we met in a hostel travel couple

We met in a hostel. Almost 4 years ago to the day. When people ask how we met, I always follow it with a bit of a laugh because our story truly is ridiculous. We even laugh about it sometimes thinking, there’s no way that was us. But it was.

In 2013, my best friend and I decided we wanted to take a trip. Our first choice was Brazil but with the turmoil that was happening at the time we decided against it. I wasn’t a seasoned traveler at that point (am I even now? Who knows), so we settled on somewhere closer to home: California.

There was no real plan to our trip if I’m being honest. As a Type A personality, this is exceptionally rare for me. This is where I think fate started to set in. Actually I lied, we had two plans: spend our first weekend in Los Angeles and the second in San Francisco, everything in between was a mystery. Hell, we didn’t even have a car rental.

FInances as a couple we met in a hostel

we met in a hostel in california
we met in a hostel in california
Our first couple of nights were spent at USA Hostels Hollywood. My first time ever in a hostel. I wasn’t sure what to expect, my only impressions were from what I had seen in movies; lots of drinking, sex and bad food. However, Hostels Hollywood was far better than what I had envisioned in being. The front patio was very large with lounges set up on both sides, the rooms were clean and the security was tight. I was satisfied.

Our second night was a Sunday and the hostel was putting on a bar crawl. Ever eager to meet new people my friend and I signed up. Like any good bar go-er we couldn’t leave without a bit of a pre-drink so we ventured out to enjoy the patio and hopefully meet some new people. As I mentioned before there were two sides to the patio that were split by the main walkway. On one side there were two guys sitting by themselves and the other was almost already full.

Guess which side we chose?

I’ll never forget my first words to Ben because it truly was a testament to how much of an idiot I can be sometimes. After realizing he was English I preceded with: “Guess where we’re from?”

He looked at me like some kind of moron, “Canada.”

Looking back now I realize how dumb that was. What American would ask that to someone when they were in America? *face palm*. We got to talking about our travel plans, revealing we had none. When the boys mentioned they were heading down to San Diego next I jumped on the opportunity to see them again. Like the casual stalked I am (not really) I immediately booked my friend and I a room at their next location. Crazy? Probably.

Despite the stellar first impression, my friend and I spent the night laughing, dancing and drinking with Ben and his two friends.

The next day the boys were off and we said our goodbyes (obviously not for long). My friend and I took an interlude in Anaheim because we thought it would be a cool place to go. It’s not. Well, I’m sure it is if you plan on visiting Disneyland but we didn’t so that night sucked. Good thing I had great company.

We reunited in San Diego and spent two more days together filled with bull riding, shots, some surfing, beach going and a bit of karaoke. Somehow Ben took a liking to me. We vowed to stay in touch but I knew how these things worked and I wasn’t going to hold my breathe.

engagement photos at the university of TorontoElm hurst inn and spa

finances as a couple

It just so happened that this was the year Yosemite suffered their horrible forest fires. The boys had planned to make a trip through the National park on their way home but got turned around. I think this is what changed everything for us. Ben reached to see if we were still going to be in San Francisco and to see if we wanted to meet up. We were already on our way home. That text though, started a series of never ending messages.

Before we knew it, we were FaceTiming almost every night. Fast forward a month and I had logged so many FaceTime hours I swore my eyes were going to fall out of my head.

Only knowing each other a month but feeling like it had been years Ben took a leap of faith and booked a ticket to visit me in Canada. In the middle of winter. Now for those of you unfamiliar with the Toronto, or Canadian climate, the middle of winter is definitely NOT when you want to be visiting the country for the first time but he did. The trip was going to go one of two ways and we were both terrified. We met in a hostel only 4 months before and spent a total of 2.5 days together, that week could have gone horribly wrong.

It didn’t. It went far better than we could have imagined.

Ben was barely home before I immediately booked my flight to see him. Almost exactly four months later I was going to make the trek to see him, meet all of his friends and family and explore England for the first time.

During our waiting period Ben had the opportunity to apply for the U30 Work Permit – an agreement between common wealth countries that allow people under the age of 31 to move to a new country and work for a maximum of 2 years. We took the chance for him to apply thinking that if my trip went well he would move here.

building a personal brand

we met in a hosetl

It did, and he did. On June 19th, 2014 Ben landed in Canada for the first time as a resident. I would love to tell you that the preceding months were full of bliss and amazing times but they weren’t. We had spent a total of 10 days together in the 10 months we had known each other.

When he moved to Canada it made the most sense (for visa purposes moving forward) for us to live together from day 1. Those first months of him being in the country were the hardest months him, or I, have ever had to live through. He had no family, no friends and at first no job. The only tie he had to his new ‘home’ was me.

Every time he was upset, homesick or angry about not finding a job I couldn’t help but feel incredible guilt. It was my fault he was lonely, my fault he missed his family and my fault he had to quit his job and start over.

I often think back to those first few months and wonder how we got through it. But we did and now, we are getting married. In roughly 15 days (at the time of this publication). In 2 weeks I’ll be calling this man, who I met in a hostel, 4 years ago by fate, my husband.

I cannot wait.

we met in a hostel travel couple we met in a hostel travel couple

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41 Comments

  1. OMG I LOVE THIS!!! This is such a cute and beautiful story. I am so happy for y’all and wish you the best of luck! Love finds us at the most unexpected times! P.S. your photos are adorable!

  2. OMG OMG OMG this is such a crazy story! I also met my boyfriend in a hostel, we also moved in with each other after only spending like a couple of days together AND we’re also getting married soon!
    I’m so happy it worked out for you 2. It’s definitely a very special story and it made your relationship strong from the beginning.

  3. This is the absolute SWEETEST. While those first few months must have been tough, it’s so great to hear that you powered through. Congrats to both of you – it most certainly sounds like fate to me! 🙂

  4. Loooove love stories like these 💕 Husband and I met too when he went to my home country, and from then, our lives took a beautiful and sweet turn! I wish you all the love and happiness and best wishes to you 😘💕

  5. What a cool story! It reminds me a bit of me and husband as we only met briefly and then spent a total of maybe two weeks together over a few months before I moved where he lived. Crazy kids in love:)

  6. Awe what an AWESOME story of how you met, and how your relationship began! I always hope I’ll meet someone on the road as well, and this gives me so much faith that I will one day! Congratulations to both of you!!

  7. This is why I always go to the hostel pub crawl. Haha jk. I love this story. You just never know when and where you will meet someone.

  8. This is the sweetest love story I have read today. iI was just imagining how it would have been to meet someone in a hostel and eventually getting married. You both looked gorgeous together. Have a great married life ahead.

  9. I love your story. People would say that it is a match made in heaven but I think its a match made for travels. All the very best for your wedding and I hope you have years and years of fun and happiness together.

  10. Oh my gosh!! I just died. This story is beyond the sweetest thing ever!! I have had plenty of little flings over the years but never something that ended up sticking!! This so cute. Best of luck and congratulations!!

  11. Congrats! Actually I have a similar story, just that I had to move three times and my boyfriend decided to leave everything he has and come with me every single time.
    That feeling of guilty will never go away until he says “honry, I am happy here with you!”…followed by “I hope you don’t plan to move again “

  12. Oh gosh I can so relate!! I met my husband in a hostel too and we did the same thing – visit each other and spend only like two weeks together over months and months and yet we were in a serious relationship. People couldn’t understand it, but it happens! And when you know, you know 🙂 we got married three years ago and we also were from two different countries (I’m American and he’s British as well) so we chose to do a working holiday in Australia and ended up living in Germany for over a year. We’re now in the process of getting him a Green Card. I’m so happy for you!! Such a lovely story and I’m so glad that it all worked out for you 🙂

  13. Aww. What a cute story. Actually, the story of me and my boyfriend is pretty similar. Just that I was the one moving to his country. I am happy that it worked out for you guys so fine and I hope you have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of. Thanks for sharing this story.

  14. Wow this is similar to our story. I went backpacking in 2013 and stayed in a hostel is Brisbane. I met Zen who was working there and Australian himself. I met him at a social event one evening and got talking. The next few nights we met up and went to the hostel. I went traveling for a few months but we txted and called each other everyday. When my visa ran out I was gutted. I went home for eight months until I saved enough money to return. We had four awesome months together until he moved to the uk. We have known each other for almost four years and been married for 7 weeks. Best trip and experience of my life and found my husband and best friend X

  15. Congratulations you two! My story is very similar to yours! I have met my boyfriend, and since few days now fiance in a hostel in Quito in Ecuador 5 years ago. I am Polish and he is English. We have spent a month volunteering there together before we went separate ways. 7 months later we reunited in Berlin, Germany and since then have lived two years in Berlin, 1 year in NZ, 6 months in Australia and now 1 year in Canada! Love these kind of stories! I can relate to it very well.

  16. Marta what a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing 🙂 It’s always so nice to know that you’re not alone in these kinds of situations. There really are so many people that go through what you do and you don’t realize it until you share your story. Our second choice for our honeymoon was Ecuador actually lol – so amazing that you two have traveled and lived in so many places as well x

  17. Marta that’s so amazing to hear what an amazing story. Yours definitely seems more adventurous than ours – how lucky you’ve been to live and travel in so many different countries. Where are you living in Canada now?

  18. Omg Chloe that story is incredible! I’m so happy it worked out for the two of you and now you are blissfully married. It’s so refreshing to hear of other people doing the same thing we did. We don’t really have anyone in our network who’s done something so crazy so it’s nice to know we aren’t the only ones lol

  19. It was the best wedding, thank you. Isn’t it always nice to hear of other people living through something similar?

  20. What a beautiful story Hannah! I think it makes your relationship so much stronger when you have the opportunity to actually get to know somebody first with no other distractions around you. Just you and a computer. I love hearing love stories like this too, it makes you realize that you aren’t as crazy as everyone else thinks you are lol. Good luck with the Green Card 🙂

  21. Three times! You’re crazy girl 😉 Whereabouts were you moving around too? He definitely sounds like a keeper though, hold on tight.

  22. I love that term Penny! “A match made for travels” how cute. Thank you so much for your well wishes and thank you for stopping by!

  23. Thank you so much for your kind words, how lovely! One day, maybe on a significant anniversary I want to go back to that hostel and tell them our story lol

  24. LOL! So true though. Sometimes it’s in your best interest to get WAY outside of your comfort zone to see what happens 😉

  25. Thank you so much! Like I said it’s not easy but if you find that one person, it sure as hell is worth it. I hope you find your person on the road someday soon 🙂

  26. Yes! What a cute story Michelle – where did you meet? I would love to know how long you’ve been together now 🙂

  27. THanks Iva! I’m so glad you and your husband have a similar love story, how adorable. How many years have you been together now?

  28. How wonderful! Whereabouts in Canada is she getting married? I may be biased but it is a wonderful country to get married in 😉

  29. Cristina! YES! haha so glad we aren’t the only crazy ones! Thank you for reading our little love story. I bet it’s made your relationship strong as well. It’s amazing what you can find out about someone when you only have a phone or video chat.

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