hey everyone!

I know everybody is probably going through tough times with Coronavirus and I wanted to share a story to hopefully bring a little positivity during these strange times...

so....a little bit of a background for my relationship. my boyfriend and I went long distance last October after 2 years together here in the US. He moved back to France to finish his schooling and I stayed back in NYC. We made plans in November for our reunion in March and because the flights were only 300 round trip, I took a leap of faith and bought them.

Ofcourse, at the time I had no idea that the Coronavirus would become what it has and rather how quickly the situation would change.

5 long months passed and as a couple we definitely struggled. We always had our reunion though. It really got us through the darkest times knowing that Paris would be just around the corner. It was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done which made this trip mean so much to us. Before I knew it, March was already here and I was packing my bags for Paris! It was March 8th, and although COVID-19 was definitely present and a big topic of discussion, it was yet to have a presence in NYC life. Looking back, I understand that staying home would’ve have been the far more responsible option. But to be completely honest, I had tunnel vision and had my eyes set on March 8th. Upon landing in Paris (I traveled with two friends of ours), we made our way around the city for the first day, seeing the sites where we were able to avoid large crowds and keep a safe distance from others (Parks and Walking). We went to bed in our Airbnb that night with absolutely no idea what would happen in the coming hours. I went to bed happier than I had been in five months because the next morning, my boyfriend was going to meet me at my place.

At around 2:30am, I was awoken by our friend saying that we needed to pack our things and go to the airport. I went into shock and it took me a moment to comprehend. The President had just announced (quite unclearly) that U.S citizens had 24hrs to return to the U.S. To say we were panicking was an understatement. I was frantically trying to get ahold of my boyfriend who was obviously sleeping soundly. Our family and friends were calling nonstop trying to get us on a plane within the following hours. One of our friends panicked so much that he payed $3,000 to get on a flight at 4am.

As the hours passed, all I could think about was how I wouldn’t even get to see him. How after everything, he would wake up to messages of panic and a girlfriend who left in the night. It broke my heart. As the hours passed, the news began to further develop on the details of this travel ban. It seemed that it only applied to foreign nationals. We were atleast safe to spend another night in our Airbnb and play it by ear the rest of our trip.

I was so shaken up by the whole experience and my anxiety was unbelievably high. I went to lay down without even having the energy to take my shoes back off. The next morning, I was awoken by the front door. I panicked and sprung out of bed. I had over slept and I started freaking out. Totally forgetting to send my boyfriend a follow up message saying that I would still be there in the morning. I ran to the front door, barely getting my eyes open before I was out the door. I went to the lobby to access the street where the bell was located. I held my breath for a moment before opening the door, expecting the see a disheveled angry boyfriend searching to see if I was still here.

I opened the door and met his crying eyes. As we saw each other, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him🤯♥️

I have never had a feeling like it in my life and I’m so so grateful.

We ended up having an amazing trip and spent the whole time just enjoying each other and every second we had. Even though the journey home (border patrol, covid screenings, delays) was tough, this trip was the best thing to ever happen to me. It taught me that love really does always win. Even when the world shuts down around you, if you stay focused on your strength together, you’ll really get through anything♥️ ooo

- I hope this made someone out there smile🤗 stay safe everybody♥️