By Claire Brocato, feature writer
Chad Smith, RN, had no idea that while working as a travel nurse, love would
literally come knocking on his front door.
Chad had been traveling with American Mobile Healthcare for more
than a year when he took an assignment in San Diego and moved into the La Mirage
housing complex.
Then, one weekend when Chad invited several friends over to his
condo, Melissa Hoehl, who lived in the condo directly above Chad, came knocking
on his front door. One of Chad’s friends had taken her parking space, and
Melissa politely requested that he move his car. Chad and Melissa struck up a
conversation and came to realize that they were both travel nurses with American Mobile Healthcare. Having established some common ground, they decided
to keep in touch.
A few weeks later Chad built up enough courage to ask Melissa out on a date.
She accepted and that was the beginning of their whirlwind romance. When her San
Diego-based assignment came to an end, Melissa took an assignment in Napa Valley
in Northern California. Five months later, when Chad moved to Sonoma to be close
to Melissa, he popped the question and the couple exchanged their wedding vows
in June 2003.
"We got married in Minneapolis, which is Melissa’s home town and then went on
honeymoon to the British Virgin Islands," Chad said.
The newlyweds enjoyed their tropical sojourn so much, they decided to take
travel assignments in Hawaii upon their return.
"Working on the island of Oahu has been like an extended honeymoon," he
continued. "We’ve traveled all over the islands on our days off. We’ve explored
the beaches, the volcanoes and the rainforests. I’ve had the opportunity to
learn how to surf and windsurf, while Melissa has worked really hard on her tan.
It’s been a wonderful way to start our married life."
The couple plan to continue traveling for the immediate future, and want to
use their travel nursing as a means to figure out exactly where they want to
settle down.
"Travel nursing allows us to go anywhere we please, and another big bonus is
that we get to stay in great housing," Chad explained. "This is the ideal
lifestyle for us at this point in our lives and we are enjoying every minute of
it."
© 2003. AMN Healthcare, Inc. All Rights Reserved.