EMIKO We met when we first started school at Hillsong College in July 2020. Because the Australian borders were closed, we both started our program online via zoom. I spotted Levi in one of our first classes that we had together. I thought he was super cute and nice, but not much more. I was in California, and Levi was in Illinois so no need to waste time on an online crush! But as time progressed, we began speaking more outside of our classes and found out we have similar humor. I really started to develop a crush now, but again.. too much distance and we hadn't even met in person. When September came around, Levi and I were in a class together and he told me he was coming to visit Los Angeles to see his best friend, Clay. The next week, he was in LA, so I drove down to see him. I was so nervous, but luckily Clay came along so I felt slightly less nervous. We all had a great time hanging out but afterwards, I felt sad I had to say bye to Levi! So when I got home, I asked if he wanted to get breakfast the next day. He said yes!!! We hung out and had a great time together. For some reason, I asked him if he wanted to come and stay at my house in Santa Barbara for a few days. (This was not crazy because we have a spare bedroom in the garage, and I lived with my mom at the time.) He said yes again! So the next week, he came and stayed with us for a couple days. I took him all around SB, and all we did was talk in really beautiful places around town. At this point, I thought to myself, "I think I really do like this guy.. he just lives so far away!" Eventually, he went back to Peoria, and I stayed in Santa Barbara. We started talking and calling almost every day. Then January 2021 came around. Levi was coming back to LA to see Clay again, and this was the first time we were going to see each other since September. Now I was super nervous because I didn't know if he liked me or not Long story short, he did and that trip we start officially dating! For one year, we did long distance. We would fly back and forth to see each other. It was super hard, and I cried a lot. Eventually, in January 2022, we both moved to Australia. We both found separate houses and places to live. We learned how to live with other people and how to do life with others besides just your family members. On Levi's 25th birthday in March 2025, he asked me to marry him! Now we can't wait to start our lives together, back in Santa Barbara where it all began and celebrate our love with all of you! Woohoo!!! <3 LEVI I don’t remember the first time we met online, but I do remember when we met in person. I was planning a trip to visit my friend in LA and I knew that Emiko lived nearby in SB so I said we should hang out. It was cool for all of our friends from school since we were the first people to meet from our online classes. After that we started talking a lot more and sending each other memes. I really liked talking to her but I didn’t think too much about it until the next time I came to visit, again to see my friend in LA but also spending more time with Emiko in SB. On our drive from LA to SB, we stopped on a beach to watch the sunset and then we sat there for a long time talking and star-gazing. THAT was when I really realized that I liked her and later during that visit I asked her to be my girlfriend. That was January of 2021 and we dated long-distance until we both moved to Sydney in January of 2022. We have now been together for almost 5 years and are super excited to come back to SB!