Once upon a time, Natasha wasn’t exactly sold on the idea of finding true love on Tinder. She saw it more as a place for algorithm-driven matches rather than genuine romance. But fate had other plans.

Natasha, a Russian newcomer to the Netherlands, and Jarco, a tall Dutchman, crossed paths thanks to Tinder. Despite hitting it off, they faced a seemingly insurmountable obstacle: Natasha’s uncertain future in the country and Jarco’s NATO commitments. So, they settled on being friends.

As Jarco dated other girls and Natasha fought Dutch bureaucratic battles, they stayed in touch and checked on each other once in a while. But something clicked between them whenever they exchanged texts. Then, fate intervened in the form of a heavy sofa from an online marketplace.

Natasha needed help getting the bulky furniture up to her third-floor apartment (up the tricky Dutch stairs!), and who else but Jarco, the knight in shining armor, came to her rescue? It was a moment that sparked something deeper between them.

This “sofa” (which Jarco insisted on throwing away, by the way) made them realize, that life is too short for such excuses as “NATO” or “Russian”. They decided to take a chance on love.

And from that moment on, their love story unfolded—one filled with laughter, tears, and yes, even two shots of vodka.