evablake

You are sitting on your old blue sofa right now. It is exactly 10:22 PM on a Tuesday. The rain is hitting the window in a steady rhythm. You have your phone in your hand and you are feeling a little bit bored. You are about to make a mistake that will turn out to be the smartest thing you ever did. You think you know what you want. You think you have a specific type. You are wrong.

In about five minutes, a profile will pop up. Her name is Eleni. She lives in Limassol, which is thousands of miles away from your small apartment. You will see her photo and think she is beautiful. But then you will see the distance. You will tell yourself that long distance is too hard. You will prepare to swipe left and move on to someone who lives in your own zip code.

The slip of the thumb

Your thumb is going to move, but the screen is a bit greasy from the sandwich you just ate. Instead of swiping left to dismiss her, you will accidentally swipe right. Your heart will jump for a second. You will feel a tiny flash of annoyance because you cannot undo it. Relax. That little slip is the start of a three year story that is still going.

I spent some time looking at https://www.vinoptima.co.nz/dating/cypriot-women-dating.html because I wanted to understand the culture of the Mediterranean better before I sent that first message. You should pay attention to the details there. It helps to know about the importance of family and the slow pace of life in Cyprus. You will find that these women value honesty and directness.

Stop worrying about the distance. The world is much smaller than you think when you find someone who actually listens to your stories.

What you need to remember

You are going to use the detailed search filters to look at her interests. You will see she likes hiking in the Troodos Mountains and she enjoys cooking for her friends. Don't just look at the pictures. Read the words. She spent time writing that profile.

1. She responds to your first message in 14 minutes.
2. She asks you about your favorite book instead of just saying hello.
3. She has a laugh that sounds like music even over a bad internet connection.

You will spend the next 4 months talking every single night. You will learn about halloumi cheese and the heat of the Cypriot sun. You will use the direct messaging feature on the site to share photos of your morning coffee and her sunset walks. You will realize that the distance is just a number.

The first real meeting

You will book a flight for July 12th. You will be nervous. You will stand in the airport in Larnaca with sweaty palms. When you see her standing by the exit, you will realize that the wrong swipe was the only right choice you made that year. She will be wearing a yellow dress and holding a small bottle of water for you because she knows you hate being thirsty after a flight.

A few pieces of advice for you

• Do not overthink the first message. Just be yourself.
• Use the extended search to find people who share your weird hobbies.
• Be patient. Sometimes the best people are far away.
• Keep your screen clean so your thumb doesn't slip, but if it does, embrace it.

You are going to learn that Cypriot culture is built on warmth. You will be invited to dinners with 20 people. You will eat more olives than you thought possible. You will feel more at home in a city you never planned to visit than you do in your own hometown.

Everything starts with that one accidental movement of your hand. Do not delete the app. Do not get discouraged when the first few chats go nowhere. There are 7 billion people on this planet and one of them is waiting for you to make a mistake on your phone screen. You are about to be very happy. Just wait and see.

The rain is still falling on your window. Your phone is buzzing. Pick it up. Your future is about to start with a single notification. Be brave enough to say hi first. You will not regret it.