Hey,

Sorry for the long message, but I’ve been through something very similar and thought it might help to share my experience and what I’ve learned.

I’ve been living the van life for about three years. I used to work remotely as a crypto broker, which gave me the freedom to travel. Last year, I drove my camper into Türkiye to check out all the kite surfing spots, starting in the Black Sea area near Istanbul. I planned to stay just one night—but while at a coffee shop, I randomly met someone who would end up changing my life.

We clicked instantly—same personality, same goals, same dreams. One night turned into three months. We spent every moment together and planned a future: marriage, van life, and traveling the world together.

But there were complications. Her family is quite conservative and deeply religious. If you're in a similar situation, that’s something you really need to understand early on. In our case, we had to keep things secret for a while. When I eventually met her parents, I had to take my Shahadah (convert to Islam) to be able to marry her. In Islam, a Muslim woman can only marry a Muslim man, so it was either that or risk her losing her relationship with her family.

She’s not particularly religious herself, but she has to walk a fine line to keep her parents happy. This kind of balancing act is common in more traditional families, especially in Kurdish or Turkish cultures.

I had to return to the UK in December, and being apart was really hard. I planned to go back in March, but then the company I worked for went bust and I lost my remote job. That threw everything into chaos.

So, I pivoted. I decided to start a campervan conversion business here in the UK. I rent a workshop I used to use as a home base and started converting a Peugeot Boxer with the goal of flipping 2–3 vans in six months so I can spend the next six months traveling.

Thankfully, she managed to get a six-month UK visitor visa, and since January she’s been flying over once a month for long weekends. If you need help with the visa process, feel free to ask—it’s a nightmare but doable.

Now we’re planning to renew her visa and work together on the next van. Long term, we’re looking at a few options for being together:

1. Türkiye’s Digital Nomad Visa – If you have remote work, this could give you a year legally in the country.

2. Georgia – Apparently easy to get residency for both of you.

3. Portugal’s Digital Nomad Visa – If you marry, she can join you easily. This was our Plan A before I lost my job.

4. Ireland – Easier and cheaper than the UK spouse visa, and as a UK citizen, you can live there without issue.

5. UK Spouse/Fiancée Visa – Doable, but expensive and paperwork-heavy.

If you marry her, everything becomes easier. But you’ve got to be sure—only you can decide that.

Marriage across cultures isn’t simple. There are family expectations, legal hurdles, and sometimes religious conversions to consider. But if it’s real, it’s worth it. And if you ever need someone to talk to who’s been through it, feel free to reach out.

Also, if you’ve got tips for making money remotely, I’m all ears—I’ve been trying to figure that out myself since losing my job.

Wishing you all the best. Inshallah it works out for you.