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Olwin and Cherrie started off as colleagues at Dnata Airline Affairs. Their initial acquaintance was quite vivid as Olwin
recalls. “Cherrie was introduced to all the staff and she called me Mr. Olwin…I remember seeing her carrying a
long umbrella too…” Cherrie on the other hand remembered that Olwin caught her attention because of his very long
eyelashes. “I always see him pass by the counter with his head down. I seldom see him smile.” Cherrie recalls…
In November 2001, the entire department had to shift to a new building in Sheikh Zayed Road. The new structure paved way for
the two to be a part of one area. “All the Star Alliance member airlines were placed in one area – so United
Airlines, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines were in one area because they’re all Star Alliance partners. Our counters
were beside each other.”
Cherrie shares…“I was alone in the counter when we shifted to the new building. That caused some problems because
for several weeks, I worked straight with only one day off (on a Friday). There’s no one to replace me. Our supervisor
told me to ask someone in our area who would want to handle the counter so I can take an extra day off… Olwin volunteered.”
“At first, we were aloof with each other. Both are trying to be friendly but in a professional manner. My conversations
with Olwin were mostly about our culture. Initially when we shifted to the new building, there was less business then, and
more discussions between our team.”
“Olwin has a very strong personality. There were times that we argue, but there were more times that we agree. It was
early for me to realize his nature - one of them was he had issues with trusting people. I think I was able to gain his trust
coz later on, I found myself as his confidant and that he shares more of personal matters…”
“At the counter, one thing that I noticed with Cherrie, even though she is very friendly & accommodating, she spent
a lot of time typing in the PC. After noticing it for a few months, I asked her what why do I always see her typing in her
PC. She answered that’s her way to express her feelings and thoughts, all her frustrations, her concerns and joys.
Oh boy, there were tons of secrets in that PC… “
They became good buddies. They went out, watched movies with the group. “I remembered the first movie we watched was
Lord of the Rings I at Deira Cinestar. It was a group thing with other friends. At the movie, we were seated together…
she was so jittery that she would react in almost every scene… Somehow, she’s irritating…” Olwin said.
Apart from watching movies, they also played table tennis and bowling with friends.
One fine night, after watching a movie, Olwin walked Cherrie home. They had a long conversation as they walked from City Center
to Al Rigga. This led to few cultural debates and discussions. With that, they parted ways with a thought that they would
remain ‘very good friends’.
After that, both became more comfortable with each other. They were confident that nothing would “spark”, knowing
the complexities of the other’s culture. Their fondness and friendship grew stronger because of the trust built on the
fact that they would not fall for each other. The official phone calls led to longer casual and personal talks. And as the
friendship grew, arguments grew even more. “It came to a point that because we’re more of friends than colleagues,
we used to argue on senseless matters. But the beauty of that was, we always patch things up. Guess we got closer every time
we reconcile.”
| Taken when we first got our flat! |
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“Cherrie knew the girls that I used to like. I used to take tips from her on how to court girls. I even asked her to
be friends with them and check their opinion about me.” with a a smile on Olwin’s face as he recalls.
“Olwin is very honest – in everything – to the point that he’s brutally frank. He tells me things
I know but wouldn’t want to hear… he speaks my mind out - and that is a big thing for me because I have the tendency
to keep things for myself and sulk. I know the importance of his family in his life. He loves his parents so much.”
Olwin shares… “We went to Hatta for a drive. We had a really fun time, we talked, we revealed the persons that
we really like. At that time, I was seriously considering someone else to be my girlfriend. That night I opened my feelings
to that lady. I thought we liked each other but she rejected me.”
With that experience, Olwin put a wall on love.
Late December 2002, another staff from Olwin’s area had to go for a long vacation. This meant that Olwin and Cherrie
would have to manage both counters alone during that time. With this, there were no day offs, both spent more time with each
other, worked more dependently with one other, looked after each other’s concerns. “Someone informed us that there
were talks spreading around about us, seeing our fondness with each other. But we just laughed it off and was not really
bothered because we knew nothing was going on…”
Mid February 2003, Cherrie was promoted and will be transferred to the Training College in a month’s time. “I
felt I was going to loose a very good friend.. I was thinking that once she goes out of our department, she will not remember
me again…” Olwin shares… “I knew my fondness of her was something else, and her transfer would either
break it or make it…”
Late February 2003, Cherrie had a terrible pain. Olwin saw her crying under her desk holding her chest. Together with a lady
colleague, they accompanied her to the clinic. She was advised to see a breast specialist to check on a lump that was felt
by the doctor. Her colleagues recommended her to visit Iranian Hospital. As Olwin was staying near the area, she asked Olwin
to accompany her the following day.
“That night, I was thinking of her. I thought what if something happens to her? That made me realize that I care for
her differently……….”
The following morning, Cherrie passed by Olwin’s place before going to the hospital. “I was so scared at that
time, but I was really glad Olwin was there with me.” The first test had negative results. Olwin took her to Al Maktoum
Hospital to get a second opinion. There as they waited for the nurse to call her turn, he confessed his feelings to her.
“Actually, I was denying myself of that feelings too… Over the weeks, I had been thinking of him and I didn’t
know why. I know I didn’t like him and I know he doesn’t like me… There was no question, I always looked
at him as a very good person. Without him knowing, I had been praying all along before this event happened…”
Cherrie said.
“I told her my feelings not knowing what’s going to happen. I wanted to let her know and I didn’t want
to miss what I could have had if I tell her. I walked her home after that…”
“As he’s leaving, I gave him a thank you kiss for accompanying me… and it’s my way of telling him
that I was willing to work things out between us.” said Cherrie
The following day was just different. The way they look at each other, the way they smile to one another – finally,
there was the “spark”…
“I like the days when we just drive or walk around… we get to talk, discuss, argue and share things. I like it
when we laugh, when we share our views, when we talk about other people hehehe… yeah, we fight a lot, but we reconcile
every time, although sometimes not immediately… And what I like about it was, when it’s over, it’s over…
and we move on…” Cherrie said.
“Cherrie accepts me for who I am... all my pluses and minuses. My weaknesses are her strengths. She takes care of me.
She is a person who has a very good heart; simple yet multi-talented. There’s something in her when she looks at me
and smiles, you know… “
Coming from two very different back grounds, the couple had to work out a lot of things. Over a period of two years, they
came across a number of trials that nearly broke them apart. But they came out stronger on each trial. There were factors
that needed to be addressed and worked upon. With much prayer, faith, trust and determination, Olwin and Cherrie held hands
along the way.
After much prayer and more than half a year of preparation, Olwin and Cherrie are now ready to take their vows to be husband
and wife, to build a family in the future, promising to love and cherish one another for the rest of their lives.
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