Date:13/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/13/stories/2009011350880200.htm

Kerala

When love blossomed across continents

On a visit to the Cherai beach, Vasilica Bogoiu was astonished to see women who turned up in saris to enjoy themselves.

A Romanian, who got wedded to Raju Parakkal of Kochi recently, she was used to seeing men, women and children in the West venturing into the waters and running around in minimal clothes on the beach. Raju convinced her that more people turn up to see the beach than to enjoy the experience in this part of the world.

He is a senior researcher and instructor in International Relations at the Florida International University in Miami, U.S., which is home to a vast number of famous beaches.

Bogoiu, 31, was a member of the Romanian national handball team. She currently works as a computer analyst near Bucharest in Romania. Raju met her through a college mate in England and inter-continental love blossomed.

A month ago, they got married in traditional Kerala style at St. James Church, Champakkara, Raju’s home parish.

Though over 400 people turned up for the wedding, none came from Romania since Bogoiu’s father is recovering from a heart attack and her mother passed away a few years ago.

The couple have planned a reception in Romania for friends and relatives.

Bogoiu loves Hindi movies and Raju says that she has seen more Indian movies than he has. “Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are her favourites and we have picked up enough number of film videos. But she had a culture shock when we visited Mumbai. The city is dirty, polluted and too congested, unlike what she had seen in the movies. I thanked my stars for not living in Mumbai.”

Out in Kochi, the couple are getting used to the weird stares that they get when they venture out of their home. “But then we were stared upon in England as well. I was a little worried whether she would be able to adjust with the hot and humid weather here, since temperatures fall below minus 10 degrees in Romania.”

Vica (as he calls her) fell ill after a trip to Velankanni. The journey from Kochi was a little bumpy, despite it being in an air-conditioned bus.

She is not very fond of vegetarian food, but loves spicy fare.

The other favourites are samosa and appam-stew.

They opt for chicken biriyani when their friends and relatives call them over for lunch or dinner.

His parents N. Ravindranathan and Chinnamma George, both retirees from the Cochin Port Trust too had fallen in love and got married in the 1950s.

“They stayed a few bus stops away from each other, in the Vypeen island,” says Raju. Vica is planning to soon join Raju in the U.S.

John L. Paul