This is a sweet story….
Back when I first came to Abu Dhabi, I was a big Couchsurfing participant since I had all kinds of space just for lil’ ol’ me. I was getting a lot of visitors, but enjoyed the company and experience.
One of the early requests came from an Emirati woman, Mimi, who was looking for a place for her French boyfriend to stay on his visit to see her. She put in a request to a few people including a couple of my CS friends. They both said No to her thinking that it was a little dangerous to get involved with a local since it is illegal to co-habitate amongst the genders.
Well, trusting me, said ‘Sure!’. So, J-C came to visit for a few weeks and he shared his struggle on what to do since Mimi had been in France, but requested to move back home by her father. They were in love, but there seemed to some hurdles to overcome.
Fast forward about a year. J-C emails me and says he has decided to move to Abu Dhabi in hopes of getting a job and being closer to Mimi. By this time, I was looking for a new roommate since my old one was moving out and the timing was perfect! J-C moved to Abu Dhabi and began renting a room. He moved with me to the new building and continued to look for work.
Finally, love has been victorious! J-C found a job and last night he and Marwa (Mimi) got married. It was a mixed wedding, but with the local flare. It was a lovely evening and I’m very happy for both of them. They will be renting my entire apartment now and starting their happy lives upstairs. π Who knew?!
