The first time Anas and Hanna met was ostensibly to talk about work, as at the time both were working at schools. Meeting at Espresso Lab in Dabouq, the pair talked about everything but work. Hanna spent most of the 90-odd minutes untangling how she ended up spending her four years of high school in Jordan, and what drew her back for work. For his part, Anas talked about his family and friends — a clear indication of his sociable, caring nature. That Queen Rania showed up at the cafe signaled a positive omen to both — a royal blessing!

When they met, Anas was waiting for his visa to process so he could start his job in California. But, two months after Dabouq, it became clear that COVID was not a faraway threat, and Jordan implemented a strict lockdown nationwide, with the US Embassy halting all work indefinitely. As certain lockdown restrictions began easing, Anas and Hanna met more regularly for walks around the city, dinners with friends, games nights, and hikes in the north.

Finally, in December 2021, Anas received his long-awaited Embassy appointment and the promise of his visa. The two planned to keep in touch, but not long after Anas relocated, they realized that they couldn’t imagine the rest of their lives without one another.

Anas lives in Orange, California, where he works as Director of Social Innovation and Engagement at AccessCal Services, a service matcher and provider for refugees and recent immigrants. Born and raised in Amman, Anas is an avid traveler and has visited 34 countries and lived in four. Anas studied business in undergrad and completed a Master in Power, Participation and Social Change at the Institute of Development Studies as a Chevening Scholar. He has also lived in Tunis, Raleigh, and Washington DC, where he led educational projects with the US Department of State and as a Fellow at Duke University.

Hanna is a global citizen born and raised in Boston, MA. She spent her high school years at a boarding school in Jordan before completing her undergraduate degrees in social science and Middle East studies through the Dual BA Program between Columbia University in New York City and Sciences Po in Menton, France. Hanna is conversant in Arabic and French, and speaks some Spanish. She is currently working towards her Master in Migration Studies at the University of Oxford.