They say life writes the best stories, but mine felt more like a bittersweet tavern song that suddenly turned into an adventure movie.

It all started back in 2014 in our hometown. To be honest, my life back then was… turbulent, to say the least. I was torn between a demanding job and endless nights out with friends. The local bar was my second home, and the “good times” were my only constant. Deep down, though, I knew I was running in circles. I needed a change—a real escape route.

The Girl I Knew Was “The One”

In the middle of that chaos, I met her. It started as a simple friendship, which grew into a very close one. But here’s a secret: from the very first moment I laid eyes on her, I knew we were meant to be. While we were still just hanging out as friends, I could already see our future together.

When I finally decided to break the cycle and leave everything behind, I chose Malta. It was supposed to be my solo escape, but to my luck, she loved the plan and decided to join me. At that time, we were still “just good friends,” but Malta has a way of putting things where they belong. There, under the Mediterranean sun, our friendship finally bloomed into what it was always meant to be—love.

From Cruise Ships to “Stealing” the Bride

After Malta came a new chapter. She headed off to work on a cruise ship first, and through her persistence, she managed to land me a job on the same fleet. We hoped to be on the same ship, but destiny had other plans, and we spent a year working apart. However, the distance only made us stronger.

After a year at sea, I knew I couldn’t wait another second. I proposed. Everything happened so fast that I had this wild feeling: “That’s it, I’ve stolen her… she’s mine now!”

Norway: A New Beginning in the North

We eventually realized that ship life wasn’t a long-term plan, but we also knew that going back to our old lives wasn’t an option. Looking at maps and searching for a future, I honestly don’t know how, but we set our sights on Norway. After hundreds of job applications, one door finally opened.

Landing in Norway was a reality check. Life abroad isn’t just the beautiful photos you see on social media. It came with hardships—language barriers, the cold, and the struggle to integrate. We’ve overcome many obstacles, though some we are still fighting today (but that’s a story for another post).

Today…

Today, we are an unusually ordinary family with two beautiful little girls. Those late nights in the bar have been replaced by early mornings with my daughters. My “escape route” didn’t just lead me to a different country; it led me to a life that the man I was in 2014 could only dream of.

Welcome to my side of our story. As for Malta, the ships, and the Norwegian struggles… we’ll get to those soon.