In reviewing the search terms that people use to find this Ryan Conklin fan site, it can been seen that the number one thing people have searched for in connection with Ryan's name has been "Baya Voce". As in, "Ryan Conklin and Baya Voce", "Are Ryan Conklin and Baya dating?", "Are Ryan and Baya still together?". Frankly, I haven't had any interest in knowing the precise definition of their relationship. Maybe it's more of a girl thing to want to know exactly. As a guy, I just found it noteworthy that they have been very close friends and that they have spent a lot of time together doing stuff since The Real World Brooklyn ended, at least while Ryan was in the U.S. So it hasn't bothered me that they have been very coy about whether or not they have ever been boyfriend/girlfriend.
Well, now in a major burst of candidness about it, Ryan has provided very clear answers to the questions that have so interested people. Yes, they have been in a close relationship for a period of time. Yes, they recently agreed to be boyfriend/girlfriend. No, they are not still together.
After Ryan Conklin broke up with his previous girlfriend, Belle, Ryan and Baya Voce got closer, spending time together before Ryan went back to active duty in the Army. Baya was apparently important to Ryan in helping out during the difficult period of adjustment when he was going back into uniform. About Baya, Ryan said that he loved her and thought she was a beautiful person.
The two continued to have some kind of relationship after Ryan deployed to Iraq, being in close communication with each other. Then, as absence makes the heart grow fonder, Ryan looked forward to when he would be able to return briefly to the U.S for his R&R "vacation" and spend some time with her.
His two week leave was in September, 2009. Ryan left Iraq and flew to New York City, where Baya was living at the time. After arriving in the city, Ryan went straight to Baya's apartment. He actually hadn't told her he was coming because he wanted it to be a surprise. When she saw him she was indeed surprised, and overjoyed. It was the start of a very happy two weeks for both of them. Ryan said they were never more than 10 feet, or at least 10 minutes, apart from one another.
It was during this time in the middle of September that they made it official to each other: they were a couple.
However, the warmth and happiness of September gave way to the cooling temperatures of October. After Ryan returned to Iraq, their relationship continued for only about a month. In the latter part of October, Ryan got the news that any serviceman dreads to hear while away from home. According to Ryan, Baya dumped him.
Ryan explained that there were no specific instances of anything that caused the break-up. He said that from her point of view the timing wasn't right for their relationship. He said he understood that they were on different paths in life, which only seemed to cross occasionally.
The turn of events was very unhappy for Ryan. He called it a "kick in the face" and said, "being dumped by someone you love is not the best thing in the world."
However, in usual Ryan fashion, he tries to think positively about the situation. To keep going through the last few months in Iraq, he thinks about how short the time is and how he can never be forced back again. He also things about the huge amount of wild oats he will now be able to sow when he gets home.
To the single women of America, Ryan has issued a strong warning, and the implication of a rather enticing invitation: "Single Ryan A. Conklin is going to take America by storm, dammit! And I'm going to have good times."
Note that Ryan has removed the corresponding video from YouTube:
