When Aditya moved from India in 2014 to Lincoln, Nebraska, to pursue his PhD in marketing, it took time to build new friendships. “As a gay man, I hadn’t been ‘out’ in India, but over the years I joined various networks,” he says. In June 2017, three years after moving, he decided to throw a picnic party to celebrate his birthday. When a mutual friend asked him if one of the older PhD advisers could join them, he had no idea they were destined to become best friends. “I didn’t know Isabel, but I said it was fine. The guest list was mostly young gay men so I was a bit worried she’d feel left out.”
The party was held at a lake near Lincoln. Before Isabel arrived, she asked their mutual friend what to bring. “They told me he loved tea, so I ended up buying PG tips,” she laughs. Aditya was thrilled with the gift. “My first impression was that she seemed quite shy. Over the day, I was keeping an eye out to make sure she was included.” Despite his concerns, Isabel had “a blast” and felt very welcomed by Aditya’s friends. “I thought he was very serious at first, but he was really interesting and a very good host.”
