Thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean separate their homes, but after meeting at the University about a year and a half ago, two students continue their long-distance relationship to this day.
Taylor Landry, political sciences senior, met Maddy Lucas in February 2006 during her yearlong study abroad from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, where she graduated this past May in American studies.
Lucas, who chose to attend the University because of its close proximity to New Orleans and having heard it was “a fun school,” enrolled in August 2005, her junior year. It wasn’t until February of the following semester that the two met, though they had seen each other around campus.
One Thursday night in mid-February, Lucas was out with friends and asked a mutual friend where “the Seth Cohen guy” was, alluding to Adam Brody’s character on the show “The O.C.” to describe Landry.
Landry received a call from another mutual friend telling him that “a hot English girl” wanted him to meet them at Spanish Moon.
“He put her on the phone for a second, and I heard her amazing accent,” Landry said. “I got up from my couch, interrupted my roommate from studying for the exam I was supposed to be studying for and convinced him to go to Spanish Moon with me.”
Landry and Lucas began dating soon after in early March 2006. She only had a few months left in the United States.
“I had found out that she had to leave right after we started dating so I was sad,” Landry said.
“We got so close, there really wasn’t a decision to be made,” Lucas said about the choice to continue dating once she returned to England. “Tay had already booked his first flight to England before I even left, and we figured I’d be back here living one day soon as well, so we decided to give it a shot.”
Lucas said the only perk about her long-distance relationship is the ability to be more independent.
“It does get really hard with missing him and being away for so long, but it’s worth it. But it is bloody expensive,” Lucas said.
Landry said he never imagined he would engage in a long-distance relationship, but his strong feelings for Lucas encouraged him to try.
“It has been very hard because all you want to do is be in a relationship with a person and continue living your normal life at the same time, but it doesn’t work like that,” Landry said. “You have to almost put your life on hold when visits to each other happen – having to miss school, take off work, etc.”
The couple talk on the phone everyday and see each other every eight to 10 weeks. Landry has visited Lucas in England four times, including a surprise visit when he showed up at her doorstep while she thought he was celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Lucas is currently in Baton Rouge for the third time since she finished her study-abroad program at the University.
“It’s been great to introduce Taylor to my friends back home, as I met a lot of his whilst I lived [in Baton Rouge]. My parents absolutely love him. Both our parents support us in what we’re doing, which definitely makes it easier on us,” Lucas said. “It’s great for Taylor to experience different cultures when he comes to Europe, too, just as I did when I came to the States.”
“My family is just absolutely fascinated by her and the culture she brings,” Landry said. “They are in love with her accent, and they are just amazed at how beautiful my girlfriend is.”
Both agree that the time spent apart is well worth the time spent together.
“In order to be successful in these kinds of relationships, especially one that’s 5,000 miles away, you have to have a lot of trust in the other person. And that is something for both of us that has really come with ease, and we are fortunate to be like that,” Landry said.
—-Contact Olivia Hernandez at [email protected]