Yesterday was the last day with my family, and I'm already in Taiwan. I feel pretty upset because I've never left home for such a long time and traveled this far away.
But let's talk about how our love story began. It all started in 2014 when he sent me a friend request on Facebook. I guess that's how many mixed relationships start, right? At least I know some that did, although not all of them survived. In the beginning, we didn't talk much, and I didn't even think it could be something serious. We would chat from time to time for about four months. Then, at the end of February 2015, he randomly asked me if I would be his girlfriend. I was a bit surprised, and I said yes, but I kept thinking maybe I shouldn't have. For a few days, I contemplated how to tell him I changed my mind. Haha, I didn't say a word, and we kept talking every day, sometimes just saying good morning and good night. He didn't seem to talk much, and I even thought he was boring (everyone said I'm boring, and now I know how it feels talking to me).
Our relationship mainly revolved around sharing our everyday lives and pictures. Talking online without being able to see each other's faces made it easier to share many things. There were many things I never told anyone, like my parents' drinking problem and all the issues at home because of that. People weren't too kind to me in the past, and if they knew the truth, they would start making fun of me and ignore me too! Additionally, I used to be overweight due to illness, which also left me with no friends at all. Well, I thought I had one friend at least...
Towards the end of 2016, we started discussing the possibility of meeting in person. He believed that if we didn't meet soon, we should end the relationship. I felt both happy and scared. I had never had a boyfriend before, and my English wasn't that good either. He wanted me to come to Taiwan, and the idea terrified me! Eventually, he decided he would come, and I would go back with him.
I started preparing for the trip, but I didn't mention much to my family. Only a very few people knew I was actually talking to an Asian guy. I didn't have a good relationship with my parents, especially my father. My mother knew I was talking with someone, but depending on the day, she could either accept it or be angry.
He planned to come in December 2016, but before that, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. It was a really difficult time for us. My brother was in an orphanage, my father was still drinking, and it was just me, feeling trapped at home. I desperately wanted to run away from that place. The cancer had spread to her brain and lungs, and despite two surgeries, it didn't help. The treatment didn't offer much hope, and by February, we already knew she wouldn't make it.
While talking to my boyfriend, who was the only one who always listened to me, we decided to meet. He said he would come in May and expressed his desire to meet my mother. In April, I finally told my family that he would come and that I didn't want to stay home anymore. My father was angry, and my mother seemed to not fully grasp what I was saying. Only two of my aunts understood my decision. One of my aunts didn't live too far away, and she helped me a lot during that time.
On May 12, 2017, he finally arrived in Poland. It was a sad and stressful day since we couldn't communicate with mymother since the morning. She appeared to be asleep and couldn't wake up. My father prepared lunch, and I waited for my boyfriend to arrive. The first meeting was a little awkward. I didn't know what to say, so most of the time, I just sat in silence, watching him.
That night, we went to bed. In the morning, around 5 am, my father woke me up with devastating news—my mother had passed away. It was a shock, even though we knew it could happen at any time.
It was an incredibly strange situation for my boyfriend. He had just arrived, and my mother had died without even getting a chance to meet him. He accompanied me to the funeral, and it was comforting to have him by my side during those difficult days. We grew even closer during that time. He gave me time to decide if I wanted to go with him or not.
On the final day, June 1, he proposed to me! I didn't expect it at all. He chose a peculiar moment (there probably wasn't a perfect timing). I was fresh out of the shower, with a towel wrapped around my hair, wearing pajamas, and with red eyes from crying. He kneeled down and asked, "Will you marry me and come to Taiwan?" I didn't know what to say. I felt both sad and happy at the same time. I accepted his proposal, but he said I could take some time to think after we spent more time together.
It's June 2, 2017, and I've arrived in Taiwan. It was truly the hardest decision of my life! I had to leave my father during such a difficult time, as well as my beloved brother and cat. My first day in Taiwan wasn't great. The weather was hot and rainy, and his family seemed a bit strange. I didn't know anyone, and no one spoke English. I struggled to communicate with them, feeling like we were from two different worlds.
His family tried their best to welcome me, and they were nice, but everyone was focused on talking with my boyfriend, and I felt like I didn't even exist. I suppose that's what it's like living in a foreign country and not speaking the language.
