Anila & Erioni

From Fier to Pogradec, from Dortmund to Albania, and now together toward Düsseldorf: this is the story of Anila, 24, and Erioni, 29. They found each other on dua.com and chose to build a new life that could overcome the distance between them.

Anila is a hairdresser from Fier, a lively young woman who always wanted to see the world beyond her hometown. Her greatest dream was to find a love that would take her somewhere new—not only geographically, but emotionally too—and become the foundation of a different life.

Erioni, a qualified psychologist from Pogradec, had lived and worked in Dortmund, Germany, for three years. Calm and thoughtful, he wanted more than professional success. He hoped to meet an Albanian woman who would understand his traditions and culture without long explanations. “No one understands you like an Albanian woman,” he says. “It is not worth spending a lifetime trying to explain everything before you truly understand each other.”

Anila’s sister had heard of dua.com and had tried the app herself, although she had not found love there. When Anila said she was using it, her sister was skeptical at first. “Maybe you should not download it,” she joked, only half seriously.

Anila had already made up her mind. At first she treated the app like a game. “I enjoyed improving my profile, adding information and meeting new people,” she says with a laugh. She received plenty of likes and matches, but none of the conversations went beyond a few ordinary messages.

Then, on 18 February 2022, something felt different. Erioni’s profile appeared on her screen: complete, full of photos and serious without being dull. “He made an impression on me immediately,” Anila recalls. “I was attracted to him, but then I saw that he also wanted a serious, family-oriented relationship. We shared the same outlook on life.”

When Erioni wrote to Anila, he stood out from everyone else. It was not a routine compliment or a simple “How are you?” “He won my heart from his very first words,” Anila says, her eyes still lighting up at the memory.

After one week of chatting in the app, they moved to WhatsApp. Their conversations became a daily habit and their calls lasted for hours. Erioni was in Dortmund and Anila in Fier, with 2,000 kilometres between them, yet the distance seemed to shrink every time they spoke. “Somehow, it felt as if I had known him for years,” Anila explains.

“It was strange and wonderful at the same time. We spoke every day; he was genuinely interested and deeply committed.”

In May 2022, after two months of daily conversations, Erioni flew to Albania. Anila had told only her mother; her father and the rest of the family knew nothing. “The idea of dua.com was unfamiliar to them,” she explains. “I simply said we had met online, through social media.”

Their first meeting lasted only a few hours. Erioni had travelled to Fier especially for her but had to leave again soon. “It was full of emotion,” Anila remembers. “I knew he was the right person, but seeing him face to face and touching his hand gave me the confirmation I needed.”

After that, the visits became monthly. Erioni would fly from Germany or travel from Pogradec to Fier. “We were both working, so we could not meet more often,” Anila says. “But we spoke every day. He was mature and serious, and from the beginning we saw life in the same way.”

When Anila finally told her parents about Erioni in 2023, their reaction was not what she had hoped for. He lived in Germany, and even Pogradec was more than three hours from Fier.

“No, we do not like this relationship. It is too far away—even Pogradec, never mind Germany. No, it cannot work…”

Anila remained determined. “As much as I loved my parents, giving up my love for Erioni was never an option,” she says. Her parents soon realised that their daughter would not change her mind.

Then something beautiful happened: Erioni’s father came to Fier to meet Anila’s father. The two men sat down, talked and arranged a meeting for both families. The parents, initially doubtful, began to recognise the sincere love between their children.

On 28 December 2023, Erioni proposed and Anila said “YES” without hesitation. They married in an intimate civil ceremony on 16 September 2024. “We will have the wedding celebration later,” Anila explains. “I know exactly how I want it, but first we want to become settled.”

After the ceremony, they began living together in Pogradec. Erioni had already made a major decision: he gave up his life in Germany to be close to Anila. “He came back to Albania for me,” she says, gratitude clear in her voice.

Now they are preparing for another chapter. Erioni is waiting for a work visa for Düsseldorf, where his brother and sister live. “Economic opportunities in Pogradec are limited,” they explain. “We want to give our future children better opportunities than we had.”

Erioni will not work as a psychologist in Germany, a professional sacrifice he is willing to make for a better family future. “It is simply a sacrifice for our family,” he says. Anila looks at him with admiration. “It mattered to me to find a man who would keep me close, communicate openly and understand me. Erioni is all of that and more.”

What began as a “game” on an app became the love Anila had always dreamed of. “I downloaded dua.com because I wanted to see life beyond Albania and find love,” she admits with a laugh. “In a roundabout way, I achieved exactly that!”

Today, while they wait for the documents that will allow them to begin their new life in Germany, Anila and Erioni are happy and at peace. “We are creating something of our own,” Anila says. “A family, a future and a story different from those of our parents.”

For women who still hesitate to try online dating, Anila has a message: “It is a very safe platform. Above all, the app gives you complete control over your notifications and your interactions with other people. Do not be afraid to try—love may be only one match away.”

Erioni adds with his characteristic calm: “When you find the right person, distance becomes only a detail. We chose to build a good life—together.”