From Lima to Jerusalem, with love!

Two years, 7 months and a few days ago I was at the Israel Museum exploring it at my own pace when I ran into a sign that didn’t have a translation, needed help and this cute Israeli guy was standing nearby. Yes, I asked him for help and from that moment we never stopped talking and asking each other things.

I came to Israel for a year, to pursue my MA at Tel Aviv University, I was pursuing the unknown in the Holy Land. My plan was to go back to Peru, gain more experience, pay off my student loans and move abroad to Europe or Asia to keep studying – once a nerd, always a nerd, but the boy in the museum had different plans for me, for us.

This relationship has become something to write a book about, we have survived a pandemic, he crossed the world when flights were super restricted in both of our countries and we said I do like we had planned from the beginning, in front of the Peruvian law and the Christian community I am part of — blessed be the Zoom for making everyone part of both things.

If you would have asked me 5 years ago where would I see myself today, being married to an Israeli man and starting a new chapter of my life in Jerusalem was definitely not an option, but life works in mysterious ways, right?

What have I learned in my first days as a wife in Jerusalem? Life is not easy, but it is also not as hard as you think when you have the right partner next to you. I have 203471293 challenges ahead of me until I am officially part of this land, but in the meantime, I go around walking under the rain, smiling to people through my big brown eyes, petting all the dogs I cross ways with and hunting for the best hummus and savich in town.

I came from Lima, the flat city with little rain but tons of culture, hidden spots and wild busses rides. I have landed in Jerusalem, the hills-everywhere city, with rain like floods but tons of history, hidden food spots and start-ups everywhere.

I came from South America to the Middle East, to keep conquering hills and flat spots, to create a family, to write new stories, to share with whoever reads me all the love and lessons I am experiencing. This time, I am here to stay.