This is the journey to their love story... Tashvir Tristan Himwanth and Stacey Emily Govender
Tashvir Tristan Himwanth and Stacey Emily Govender were "frenemies" in primary school. They annoyed each other but they also got on well; but love bloomed years later when they reconnected on Twitter.
On their sixth anniversary earlier this month, Himwanth proposed to Govender in their primary school class and they now look forward to a winter wedding.
This is the journey to their love story...
"I met the love of my life in primary school but I did not know it at that time," said Himwanth, of Bloemfontein, a third year accounting trainee at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“We both attended Clarendon Primary School, starting grade 1 in 2006. We met in grade 4 when we were nine-years-old. I didn’t have a crush on her. We were basically frenemies; the typical boy-girl relationship at that age. We annoyed each other a lot but I would say, we got along well," he added.
"We sat next to each other for about six months. Stacey had a bright and positive personality. She was extremely organised and neat as well. She worked hard and she was talkative. Stacey always brightened the mood of any room she entered,” said the 25-year-old.
He said when they completed primary school, he went to Maritzburg College and she went to Girls High in Pietermaritzburg. In grade 10, she and her family relocated to Bloemfontein.
“We reconnected on Twitter after we followed each other and I sent her a Direct Message (DM). We remembered each other. I think that period where we sat next to each other stuck in our minds because we got along; as much as we fought and annoyed each other."
He said they became friends for a short while before they began dating.
“She was more or less the same. Stacey is still incredibly hardworking and that makes her good and passionate at whatever she does."
Himwanth said that their first date was at Mugg & Bean at the Liberty Mall in Pietermaritzburg. That was when he asked her to be his girlfriend. They dated for six years and he proposed on their sixth anniversary on July 4.
He said his mother was the acting deputy principal at Clarendon Primary School and she, as well as their families, were instrumental in planning to get Stacey to Pietermaritzburg and him proposing to her in their old grade 4 classroom.
"I decided to choose the primary school because it was the sole reason we reconnected. Sitting next to each other in that classroom was pivotal to our story and thus meant so much to us. I always wanted the proposal to be as sentimental as possible.”
He added: “I truly feel like the luckiest man in the world. Being engaged to her is my proudest achievement. It feels like another chapter in our story is just beginning.”
Govender, an attorney, obviously said "yes".
“It’s honestly crazy thinking that I’m marrying 'that boy' I sat next to that one time in primary school, who was also a teacher and my netball and soccer coach’s son. Thinking of it and knowing Tashvir now, I feel like the luckiest girl ever,” said the 25-year-old.
“My impression of Tashvir when we were in primary school was that he was quiet, respectful and extremely smart. Compared to the other boys, he was mature as well. I didn’t really think much of him in any other way because I was nine years old at the time.
"When we reconnected he was like a completely different person. I could tell already by the way he messaged me. He seemed outgoing and confident, so he was absolutely different in those aspects but he still had those sweet, respectful and mature attributes. We instantly had a connection when we reconnected. I was like 'Now, this is my dream guy'."
She added that she did not know he was going to propose and was not suspicious when they walked around the fields in the school.
"Then when he led me to the classroom, he seemed like he knew where he wanted to go. I started getting a bit suspicious. When he opened the classroom door, I immediately started shaking because I knew it was happening and it was honestly the best proposal ever,” said Govender.
“I cannot wait to become Mrs. Himwanth!”
They have not yet set a wedding date - or a year when they say "I do".
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