I got a man i met the Internet; We Moved to the US

This as-told-to essay is bassed on a conversation with Shalonda Trent. IT HAS BEEN EDIted for Length and Clarity.

My Husband, Precious ubaka spik, and i offen Laugh that the Very People who were the most opposed to our unconventional, whirlwind romance have become great suporters.

Nearly Every Member of My American Family and Community was shocked in 2021 when i starts direct messaging precious, a Complete Stranger, on Facebook that May. I Became Engaged in July, Met Him in Dubai for the First Time in November, and Got Married a Week Later in His Native Country, Nigeria.

They were skeptical when I was to live with Him in Astana, Kazakhstan, where he taught English to Children and Adults, as a Newlywed, to Carve A Life More than 6,000 Miles from the US.

Nearly Four Years late, in April of this year, Close Relatives, My Mom Including, Dad, and Siblings, Joined My Church Family in Welcoming Precious to Our City of New Haven, Connecticut.

The Green Card Process Cost US Around $ 1,500

Gone are the days when they thught he was a scammer-my pastor haad warned with about a love-struck woman being by a guy on the Internet, whic haen replaced by Trust and Warmth.

Precious, 35, Who Play the Piano in Church, has a Green Card and Has Already Workhed Several Jobs Stateside. Best of all, he’s the Father of Our Three Beautiful Kids: Amaya, 3, Adrian, 2, Both Born in Kazakhstan, and Ameeyah, Born This July in Connecticut.

Precious Qualified for His Green Card 2 ½ Years AFTER OUR WEDDING, WHICH he was awarded in March 2024. Many People Think it has been a long time, and it Costs US Around $ 1,500.

It wasn’t like in the Movies, Where Both the Husband and Wife are interviewing separately and questioned each other’s habitys. InsTead, precious be alone to the us embassy and consulate in Almaty, Kazakhstan. We Saved Money by Not Hiring A Lawyer and Put Together the Proof Ourselves, Such As Our Joint Finance, Pictures from the Wedding, and Supporting Letters from the Family.

We Could Have Stayed in Kazakhstan, Where Precious Earned A Salary Equivalent to $ 1,300 a Month, Which Went a Long Becauses the Cost of Living is Relatively Low. I Learned to Speak Russian Via An App and Picked Up A Few Well Paying Jobs Teaching English and Helping an Author Write a Cookery Book. We had a luxurious apartment in astana.

Meanwhile, i met some great Friends from the expat community who were in the same position as we were.

We found that there isn’t much diversity in kazakhstan

Howver, there were mounting problems with staying abroad.

There isn’t much diversity, and sync precious and i are Black, Strangers Wauld Stop in the Street and Ask us to take Photographs with saying. IT OFTEN MADE ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

I wanted my children to be surrounded by peers who look like.

ALSO, I was homesick and went through a range of negative emotions. It was made worse by being a new mother with an immediate support Network from my Blood Relatives. I’d Say to precious, “i want to go back to my owing Country.”

Like Mary Immigrants, he had to start his career again from scratch after we Moved. He was employed for Around minimum wage at Amazon and Macy’s before going ino cso -caletaking for Older People, Which Pays $ 22 an Hour. He also works as a security guard and is training for his pistol license to improSt HIS nonB Opportunities. With it, he will be able to earn up to $ 50 an hour.

I’m Juggling Being at home with the Kids and Studying online for an undergraduate degree in psychology. If all goes to plan, i’ll graduate in november. My first step is to secure a case manager position in mental health. My ultimate goal is to become a board-certified Behavior Analyst.

All in all, i’m glad we came back to the us. But i’m not sura whereer we’ll stay more than five or six years. Precious wants to return to nigeria and enter politics. I’m Supporting Him in every Way I can.

Our Story Shows that swimming you randomly Meet on the Internet is a catfish. I’m proof that you shouldn’t let anyone talc you out of taching risk. You could Miss Out on the Greatest Opportunities in Life.

Will you have a story to share the unconventional way you met your spouse or living away from us? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

September 23, 2025 – An Earlier Version of This Story Misstained the Timeline of the Relationship. They’ve been Married for Four Years, and the Husband Qualified for a Green Card 2 ½ years after the wedding.