PANDEMIC LOVE

While a world-wide pandemic raged in 2020, towns, cities and countries were shut down and borders were closed. Yet a simple comment on a Facebook photography group from a young woman in Argentina – "I'm bored" – would eventually lead to a connection across continents, an online marriage and her eventual relocation from Argentina to a rural Nebraska community.

It was July 2020 and Argentina was experiencing its longest pandemic shutdown, 10 months. At 1 in the morning, Daiana Congett was simply "bored" and looking for "someone who was awake and that I could talk to."

A member of the same Facebook photography group, Jackson Greene, a truck driver, responded with a message to Daiana, it must have been love at first message because after 10 days the messages turned into weeks of video chats, and finally even a video introduction to Jackson's mother in August of 2020.

Their love blossomed as the video chats continued, and they yearned for the day they could meet face to face. However, the pandemic had other plans with everything, including the borders of Argentina being closed. A physical meeting seemed impossible, unless they took a leap of faith and got married.

Thinking that the pandemic had eased a bit, Daiana's video chat partner made plans to travel to Argentina in January 2021, but the president of Argentina announced continued travel restrictions.

It was time to think outside the box. If they were married, Jackson would be allowed to come into the country to visit his wife. So, an online marriage through the state of Utah was planned, and it was, Daiana says, "completely legal." Still, Daiana admits that her grandma "thought I was crazy."

On January 26, 2021, Argentina's Daiana and Kimball County's Jackson Greene were united in marriage on Zoom. The officiant asked everyone to mute their microphones and silence their phones for the ceremony. In her introduction, she said the meeting of Jackson and Daiana was "a perfect accident."

The couple exchanged wedding vows in English and Spanish in front of family and friends who attended the wedding via Zoom. The guests lit candles when the couple read their vows.

During the ceremony, the bride was seated between her father and a photo of her mother, who had passed.

Finally, the day arrived when Jackson could travel to Argentina. Their first meeting was a momentous occasion, a testament to their love and resilience. The event was not just a personal milestone but also a media spectacle in Daiana's hometown of 100,000 people. Jackson stayed for three months, immersing himself in Daiana's culture and getting to know her family, living with his new bride.

The next step in their journey was for Daiana to join Jackson in the United States. However, this was not a straightforward process. It involved several steps, including a seven-month approval process from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, a three-month visa application process from the National Visa Center that included producing civil and financial documents, and a month to arrange an interview at the U.S. embassy. In addition, Daiana had to undergo 12 immunizations before her entry into the United States.

Despite these challenges, their love and determination prevailed. The embassy interviewer remarked, "It must be true love."

In July of 2022, Jackson returned to Argentina to escort his wife, Daiana, back to the United States with her two-year visa and a green card.

As they settle into their new life together, the couple is looking forward to their future. Daiana is applying for permanent residency and a 10-year visa. Jackson continues to drive a truck. Daiana pursues her writing and singing career. And their love conquered the pandemic and the shutdowns.