While vacationing alone in Portugal, a woman went on a dating app and wound up with more than she ever expected.
Seeking company for a few drinks, Jenna Carr opened Tinder, but what could have been a one-off date eventually led to marriage, two kids and trips around the world.
On December 29, Carr posted a video on Instagram that gave viewers a snapshot of her life. The post has since gone viral, receiving more than 8,000 likes. Carr spoke with Newsweek about the unlikely journey and why sticking with the spontaneous connection was worth it.
"POV: You meet a local lad on Tinder while on holiday in Portugal, you start a long distance relationship, and everyone tells you it will never work out," Carr wrote in the video's text overlay, adding in the caption, "Now he's Daddy."
Carr told Newsweek that the couple's first date proved an instant connection.
"He was a good-looking guy, an engineer, enjoyed traveling and seemed very laid-back when we spoke," she said. "He says he was drawn to my adventurous spirit, traveling solo lots and having done some interesting things as a doctor working abroad."
Despite the connection, their distance and demanding careers were significant challenges to overcome. Carr was in medical training in England, and her new partner was an engineer in Portugal, meaning they could meet only once a month.
"Everyone said it was a waste of time, as it would never work," she said. "People said he will never move to England, and medical work in Portugal wasn't great for me to move there."
Still, Carr and her partner were determined. "I think we both knew early on that we had something special and so made the effort for each other," she said. "We spoke every day, all day on WhatsApp. Video called at night. Spoke about ways we could be together every day. It became the most important thing to both of us, even over work or career."
Closing the Distance
The couple made a plan. After Carr's medical training, they went on a trip to Bali and the Philippines for three months, the longest they'd ever spent together. On that trip, Carr became pregnant, and the couple began to make plans for a family life that was stable yet adventurous.
"We bought a house and started working out ways to live a more free life so we could be together as a family without too many restrictions," she said.
Carr and her family are now traveling in the Maldives, one of their many trips together.
She offered advice to anyone facing similar challenges or doubts in their relationship: "Finding the right life partner is the most important thing. More important than a career, the opinions of others—it's the person you will navigate everything with."
"Finding that perfect person is difficult," she continued, adding, "If you do, don't let something as silly as distance ruin it."
English (US) ·