges they faced in their relationship
Sarthak Ranka
Among the challenges Sarthak faced was navigating the legal process of marriage as an international couple. The paperwork, bureaucracy, and time-consuming nature make it an exhaustive process, yet a hurdle we are determined to overcome. However, the other problems they face as a couple are misunderstandings and disagreements, which they ensure to talk through and resolve before the day ends.
Sarthak & Julia’s simple advice on intercultural marriage
Sarthak Ranka
Sarthak and Julia shared, “Our idea of love has evolved and deepened over the years, yet the passion and connection between us remain as strong as when we first met. The advice we’d like is you have to understand each other’s culture, but if you can be genuinely interested, it’s super awesome! There would be differences, accept them, but if you can celebrate them, nothing like it! You may need to follow each other’s traditions, but nothing stops you from creating your own.”
Social and lead images credits: Sarthak Ranka
