(Filip)
One day 2 weeks before Migi’s flight to Europe I woke up and I was seeing the mobile. There was one E-mail I was hardly reading from morning eyes. Then I read: “Unfortunately, your flight was cancelled.”. 😳 I was shocked… Nooooooo please not again after everything… I looked at main website of flight company and it was seriously cancelled. They told me to book another day or return the money. I told myself: “Okay don’t worry just book another day.”. So I choosed 2nd of November from 1st of November planned. Because I was going to Frankfurt for Migi to not get lost, I needed to rebook my flight tickets to Frankfurt also and paid another money for rebooking. I was really scared about her first flight outside of India.

Week before flight on 2nd of November I woke up again to the same message… “Again it was CANCELLED ??? Whyy”. 😞 I had enough. Again I needed to rebook to 5th of November. With Migi we were like, we loose another 3 days. We were awaiting to move it even more far and first close flight was on 12th of November. We would not have enough time to prepare wedding and take care of other things we needed. Because of covid, people didn’t fly so often so planes were not getting full. Flight companies were cancelling it. I loose a lot of money to always rebooking it, but I didn’t care honestly… The only one thing I care about was to meet Migi after long time and get her safe to my home. I understood then, why they were telling from embassy to not be happy in front…

(Lakshmi)
The time has finally come when I will be meeting Filip after almost 2 years of separation. My baggage was packed, all the documents were ready… All set to fly. My parents were really scared of me even I was also nervous as I have never went so far away from home, that too alone but I was like ‘I can do it’. We reached Bengaluru airport and I was happy that I will be with Filip but also sad at the same time that I will be missing my family. I waved bye to family and entered airport.

While doing checkin, the counter person stopped me and started asking question why I am going Slovakia and many things, I told him everything, I took out the marriage invitation and showed them. It took lots of time, I was like this will not work and see out side if parents were still there if they would not let me go through… thank god they were still there. I was writing this Filip what is happening here. After almost 30 minutes they gave boarding pass and did checkin. What a relief! 😬 I ran up to immigration and again they stopped me there, they were asking me the same questions and told me to go to another officer and come back. I was like what is happening? Why so complication to meet my fiancé… If this is normal, I was already nervous and upon this they were stressing me. Seriously it took like 45 minutes, those people were discussing among themselves and I was standing there imagining what they were talking about. Then they took a book and told me to enter my detail and cleared the immigration thing. I rushed to security check and then to gate. I was sweating as if I was under rain… 😰 but finally I was there on seat, I texted Filip I am in gate… We both were like so happy and relieved after overcoming all these stressful times. 😊 I met a really good lady, she was helping me with travel as she got to know I am travelling for the first time outside India. At 2:45 am we started boarding and entered the plane. ‘Safe journey puppy, meet you after few hours in Frankfurt’ – the last text from Filip before turning my mobile to flight mode. I closed my eyes and imagined everything from the first day first text to the day Filip came to India to this day when I am going to Filip and I was like ‘IS THIS REAL OR DREAM?’. 🤭

The flight took 10 hours to reached Frankfurt, as soon as I get out of the plane I felt cold air breezing everywhere. I seriously had no idea where I should be heading toward. Then I got call from Filip he told me to go to A building, so I was following signs hanged up. I was on 2^nd floor but couldn’t find him, I was searching him everywhere in 2^nd floor and was even calling him. Such a nervous time I had and all of sudden someone tapped me from behind and when I turn around It was that good lady from India, she was telling me go to Immigration first, but I was like Filip told me to be here, and she was like he will not come here you need to go immigration and then only you would find him. I felt like she was an angel sent there to guide me. 😇 I made call to Filip saying I will go through immigration and will meet at the gate that would be the better. I went through immigration and everything was smooth, I was following the sign and there was again security check. As I was rushing to find the gate, I felt something that made me turn around… and there, my Flippy was standing with grey sweater and innocent smile. We couldn’t help but gave each other the most emotional hug ever… who would not after two years of separation… That was the best day ever meeting my love after very long time… 🥺

We in the duty free zone and endless talk, we really missed each other. Then we moved to next flight to Budapest. Whole journey we were holding each other’s hand, I really can’t express what I was feeling that time with my writing here but trust me I was really feeling blessed. 🥰 So after we reached Budapest we were waiting for Filip’s mom to pick us up. I was extremely nervous as I had never met Erika (Filip’s mom) in real but only through text, Filip told me to be yourself. Finally Erika came, she gave me hug and I was feeling so good to meet her. It happens sometimes that you could feel the goodness in other being when they are real good person, same thing I felt when I met Erika and trust me she is really a good person in real. She came with family friend, he was also good and funny at the same time. I was so tired the whole trip from Budapest to family’s cottage and I was sleeping like a bear. 😴 After few hours we reached cottage – We were not allowed to go home, quarantine for few days was mandatory. And yes there I met Filip’s father Stano and younger brother Erik, they both were greeting me. I was only thinking of sleeping seriously It was my first and the longest journey. Family went back home and they kept all the basic needs for the quarantine. We slept there holding each other’s hand and thanking god for this opportunity to finally meet Filip and his family even during covid time which is really a miracle. 🥰

The first morning in Slovakia was like wow, everything was different, the weather and yes I forgot to mention his cottage is in middle of forest so nobody except us and some animals maybe, 🤪 really quite and best place for meditation. 🌳 Okay back to the first morning, I went out and Filip was so scared about my body’s reaction to cold weather and he was taking a lots of precautions but I was being little rebel. 😈 I just hop near the gate and saw the frozen leaves on the ground and I am like WOWWWWW. 😱 The first frost view in my life. Quarantine days were the best days as we did cooking, small hiking on nearby hill, evening walk to explore nature etc. I was really not used on hiking, usually in india when we are going on hills we used to rent a car or go on bus to reach there, I was not used on climbing or hiking. But everything need time right?  I was slowly adapting. Honestly I didn’t had any major problem with my health in those three months.

It was another beautiful morning at cottage and Filip told me we should go for small hiking to nearby hill, so we went slowly up to that hill…after reaching the top, Filip started smiling suspiciously… 🤨 I was like what happened did I do something bad or? Then he kneeled down with a ring and said ‘Will you marry me’. 😱 OMG what was that… I wasn’t expecting anything like this, the best surprise ever. I teased him saying ‘NOOOOOO’ and we both burst into laughter. 😂 He then put the ring on my finger and that was the most unforgettable day in my life. But for a moment I felt like to show our marriage invitation to him 😂 but unfortunately it was inside my bag in cottage so I couldn’t 😂 that would be the funniest proposal ever if I did. 🤪 I really love this boy from different continent. 😍

Slowly quarantine was over and Filip’s father took us for PCR test and we both got negative. So finally, we were to go home. His mom came to pick us from cottage to home, As soon as we reached home we were welcomed there with alcohol. 😅 I had never consumed alcohol in my life before and I am like what is this. 😄 Filip explained it is a tradition in Slovakia to welcome guest with alcohol… In india usually guests are welcomed with tea, coffee or juice, so this was extreme different experience. I really enjoyed the time spent with Filip’s family throughout the months. His mom teaches me to cook Slovak food and she prepares really delicious food. His father and I communicate with the help of google translator, it was always fun communicating with him. And even we used to play games with his younger brother Erik. They all were really good and kind people. Both Filip and Erika took really good care of me with everything and got me everything that was needed. 😊

We had to visit the government officials frequently for documentation in between, translation and etc… Erika was taking us to different places. Slovakia was really beautiful country surrounded by nature and hills, it is really peaceful place, I loved many things there specially the nature. But I slowly started missing simple things like horns, loud music from neighbour in india and yes I was frequently asking Filip why there are less or sometimes no one on the lane because in India usually you can see there will be a lots of people walking on streets or sitting in front of houses, so it was quite different here in Slovakia. 🏞

As the weeding date was approaching, Erika took both of us to choose dresses in one gown shop, all dresses were so attractive that we got confused which one to finalise, after so many trails we finally decided to take the one in the photo (I loved it). I forgot to mention there were one of the food court in Novum (one of malls in Presov town), I found it is run by Indians and we just couldn’t stop ourselves from talking to them… Felt really happy to meet someone from home – India. 🙃

Time was slowly taking us to the wedding date – 11. of December 2021. Three days before wedding we had trail for my hair style for the wedding, Erika called one really talented hair dresser for the trail. She gave us ideas about how my hair would looks on weeding day. And at the same time Filip went with his father to order the wedding cake. I do admit time was flying that time.

Only one day left for the wedding, me and Filip were smiling in his room and feeling tense not because we were unsure or something but because of all the procedures and specially I don’t know how and what I should be doing because I had no complete idea of all the details. Filip promised me he will take care of everything so no need to get anxious. And the next day our Wedding day… 💐

After every storm there is always awaited sunshine ☀️