August 17th 2024.
From the moment we embraced, his arms wrapped around me, I felt an overwhelming sense of safety and comfort. We shared a deep gaze as we met in arrivals, and I could feel a spark of electricity between us. I was beyond excited for our first date, especially after traveling over 9,000 miles from Brisbane to Toronto just to see him. Although Jamie and I had only communicated through screens before, after two months of virtual conversations, he was finally standing right in front of me.
As I looked at him, it was like seeing the same tall, dark, and handsome Clark Kent doppelgänger I had known online, but with a soft and mischievous smile that softened his serious expression. That first hug solidified the feeling that I had known him my whole life.
It all started back in November of 2018. At the time, my online business was thriving, and I decided to take a chance and become a nomad, traveling and enjoying the single life. And where was my first stop? Australia, of course! Just a few weeks before I left my home country of Bulgaria for Australia, one of my customers tagged me in a Facebook post about MBTI personality types. She was asking for advice on which type would be most compatible for her to date. It didn't really phase me at the time, as I was just happy to help. Little did I know, that post would lead me to Jamie.
In the comments, Jamie also asked for advice on which personality types would be a good match for him. As fate would have it, I happened to be one of the types he was looking for. That same day, he added me as a friend on Facebook. I thought he was cute and seemed like my type, but I didn't think much of it at the time because I was enjoying my single life. Plus, he was in Canada, about to travel to London and Bali, while I was heading to Australia and planning to continue traveling.
But then Jamie messaged me, and it didn't take long for us to realize that we had amazing chemistry. His first message was simple, asking where in the world I was at the moment. We ended up chatting for four hours about our lives and backgrounds – me growing up in Bulgaria and him in Canada. Soon, we were chatting regularly on Facebook and having video calls. At first, it was just a platonic connection based on our shared love for travel and business, but eventually, it turned into something much more romantic.
I found Jamie to be incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, and emotionally mature – not to mention, he was also an entrepreneur like me, so we truly understood each other. Our days were filled with playful banter and laughter, and we were quickly falling for each other. It was almost too good to be true, and at times, I couldn't help but wonder if it was. But on Christmas Eve of 2018, Jamie surprised me by booking a flight to Australia to meet me in person on January 23.
However, just five days before his scheduled flight, he received some devastating news – his aunt had passed away, and he had to cancel his trip. He was heartbroken, and I remember him saying how much he wished I could be there with him. In a joking manner, I suggested flying to Canada to be with him. To my surprise, he responded by saying how much he would love that, and I couldn't resist. I booked a 22-hour-long one-way journey to Canada, arriving right after his aunt's funeral.
I only told one friend about my spontaneous decision, afraid of the embarrassment if it didn't go well. On the flight, I was a bundle of nerves, worrying that something would go wrong. And of course, upon arrival in Canada, I was grilled by border control for an hour, almost not being allowed to enter the country.
But finally, I made it through and was able to meet Jamie for the first time. It was a magical moment, even better than we imagined. When we hugged, it felt like we were holding onto each other forever, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. This was real, and it wasn't too good to be true. Jamie was exactly as I had imagined – warm, funny, and a true gentleman. After spending our first night together, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and a few days later, I met his family.
We spent a few days in Toronto before I had to travel to the US for work, and Jamie decided to join me. Thankfully, my role as CEO of a social media marketing firm allowed me to work from anywhere, and Jamie's job was also flexible. So, we took off on a series of one-way flights to conferences in Las Vegas, Arizona, and Colombia, merging our lives together.
Our relationship was effortless on every level. We just fit together so well and knew from the very beginning that we wanted to be together for the long haul. Five years later, we have never been apart for more than 24 hours. And on January 21, 2022, Jamie proposed to me.
He had secretly met with a jeweler to create a custom ring and had a grand proposal planned. But due to lockdowns at the time, he ended up proposing at home. We are living proof that love knows no bounds. We took a crazy risk, broke some rules, and ignored the noise of what everyone else was doing to follow our hearts, and it was the best decision we ever made.
So, my advice to anyone looking for love – be authentic, take a chance, and go for it. My relationship with Jamie is a reminder that true love knows no distance, no boundaries, and no limits. It is worth taking the leap of faith and following your heart. As told to Michelle Morgan Davies.
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