The Origins
- sandyena benyoussef
- Jul 12
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 22
When love is above and beyond, borders and traditions become bridges.
He’s from La Rioja. A farmer at heart. He grew up surrounded by vineyards, fruit trees, long family meals, and quiet siesta-time afternoons.He learned everything from the fields: when to trust, where to stand, how to grow ?
I’m from the banlieue sud of Tunis, the southern suburbs by the sea. I was raised in a big, lively, wild family, where jasmine bloomed on every balcony and no one ever whispered.Especially not me.
He had a calm childhood. Close to his grandparents. Part of a small, tightly connected family. Mine was a beautiful storm. Big, loud, chaotic, and full of life. We lost my dad early, so my mom stepped in with everything she had. She wanted us to be strong, loud, and free.
So she became the strongest one of all. We tried to help her, but we also drove her a little crazy from time to time. We still do.
He is shy, steady, deeply rooted in tradition, sometimes a little too stubborn though. I’m committed, daring, and (I’ll admit) sometimes a bit too emotional and moody. He grew up with grapevines and orchards; I grew up in the city, with jasmine in the air and sand in my shoes.
He thought women from my part of the world were quiet and modest. Instead, he got me, a proud Tunisian, independent, outspoken, strong. Sometimes loud.cAlways full of passion. I thought a Spanish man would be more easygoing and relaxed. But he turned out to be something better. Steady. Loyal. Quietly proud. Deeply rooted in his values. Not just traditional, but thoughtful, intentional, and full of quiet strength. Somehow, we’re exactly what the other needed.
He loves the scent of fresh earth, ripe fruit, and summer fields. I carry the salt of the sea, the sweetness of jasmine, and the warmth of amber. He brings peace; I bring energy. Together, we bring color.
We speak mostly in English. But Spanish slips out when he’s being sweet. Arabic bursts out when I’m feeling emotional. Some words don’t translate. So we just kept saying them, until they stopped needing translation.
We celebrate Christmas in Spain. We do Ramadan and Eid in our own way. We light candles. We break fasts with dates. We laugh about it all: The language mix-ups andprononciations, the spice levels, the habits we grew up with. Some things don’t always make sense to the other. But even more things do. We never tried to erase the differences. We just chose to build something from them.
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