We first saw each other through a window at Cairo International Airport. We met on a dating app months before and felt an instant connection, but I was living in Missouri and Hassan was living in Egypt. We realized sometimes love requires big leaps of faith and decided 6,000 miles wasn’t enough to keep us apart. So I packed my bags, got on a plane, and followed my heart to Hassan. When our eyes met through that airport window we both felt everything click into place.

One of our favorite memories is our first morning living together. We were so happy waking up next to each other instead of saying good morning via text or video call. It was a beautiful fall day so we had an afternoon picnic in what has become our favorite park. It’s a special memory because as we were cuddled up on the blanket in the grass, it really sunk in that we were finally getting to start our lives together.

We were long distance for about two and a half years. The international flights were expensive and so was going through the immigration process so we have spent the last year since Hassan moved to the US trying to get settled. With $20,000 we might get to take the honeymoon we were never able to go on or put a down payment on a house instead of renting like we do now.