Note: Hey guys! I am SO sorry I’ve been away this long, it’s partly work overload, family obligations (since I’m the new bride and have to do those 10 fold now) and just pure procrastination – I’m not gona lie. BUT I’m back now and shall continue the story, speeding it up a little so I can give you the updates in real time because A LOT is happening these days!
So where have we left off? Ahh yes, Yassine met my parents and everything went fine and dandy. After that miraculous December, Yassine had the green light to come visit more often (with my parents knowing about it this time, of course.)
He came almost every other month and it was a blast. I loved planning new things for us to do every time he came to make him feel special, and make the weekends he came to spend here worthwhile.
So we did everything from sand boarding to horse riding to family lunches and dinners on the Nile to weekend trips to Sokhna with our friends. I’m usually the last person to be up for all that touristy stuff, but surprisingly I was enjoying doing it this time for Yassine.
All those happy months went by, and I began to feel guilty that he was making all these trips, taking leaves from work and paying all these expenses from his salary just to come see me. Meanwhile, Miss Desert Princess over here didn’t try to go visit him once!
But all my Egyptian/Arab girls would understand that it’s not that easy to go tell your parents that you want to visit your boyfriend in a foreign country, and it’ll just be the two of you!
But Yassine was beginning to get tired as well, so I had to think of something. And I found the solution: Make it out to be the do or die trip of the century and amp up the drama.
I approached my mom and dad, saying that for me to decide whether I want to marry this guy or not, I need to see his friends, where he lives and closely examine his lifestyle; otherwise I’m just jumping in the water with no lifeline!
And the shocking moment came when my dad was the first to blurt, “You’re right, I agree.” What! I seriously had to focus to contain my excitement.
My mom was in shock as well, and the look she gave me screamed, “You lucky ***!”
But after talking it through with them some more, I was actually convinced about the reason for this trip.
Yassine had come here several times, seen my whole family, all of my friends and my house. And I hadn’t seen anything of the sort on his side. Sarah and I saw him in Paris, but he doesn’t live there so we only met two of his friends and the rest of the time went on our merry tourist ways.
So the idea grew in my head, but of course it wasn’t as dramatic as I made it out to be in front of my dad so he’d agree for me to go (teehee).
Weeks passed and I was on my way to Luxembourg, where Yassine works and lives with his two roommates.
I didn’t even know where that country was, I literally thought it was in France (so embarrassing). It’s tiny, tucked away between Germany, Belgium and France and as soon as we stepped out of the airport, I could feel the aristocratic, European air.
But I liked it! You feel classy although you’re not from there. There were the typical tiny European smart cars everywhere, small colorful buildings and marble alleyways, trees and greenery for miles and, of course, cafes on the road.
We went right away to meet Yassine’s roommates. They were super cool, funny and of course super French (you’re welcome, Thibo). Thibo, Yassine’s roommate, was especially excited since they’re pretty close and have a little bromance going on, which I find hilarious.
We all hung out at a café/bar and I met the rest of Yassine’s work friends, who were very nice and friendly, and again very French. That’s actually when I realized that I needed to take French class seriously so I didn’t look like the freak who smiled pointlessly at anything that was said in French.
The rest of my week there had that same chill, relaxing vibe, and Yassine planned amazing things for us to do (he worked hard to try and beat the activities I used to plan for him during his visits to Egypt!) and for me to get to know Luxembourg.
We went walking around the city, sightseeing, hung out at cute little cafes, made dinners at home for his friends, went to some crazy nightclubs and went skiing (my favorite activity – not. I cannot tell you how sore my butt was from all the falls I took).
It was definitely one of the best weeks we spent together. I got to spend time with his friends and actually see what his daily routine was like instead of reading about it on Whatsapp and having to imagine it.
I definitely felt more at ease after that. Towards the end of the trip, Yassine’s dad gave us a call to check up on us and exclaimed that he couldn’t wait for us all to meet.
Well, that meeting was going to be sooner than later, only a few months away in fact, and I was completely lost in this dream holiday that I had no idea how close it was and the amount of planning I’d have to do.
WE SAID THIS: Check out the entire Diaries of a Bride to Be series here!