Despite being in the middle of the Omicron outbreak in New Zealand, and being a 31 year old New Zealand woman with a stable job and cute house with two cats... I am leaving!
Firstly, let's touch on the Covid-19 Pandemic. Being global, everyone on earth has been affected in some way (don't worry, I won't be getting political here). It's been absolutely brutal to say the least, and some have definitely been more privileged than others, so I get that I came off lightly when I say that my partner and I have been separated for 2 years because of it. But it still hurts.
We have been holding out hope that the New Zealand border would work in our favour at some point, but alas, we are in 2022 now and still no confirmed end in sight for us. So now we are taking matters into our own hands and with the goal of starting the rest of our lives together, I am leaving New Zealand to be with Ahmed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Crazy right? Believe me, I have experienced multiple "what the heck" moments, and I still get a lump in my throat when I think about all that I am leaving behind and the massive proverbial cliff I am about to jump off. But when I think about all the good things it will mean for us and for myself, it's such an unbelievably incredible opportunity that is equally, if not more exciting.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, we have had long conversations on the phone twice a day, every day, and video calls on Saturday evenings so we can see each others faces. Thank goodness we live in a world where Snapchat exists! I now have streaks with all three of his sisters reaching over 500 days. I have had video chats with his mum, consulted on paint colours and tile patterns for their new apartment, and planned a secret virtual graduation ceremony for Ahmed with his family and mine via zoom. So much has happened that we have missed being together for, but still made the most of with every resource available to us.
When Ahmed and I first started dating, we knew we were meant for each other (yeah, sappy I know!). If two years long distance doesn't prove that - I don't know what does. We dreamed about getting married for a long time, though I always imagined it would be here in New Zealand with my friends and family around me, the universe has forced us to adjust our plans.
So now is the time to pack up my house, kiss my kitty companions farewell, and fly half way around the world to spend time with my love and get to know his family, which is incredibly important as they too will be my family. I am really looking forward to absorbing the culture and learning the language. Although it is nerve-wracking, I am so grateful to have this opportunity to be there with him and be open to some new experiences... we won't let Omicron get in our way.
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