LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP (6000 miles)

Hi! My name is Juli, I'm 17 years old (about to turn 18) and I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Almost one year ago (January 2019), my school offered me the possibility of going on an exchange to another school from Portland, Oregon. With the support of my parents, I was able to go to the US, where an amazingly loving family hosted me for two months. I went to school, studied and improved my English. It was the best experience of my life. I made new friends, got to live in a new culture and learned so much about the world and even about myself.

It was then when I met Cian, a guy from a class lower than mine. We got along really well and eventually became very close. After I left and came back to Argentina, we kept talking, texting and video calling a lot. We eventually caught feelings for each other and started dating. We made each other so happy that the distance didn't even matter.

I started babysitting and working a lot and with some help from my family I was able to buy a plane ticket to Portland! I am currently in the US and I'll be here for a month and a half. I got here last week and this has been the best week of my life. All thanks to Cian. He's an amazing person, so sweet, so kind, understanding, smart, hilarious. We get along so well. I can really be myself around him, talk to him about anything, share everything with him. He makes me smile so much it's actually ridiculous. He makes me the happiest I've been in a while and I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have someone like him in my life... except that I know I will have to leave in a month.

The thought of leaving him is heartbreaking. The plan Cian and I have is to work as much as we can so we can buy a plane ticket for him to come to Argentina during his summer break and stay at my house. I know that when I get back to Buenos Aires I will keep babysitting and doing everything I can to make money, but it will be hard because I also have school and I'm really busy. It's also hard to make money in Argentina; for example, babysitting is usually around 3 dollars an hour. I still do it because I believe that everything counts. Cian will try to get a job too, but he's 16 so it's not easy to get one and he's also really busy with school.

All I know is that we will do everything we can to be together again. What Cian and I have is so amazing. Really, a dream come true. The very thought of him makes me want to dance and jump around. He really just takes the best out of me. We work so well together that I just have to fight for this.

I don't know if anyone is going to want to donate for our cause, and that's ok, but I just had to try. I will do everything I can to be with this person, I just have to.

I appreciate you reading our story! Thank you so much for your interest and for your help and I wish everyone good luck with their own projects and dreams :)