Online meet-up leads to new life in new country
Samantha Rodriguez is from Essex, near London, England.
“I met my husband online. We were friends through a social network. When we started talking on the phone, we had this connection. We didn’t struggle for words. It felt natural.
“This went on for about three months. Then I was like, ‘I’m going to come visit you.’ So I booked a trip to Houston, and we got married the week I was there. I was young, barely 19. I was just living for the moment, and it felt right.
“I was kind of fearless back then. I just thought, this is my soulmate. It’s going to last. So we went for it. But when I came back home, everyone thought I was crazy. My grandma was so mad. She was like, ‘I didn’t even get a slice of cake or anything.’
“That first year was kind of rough, waiting for my visa. Sometimes I would come here for a couple weeks, and then he would go over there to see me. With work, it was difficult for him to visit. It was a stressful time because I was just waiting to start a new life in a new country. I’ve been here 10 years now.
“I used to wonder what I would have done if I hadn’t gotten married and had my son so young. Would I have done a lot more in life? Did I miss out on having that time with my girlfriends and everything else? Now, looking back, I think I made the right choice. I’m glad things happened the way they did. I try not to have any regrets.”
— Samantha Rodriguez
Related:
