The Love Story behind Daffee
We are Rahaf and Tamim, we're originally from Syria and met through Facebook. While I was still in Syria and Tamim in Turkey, Tamim posted some tips on a Facebook group for Syrian job seekers looking to improve their resumes and conduct job interviews. I saw these tips and asked him if he could help me find a job.
When Tamim saw my resume, he fell in love instantly!
Then we started talking and the sparks flew.
After many online conversations and video calls, Tamim proposed to me. I said yes, and that's how we got engaged, without seeing each other in real life.
But the question was, with all the challenges we faced like war and visa problems, how could we meet as soon as possible in real life?
Meeting through Facebook and falling in love
The online engagement party photo, 2016
Bumps in the Road
We got engaged in 2016 but Tamim couldn't go back to Syria for his own engagement party and I couldn't travel to Turkey because of visa problems. We both wore our engagement rings without being together and celebrated the engagement over Skype.
There were many challenges later on. We wanted nothing more than to build a future together. After my Turkish visa was rejected, I decided to apply for a scholarship and go to Spain to complete my Master's degree. Two and a half years later we still hadn't seen each other in real life, because my attempt to get a Turkish visa was rejected for the fourth time! This just felt unfair. It seemed like it was impossible, given the circumstances, that we would ever really be together…
Love knows no Boundaries
We didn't give up. To be able to be together one day and build our future, I decided to go to the Netherlands and apply for asylum there. I completed my Master's Thesis from the refugee camp and felt sad that I couldn't share and celebrate this big step with Tamim.
Tamim couldn't wait any longer and used all his savings to finally meet me in person. He found his way to the Netherlands via Greece and Belgium. At the gate of the refugee camp, we met for the first time. So in March 2019, after 3 years of online contact only, we were able to hug each other for the first time. Finally!
Since then, a lot has happened, and as a loving couple, we are working together on our own company FirstDate and we make a coffee alternative. We have big plans and surround ourselves with a group of people who support us to make our dreams come true.
