With the help of a program that finds teachers and brings them to be employed in American schools, Enrique Grande moved to Odessa, Texas three years ago. Along with this career opportunity Grande ended up meeting the love of his life.
“I came to America to learn new ways of teaching,” Grande said. “To bring the good things from Spain and take the good things from America.”
Grande was offered a job to teach in America from the bilingual department from ECISD, along with other teachers from Spain. That was how he came to meet his future wife.
“First time I knew her we were doing some interviews,” Grande said, “because the bilingual department goes to Madrid and interviews some teachers from Spain.”
The two teachers did not really get to know each other until they were housed together with the other 11 Spanish teachers brought to America.
“We dated for two years before we got married,” Grande said.
Grande and Lucia choose to get married the Friday before school started, amongst getting ready to start off the new school year.
“We Google how to get married in Odessa, and went and bought the license,” Grande said.
They tried to get her family from North Spain and his from the capitol together during a one month vacation for the marriage, but after learning how hard that would be they decided to get married in America instead.
The two had to wait 72 hours before they could get married after purchasing the marriage license, and then were married at the by a Justice of the Peace.
“The whole process took about 5 or 15 minutes,” Grande said.
Grande said right after they got married they headed to Mardels to get school supplies,
He said that the wedding was really fast.