Meet your match at myTamilDate.com!
As a young widow and single mom, 34-year-old Abi, a consultant living in London, UK, didn't think she would find love again. That was until she met John, a 38-year-old consultant in property development, who was residing in Toronto but originally from London as well, on myTamilDate.com (MTD).
The couple are now engaged to be married. Fun fact: John proposed during their MTD winter fairytale-themed photo shoot!
Abi & John's images and upcoming video are captured by the talented team at Photonimage by Daran!
Here’s their myTamilDate love story!
When did you first join myTamilDate.com (MTD)? What made you want to try in the first place?
Abi: I joined around January 2022. The COVID lockdown period was a challenging period for many and to meet someone in daily life. I am quite a private person and was very reluctant to join with all honesty. I read some of the success stories on MTD when making the decision to use this method or not. And, I was instantly inspired by the stories. Meeting someone from a similar community was important to me. I had tried mainstream dating apps and did not find the connection I was looking for.
John: I joined a bit prior to Abi. I had moved to Toronto from London for a few years and was planning to move back home and joined MTD with the hopes of finding someone there. And similarly, I did not find much luck meeting someone through other apps.
What kind of relationship were you looking for at the time you joined?
A: I was looking for a serious/long term relationship leading to marriage.
J: Same!
What did your life in general look like at the time you joined in terms of career, family life, your life goals etc.?
A: My life in general was quite hectic as most people have in London. I am very family-oriented. My goals were to focus on my career and progress further and also to grow myself personally.
J: I was a working professional with a property development company - so life was quite busy. I am very family-oriented and work hard to enjoy a good life and wanted to find someone to join me on that journey.
Who messaged first?
A: This is something John and myself debate about now and then. I am now finally admitting that I messaged him first, considering that I had the subscription paid whereas my man didn’t. So it kind of made sense that I had to message him first. 😉 I was keen to get to know him more, so I am happy that I messaged him first.
Meet some other myTamilDate couples!
What first attracted you to the other person and made you want to meet in person?
A: I streamed through his profile and the first points that caught my attention were: ‘Tamil, German, British, Christian and TORONTO’ – Canada was a no-go for me to move or have a long-distance relationship. And of course, I was attracted to his pictures and was curious to find more about him. A few years ago, I was new to Christianity and was keen to meet someone who was Tamil and Christian and has faith at his forefront in his life, so this profile clearly covered interesting facts for me.
When we started talking and saw each other over video calls, I was intrigued by his personality and the way he treated me. He showed huge respect for who I am and my circumstances. Moreover, he put his faith in the center of his life and taught me patiently about our faith. The first three months we talked, we found commonalities in both our past and presence. I was quite excited when it came to the time to meet him in-person.
J: I was definitely attracted to her pictures but the similarities in faith and what she said she was looking for made me want to get to know her more.
Where did you go for your first date and how was it?
A & J: So we met at Trafalgar Square in the late afternoon and went for dinner at Busaba Eathai. Post dinner we roamed around in the Christmas Market at the Square.
It was very nice with the lighting and the surroundings although I was more focused on him and his presence. I wouldn’t have minded anywhere to meet him knowing the waiting game up to this point.
Looking for a fun and exciting way to meet your match? Join the cast of 'Dating While Tamil' the first web series of its kind by myTamilDate, TamilCulture.com and Vala Creative. Apply to join here by Jan 31.
Some studies say that within 30 seconds of meeting a new person, we can gauge attraction. Was that true for you?
A & J: Yes, absolutely!
When did you realize that this was your ‘special someone’ and you could see yourself spending the rest of your life with them?
A: I liked him from the beginning and was certainly attracted to him in many ways. I realized he is the special one, when we met in person. He was not different to the person I knew the first three months when we were long distance. Now I can’t imagine my future without him.
J: After meeting Abi and getting to know her, I fell in love with her views of life and we both share similar challenges.
How did your respective families and friends react to the fact you met on a dating site?
A & J: Our family and friends were very happy that we met someone through MTD and were keen to get to know about it more with time.
What does the future hold for you?
A & J: We are now in the same country and working towards our future together. We can’t wait to be united as one soon, now that we’re engaged.
What advice would you give to those looking for love but finding it difficult to meet someone?
A: My advice would be to focus on yourself first and someone will follow you for who you are or who you have become. It is also key to be patient and show patience to one another.
J: With work and life in general, the best advice I can give is to not rush but to also learn to love yourself first before stepping into someone else’s life and sharing yours with theirs. Don’t be afraid of rejection and always be yourself.
A&J: Our faith played a big role in finding each other. Also our values and similarities as well. But being understanding and waiting for the other person and of course to plan a future together. Communication was the key to building our relationship.
*Names have been changed for privacy.
