A Ties Love Story 

Jeremy and Dhara traveled with India Ties 2011, anxious to explore their heritage. They arrived in India as strangers, two young adult adoptees each on a personal mission of identity.

On the trip, “they built a strong friendship based on commonality, and then it developed into stronger feelings,” notes Ian Forber-Pratt, a fellow adoptee and Ties staff. “They were both searching and had no idea what they’d find.”

Jeremy has lots of insightful thoughts on the importance of connection between adoptees as they travel to their birth country, and I’ll share those in a separate blog. But it’s Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air, making it hard to resist sharing these touching words:

By far, the best thing that happened to me on that trip was finding Dhara. My entire life changed from our connection with each other. Not only did we start dating after the trip, but I also decided to go back to school. After the trip, after meeting her, something inside of me changed and made me want to take my life by the horns, and throw it in the right direction. The trip gave me confidence, the drive to continue my education, a respect for my heritage and who I am, friendships that will last for the rest of my life, memories that will always be cherished, and most importantly a girlfriend who is now my fiancé and the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Wow! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! And Congrats to the bride and groom-to-be. We’ve seen a lot of romance start on Ties trips, but to our knowledge this is the first wedding between two of “our kids.” As they walk down the aisle, I hope they will glance over their shoulder, seeing the Ties staff and our “collective family” beaming with joy!