Stuti Gokhale
TLC’s ’90 Days Fiancé: Before the 90 Days’ is a reality TV series that follows the journey of long-distance couples who are dating online but haven’t met in person. The American partner in the relationship goes to visit their better half abroad for the first time, to test their compatibility and bonding before deciding to apply for the K-1 visa and get their happily ever after. This special visa allows the foreign fiancés of US citizens to live in the country for 90 days and get married. A spin-off of the series ’90 Days Fiancé,’ the show first landed on August 6, 2017, and has entertained viewers ever since.
Season 5 of the series features seven such couples, Memphis and Hamza being one of them. Memphis is a 34-year old single mother living with her 14-year old daughter and 7-year old son in Muskegon, Michigan. The nurse practitioner had a traumatic past, including a divorce, failed relationships, and unstable childhood. In search of a real soulmate to finally settle with, she registered on an international dating website amid the pandemic in early 2021. After a series of failed romances, Memphis finally found her match in the handsome Hamza.
28-year old Hamza is a native of Kairouan, Tunisia. He felt an instant attraction for Memphis, who is six years older than him. As he is unable to speak in English, the couple communicated virtually via a language translator. After just a few months of texting and fun video calls to strengthen their bond, Hamza proposed to Memphis, and they got engaged. Despite the inhibitions of her close ones, Memphis finally decided to fly to Tunisia and test whether the man of her dreams is as good in reality too. So, does the couple have a future together? Here is what we can tell you!
Will Memphis and Hamza End Up Together?
Due to the travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19, Memphis had to wait a few months before she could finally go to Tunisia. This, as well as the language barrier, caused a lot of trouble between her and Hamza. The fact that her mother was skeptical about Hamza being from a different religion, as well as questions about introducing someone new to her kids, added to the doubts about their relationship.
Though Memphis wanted to get married right away on her trip to Tunisia, things weren’t so simple with Hamza. Their language differences often caused a strain in communication, as the essence of words often got lost in translation. The six-hour time difference didn’t help them either, and being diligent in giving each other time became harder. However, flirty conversations over FaceTime, as well as Hamza’s way with words, managed to sail their relationship through the lockdown.
Finally, when travel restrictions eased up, Memphis began preparing for her trip and was very nervous about meeting Hamza for the first time at the Tunisia airport. In an interview in December 2021, she admitted that it was nerve-wracking to travel due to the pandemic-imposed restrictions, and the issues with language added to the challenges. But more importantly, she was nervous about how she and Hamza would connect and if they would like each other when they actually meet in person.
However, the major problem was the cultural differences between Memphis and Hamza, which were realized upon their time in Tunisia. When Memphis expressed on the translator app that she wanted to discuss a prenuptial agreement, Hamza replied, “We don’t have prenuptial agreements in Tunisia.” The audience saw him further stating how he felt insulted about it, to which Memphis responded, “If you do not sign, I do not want to marry you.”
This caused a massive roadblock in the couple’s path down the aisle, and Hamza wished to take some time before he married Memphis. Understandably, it made her feel that her trust was being broken once again. It is but natural that past failures in love, as well as the introduction to a whole new cultural system, could cause trust issues to crop up between couples in a long-distance relationship. Moreover, the trip proved to be fruitful as Memphis felt that she learned to be more patient and understanding, which in turn helped her get to know Hamza better.
Memphis began noticing Hamza’s kind nature, as well as his efforts to win her trust. Small gestures like jumping in front of her to push her away from a speeding car may have also assured her of how serious Hamza was about her. Hence, we can hope that the couple’s mutual admiration for each other and their eagerness to get married may have helped them overlook the cultural disparities and language barriers to truly accept one another.
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