David Grant, who is originally from the UK, was living in Mexico City in 2006, working as a teacher. When his friend won a trip to Germany for the World Cup that June, he jumped at the chance to join him. “We flew to London first and ran off to find somewhere to watch the England game,” he says. Angie, who is Mexican, and her friend had also won tickets to the World Cup and flown to London from Mexico City, but Angie and David did not meet until they were at Heathrow airport, waiting for the flight to Stuttgart.
“I gave my camera to Angie to take a picture of me and my friend,” David says. They continued to bump into each other throughout the trip, chatting during hospitality events. Although Angie caught his eye straight away, she was not so sure. “He was a bit of a nightmare,” she laughs. “He was really drunk all the time.”
On the flight back home to Mexico City, David asked her “if she was looking at photos on her boyfriend’s camera”. When she explained that her companion was a friend, David gave her his number. “I decided to call as I wanted to give him a chance,” says Angie. She met up with David and his friends to watch another game. “We got on really well and they made me feel so welcome.”
They continued to meet up but, in July, Angie moved to Australia for a six-month internship at a university in Queensland. “He said it didn’t matter because he’d be there when I got back,” she says. “He even introduced me to one of his friends while I was there, who took me out to watch the cricket during the Ashes.”
When she returned to Mexico City in 2007, they saw each other whenever they could. “In the spring, Angie was unwell for a few months with hepatitis as a result of eating contaminated food. She was living with her family, and I would go over and see her,” says David.
When Angie recovered, they travelled to the UK for five weeks to meet David’s friends and family. He proposed in September that year, but they didn’t marry until 2009. “We wanted to give our British guests time to save for the trip,” says David. They had a wedding in Mexico, where Angie chose the song Three Lions for their first dance. On their next trip back to the UK, they held a small hog roast for friends and family who had been unable to travel to Mexico for the big day.
The couple bought a place together and Angie began a new job, working for the attorney general’s office. “The first year we were married was hard because it was a big job. I was getting in at one or two every morning.” Then towards the end of 2010, Angie went to live in Birmingham to complete an MA. “I went back for holidays and we stayed in touch via Skype,” says David. “Being in England meant I was able to get close to his family, which I loved,” says Angie.
When Angie returned to Mexico, they moved to the suburb of Boulevares. They adopted a rescue dog called Rodney, before their daughter, Victoria, was born in 2015. Now they enjoy spending their free time together visiting their local sports club. “Living in Mexico City can be complicated,” says Angie. “It’s a huge city and very divided in terms of wealth. Safety and security are big issues. I usually have a long commute for work, so it’s been really nice working at home during lockdown and spending more time with my family.”
David describes his wife as “extremely caring” and says she always looks out for others. “We see people struggling here and she tries to help every time. She is very empathic. She also tolerates my sports obsession,” he laughs. For Angie, it is David’s enthusiasm that keeps the spark going. “He is so passionate about his teaching work and his family. He is devoted to them and such a great man.”
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