By Rorisang Modiba
Mama Joy Chauke says her husband surprised her with a bouquet delivered from France.
The couple, who met during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, are handling their long-distance marriage with ease.
Sport superfan Joy “Mama Joy” Chauke is glowing with love and flowers – thanks to her husband, Nicholas “Papa Joy” Pitaud.
The two met during the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and tied the knot a few months later in a traditional Xitsonga wedding in September.
Now, Papa Joy is pulling out all the romantic stops, sending his wife a surprise bouquet straight from a French florist.
“I was surprised when I received the flowers,” Mama Joy told TimesLIVE. “It was a dream come true. I’m not used to receiving flowers, but he’s doing all the things I never imagined. It feels so good.”
Despite the distance between them, Mama Joy, 51, says their relationship is stronger than ever.
“We are only unable to touch each other, but we do other things together. We share everything we do every day,” she said.
They speak for hours daily and use video calls to stay connected.
“He taught me what love looks like. Now I know how to love. He has shown me how to love someone, and I was able to love him back,” she said.
While cultural differences have brought some surprises, Mama Joy says she’s adjusting. She struggled with French food at first.
“I remember when I was in France, there’s a lot of food I didn’t like. His mum made medium-rare beef, and it didn’t look well-cooked to me,” she laughed.
But with her mother-in-law’s help, she’s now learning to cook French meals.
The couple speak English and aren’t rushing into starting a family.
“For now, we are not talking about having children. We are enjoying life together and other things together and sexually, we are happy,” she said.
Papa Joy plans to visit South Africa again in September and December – just in time for their birthdays.
Pictured above: Mama Joy
Image source: @mamajoy_chauke