How I met my best friend

in #portraitphotography6 years ago (edited)

There is nobody that can replace a best friend. Not a partner, a parent, a brother or a sister is capable of solely fulfilling that massive role. I have relocated too many times across continents and so, naturally people have come and gone. I like to think that all of these encounters have had a meaning and purpose and that they were all somehow very important for the time being, whether I've realized it or not. This life is all about connecting. And I am so happy that fate connected me to this amazing human being at the age of 30, when most people don't usually expect such important relationships to happen.

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My friend Blair in Doubtful Sound, NZ - it was very cold and we were drinking hot cocoa non-stop

Here is the story! I hope it can inspire you to stay open to possibilities and to allow yourself the space to connect the signs when they appear in your life

My husband and I had just moved to Singapore after spending a month in Andalucia, Spain couchsurfing the whole way! We were so grateful for all the wonderful people that hosted us open-heartedly and made our holiday so much fun, that when we moved to Singapore, we decided to give back to the community and so we opened our home to couchsurfers. Accommodation in Singapore is quite expensive, so the number of requests per day was mind-blowing. It was like a part-time job going through all the daily requests and replying to each and one of them. We only hosted on weekends, once or twice a month. We wanted to be able to spend some time with these people, cook for them and above all, we wanted to invite only travelers that seemed interesting and that we could potentially connect well with. Their profile reviews as well the quality of their request was always the determining factor for us.

We met so many beautiful people with incredible stories during these 2 years, some of whom we have also later visited in their hometowns or in other countries. But there was this one time when I guess the universe was aligned so perfectly for this specific encounter to happen...

We had already accepted a couple who had sent us a very lovely request when suddenly my husband insists that I should read this new request that has arrived for that same weekend. I shook my head several times saying that it didn't matter, that we had to honor who we had already invited. But my husband insisted, so I finally gave in and read the message. It said:
"Hey, I think my girlfriend went to high-school with your girlfriend in Albania. Hope you can host us"

Normally, I would never accept someone with such a short, dry and careless request. Heck, we were not a free hostel. Try to impress us a little, hey? But, this was sounding so intriguing to me: to meet someone from my own country through couchsurfing, so far away in Asia, and with whom I apparently went to high-school? Who was this person? I looked at the pictures and the name but I couldn't recognize her. Suddenly, I was VERY excited and for the first time ever we cancelled on our already accepted guests. I am very thankful that I went against my own standards to allow these events to unfold.

They arrived with giant beer bottles from Cambodia as a present (super score!), a very charming personality and many stories to share with us. We spent 3 wonderful days around Singapore getting to know each other and learned that we had so much in common. This couple were on a journey around the world, which was soon ending and they were on their way to relocating to NZ. They had both been working as CPAs in the US (just like me) and had quit their jobs on the same exact day as myself (Sept. 10th, 2012) to start their trip around the world (whereas I moved to S. Korea on that same day). The boys were both from the Midwest and Blair and I were both from Albania and although from different regions, we went to the same high school. Whoa! There was so much excitement those days and so much to share. Of course, similarities mean nothing if that special connection between people is not there. But then and there a friendship and a special bond was born. I found my best friend, when I wasn't even looking for her. We had never exchanged any words together back in high school because we attended different classes, but that's ok, because it was meant to happen this other way.

Fast forward some years later and these people have become like family. I couldn't imagine my life anymore without them in it. Although at different corners of the world, for the past 4.5 years, we all have made a constant effort to see each-other. We went to visit them in their new home in NZ and traveled with them through both islands. We went to their wedding in Bali and later traveled together to Albania. And all thanks to traveling, to couchsurfing and saying "yes" to a strange and non-friendly request.

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Blair & I in trekking in Albania

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The four of us in Albania

Thanks for reading!! What do you guys think of Couchsurfing? Have you ever tried it or does that seem too sketchy? Have you had any good or bad experiences by hosting or staying with strangers? Let me know what you think :)

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Amazing story. Kind of reminds me of you... Or what would have been if I had given you a chance if I was not sick of Albanians then... :)LOL

Amazing story! The universe does works in mysterious ways!
I have never tried couch surfing but now I am intrigued :)

Oooo you should give it a try! From a guest's prospective, I would have loved to stay and help out in a farm for a couple of days and really get to experience that kind of lifestyle in Crete. But if you don't have the time to host, you could try to be a guest when you travel!

Maybe I will. Thank you!

That's such a cool story! I have a couchsurfing account but I've never tried, also I can never host someone because I'm usually out working/touring, thus the house is always alone. Not to mention that my city doesn't have that much requests anyway.

I'll leave you with yet another quote by my favourite writer xD

Whoever has a friend, even though only one, no matter where you are, you'll never be alone, you'll never suffer loneliness; You may badly miss him/her, but you'll not be alone. - Amyr Klink

Thanks Arthur! I love it when you share your quotes and I appreciate your incredible wisdom!
You should still give it a try as a guest sometimes, since it doesn't seem like you can host. Some countries though have more of a couchsurfing culture than others.

Thank you for the compliment Flo, but naaah it's internet that makes me wiser hahahahahaha, in person I'm not I guess.

I should definitely try couchsurfing, so much to learn from others.

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