By that point in our relationship, Al and I recognized that we live completely opposite lifestyles at home. I like creature comforts and wanted my dream lakeside home in Portugal. Al was interested in becoming even more self-sufficient, living off-grid if possible. Al already owned about an acre of land in Portugal. He put a yurt on the land, and now lives there without running water and with only limited solar power.
I thought he would remain simply "first," but we're happily in love nine years later. Yet, there's one big milestone that we haven't reached: our first time living together. Unlike most couples, we've never shared a space for more than a few weeks. People are always shocked when they hear how long we've been together. The first question they usually ask is, "Why hasn't he proposed yet?" Their eyes widen even more when they find out I'm not going home to him.
