8 years ago, Milan slid into my DMs with a GIF of an seal saying, “sup?” It worked.. We spent weeks texting, sharing stories, and slowly getting to know each other. Milan will tell you I was playing hard to get. I say I was just very busy… and maybe slightly playing hard to get. Eventually, we decided to meet up.

He wasn’t exactly expecting the date. I texted him while he was out drinking with friends. he may or may not have had one beer too many. But he didn’t want to miss his chance, so he jumped on his bike and cycled 45 minutes across Amsterdam to meet me. Romantic? Yes. Wise? Less so. The first thing he said when he arrived was: “Wow, you look like Rihanna.”

Now, if you think this is where we lived happily ever after, plot twist! That first date? Weird. I wasn’t planning on seeing him again. But my sister reminded me that my usual pattern was to run away the second something felt off. So I gave it another try.

Just as things were getting interesting, I announced I was moving to Melbourne, Australia. We agreed to go our separate ways: this had been fun, but life was calling. We didn’t expect to reconnect. But a few months after my move, we started texting again. Then calling. Then texting some more. Almost every day.

When I came back to Amsterdam, so did our story. But we didn’t have the classic honeymoon phase. No long walks on the beach or matching outfits. We had cultural clashes, language confusion, and two very big personalities trying to make one relationship work. It was chaotic. It was honest. It was us.

Over the years, we’ve learned how to communicate, how to argue (more productively), and how to love each other better every single day. This relationship has challenged us, changed us, and made us grow. It’s not your typical fairy tale, but it’s ours.