Love Wins?

Part I



After my Peace Corps service in Panama ended, we wanted to continue our relationship. Also, we agreed that we wanted more time to work through any other relationship "bumps" before we actually married. Both of us take marriage seriously and do not want to take this decision lightly and end up in divorce. Therefore, we tried for a USA tourist visa to see if moving to my country was best for us. I wanted to live in a more modern setting and needed a break from the campo lifestyle in Panama.

In fact, some of his friends in Panama had mentioned that they did not like living in the USA so we wanted to see if Javier would like it and be open to start a new life there before anything else. Plus, it was a cheaper option to start since I did not have a great paying job yet and some of my family was not very supportive of us.

We did not want end up like most of the 

90 Day Fiancé couples on TLC,

which was to do the K-1 visa that required thousands of dollars (that we did not have) and for us to marry within 90 days after Javier entered the USA. What would happen to us if he did not like it there? Or, if my family could not accept us? Unfortunately, we were rejected a tourist visa.

Next, I thought it would be possible to try to live together in China since I was most focused on earning lots of money and knew that the cost of living was dirt cheap there plus we could save money. Even though I found options to teach English and Spanish, this was probably the worst idea that we had. Forgot about the VISAS!

During the spring 2017, I used the remaining Peace Corps stipend to go back to Panama to look for a job and start a life there. I interviewed for a few options and even was considered to play professional volleyball in Panama! It had been about four months since we had seen each other by that time.

Then Javier proposed to me in our community Boqueron, at the river! 

And I was just ready for us to be together, even if it meant compromising my comforts of home. Now, I just needed a job with some kind of income! Javier only earned about $300/month, which is not enough for us to live on.

Sadly, I did not get the jobs I interviewed for nor the opportunity to live out my dreams as a professional volleyball player either! I could have played pro-volleyball but I would not earn a stable income. The coach mentioned that the players were not being paid enough to make a living and worked other jobs. Boo!

At this point in time, we were both feeling hopeless since Javier's mom had passed away about a week after I returned back to the USA. It was a shock to everyone. She was only 45 years old and she was such a positive inspiration to all of the family and Javier was really affected by it.

We decided to end our relationship then, even after the wedding proposal. 


We were both very depressed and distraught because nothing was going well for us and we felt these were all signs that we cannot be together. It was like our world of love that we had blissfully enjoyed for about a year and half was destroyed!

I was mad at my country due to the strict immigration laws. (Also, Trump had won the presidency at this time....) I was sad that my family could not help and were somewhat skeptical of our relationship. I was upset with employers who would not give me a chance!

I am bilingual, have a masters, experience, etc... 

And to top it off, my step-dad was pressuring me to get out the house when I clearly was not in a financial position to leave. What more did they want from me?!

END OF PART I

If you liked our story, please share or connect with us on Instagram! Thanks :) -Megan #beunbounded

Continue to PART II (coming Wednesday)







If you liked our story, please share or connect with us on Instagram! Thanks :) -Megan #beunbounded



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