Ariela and Biniyam: Our Journey So Far

Take a look back at Ari and Bini's 90 Day Fiance journey from the beginning.

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Photo By: Mansi Midha

Photo By: TLC

We first met Ariela (Ari) and Biniyam (Bini) on Season 2 of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way. Following her divorce, Ari left New Jersey to travel the world. She locked eyes with Bini on the streets of Ethiopia while she was waiting for a taxi, and the pair quickly hit it off. After three months of dating, Ari was pregnant!

Ari returned to the United States for prenatal care, but planned to fly back to Ethiopia for the birth of her child.

However, the mom-to-be's plans deeply concerned her family. They questioned Ari's choice to move back to Ethiopia and wondered if Bini was ready for fatherhood.

Meanwhile in Ethiopia, Bini had reservations of his own. His ex-wife was also American and when things didn't work out, she left Ethiopia with their son. Bini hoped he wouldn't have that same experience with Ari.

Ari and her mother, Janice, flew to Ethiopia and met Bini at the airport. After months apart, the couple finally reunited!

Bini took Ari and Janice on a tour of the new apartment, but it wasn't quite finished yet — nor was it safe for a baby.

Seeing the Ethiopian hospital made Ari and Janice feel more at ease. Janice (who worked as a nurse) was impressed by the equipment, cleanliness, and friendly staff. Ari's dad, Fred, was also a doctor, so finding a great hospital for their daughter was a necessity.

Ari, Janice, and Bini met with Bini's family. His siblings, Mimi, Wish, and Yosef, voiced their concerns about Bini's past and his relationship with Ari.

Bini had several jobs, including a dancing gig at a nightclub. He invited Ari and Janice to watch him do his thing. Although the moves were entertaining, Ari and Janice weren't pleased that Bini's dance partner was his ex-girlfriend.

The couple met with a priest to discuss their baby's baptism. They learned that Ari would have to convert from Judaism to Christianity in order to raise their child in the church. Ari knew that this would make Bini happy, but she felt conflicted about converting.

It was time for Janice to leave Ethiopia and fly back to America. The separation would be hard, but Janice believed that her little girl was in good hands.

With the baby on the way, Ari felt more stressed out than ever. She felt lonely in Ethiopia and wanted Bini to find a more child-friendly apartment for their growing family. Time was running out, but there was so much left to do.

After a routine ultrasound, the doctors told Ari that her fluid was too low. They performed a c-section that day.

Two days after the couple's son, Aviel (Avi), was born, it was time to take him home. Unfortunately, they didn't have a car seat, so Ari insisted that Bini carry the newborn to their apartment.

Welcome home, Avi!

Bini wanted to have Avi circumcised, but Ari didn't want their son to feel any pain. Ari got cold feet at their first appointment and took off with the baby. Eventually, the couple went through with their son's circumcision.

The new mom confronted her partner about some suspicious phone calls he received. She went through his phone and demanded answers, but he didn't have any to share with her.

Ari's parents came to Ethiopia to see their new grandson for the first time. However, Bini left the family several times to work extra hours and bring in more money. This angered Ari, but she and Bini didn't let their issues affect the time they had with Fred and Janice.

Despite Ari's initial discomfort, little Avi's baptism went perfectly. The proud parents wrapped their baby in injera (Ethiopian flatbread) for wealth and good fortune.

After everything they went through, the couple still loved each very much. If anything, their struggles brought them closer to one another. And so, Bini proposed to Ari at the Timkat celebration!

Ari and Bini returned for the third season of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way.

Ari invited her ex-husband, Leandro, to visit her, Bini, and baby Avi in Ethiopia. Ari enjoyed his company and the gifts he brought over from America — especially the bras.

Meanwhile, Bini was bothered by the situation and tried his best to keep it together. He felt threatened by Leandro's presence and his close relationship with Ari.

Bini sparred with Leandro and things got intense!

Dinner with the exes? Ari and Bini invited Leandro and Bini's ex-girlfriend, Tsion, to a restaurant and discussed how their previous relationships ended. Needless to say, it was a bit awkward.

After Leandro left, Ari and Bini had a heart-to-heart. Bini explained that he was used to bottling up his emotions and said it was hard to communicate his feelings. He revealed that he was afraid of losing Ari, but she reassured him. They decided to work on strengthening their relationship.

Ari, Bini, and Avi participated in a holy water ceremony.

Avi was diagnosed with a hernia and needed to have surgery as soon as possible. Ari wanted to fly to the United States to schedule the surgery and use insurance, but Bini was hesitant about the idea. He worried that Ari would leave with their baby and never come back — just like his ex-wife did.

The couple video chatted with Ari's mom so she could mediate their conversation. Janice reminded Bini that it wasn't fair to carry the trust issues from his past relationship into his relationship with Ari. Although Bini still wasn't crazy about Ari taking Avi to America for surgery, Janice's words helped. Ari promised Bini that she'd return to Ethiopia and flew to the United States with baby Avi.

The mother and son arrived in New Jersey and Ari's family tried to convince her to raise Avi in America. Ari had already applied for Bini's K-1 visa, but the embassy closed due to the pandemic. She knew that Bini didn't want to leave Ethiopia, but she wanted them to have options.

Ari became frustrated when Bini turned his phone off. She confronted him on a video call and they tried to hash it out. Although Bini agreed to leave his phone on, the distance was already creating a strain on their relationship.

Later on, the couple had another difficult video chat. Bini's friends and family sent Ari concerning texts saying that Bini was having people in and out of their home in Ethiopia. She was able to see his photos as well since their phone storage was synced online. Ari was beginning to lose trust in Bini, but agreed to meet him Kenya with baby Avi post surgery.

Bini believed that his sister, Wish, started trouble by telling Ari things that weren't entirely true. In order to explain himself and fight for his marriage, Bini left for Kenya.

The pair asked an interpreter to assist them during a conversation so there wouldn't be any miscommunication. Ari was convinced that Bini cheated on her while she was in New Jersey, but Bini insisted he never did. He told her there were people going in and out of their house because he was using it as a music studio, but he didn't disrespect her. However, Ari felt that Bini wasn't taking full accountability for his actions. She truly didn't know if they would make it as a couple.

Luckily, Janice was in Kenya as well. She really wanted to see what was going on with Bini and took some time to chat with him alongside an interpreter. When Bini said he didn't cheat on Ari, Janice believed him. She reminded him that Ari's trust was dwindling and that he'd need to be honest, even if it was easier to lie and avoid getting into an argument.

After Janice helped the couple move past their troubles, things were looking up. Ari, Bini, and little Avi were spending lots of family time together — and even went on a camel ride!

The pair's lawyer announced that Bini had a visa interview...in 19 days! Ari was excited, but felt hesitant because she and Bini had only just started working on their relationship again. Their lawyer suggested they both fly back to Ethiopia early (due to Covid restrictions) and she urged them to prepare properly.

Although it would've looked better if Ari was by Bini's side for support, she felt it was too soon for her to return to Ethiopia. Emotions were high and Bini got on his flight alone, gearing up for the interview that would determine their future.

However, Ari ended up flying to Ethiopia to support Bini after all! On Season 9 of 90 Day Fiance, the couple prepared to make their big move from Bini's home country to Ari's hometown of Princeton, New Jersey.

Bini threw a watch party for his new music video and invitied his friends and family to celebrate. However, his loved ones had no idea that they were also attending his going away party. Bini neglected to tell his family that he, Ari, and Avi were leaving for the United States the very next day.

Bini's sisters were shocked by the news. After some back and forth between them and Ari, Wish threw a glass of red wine in Ari's face — and it stung in more ways than one.

Emotions were raw when Bini's family showed up at the airport to say goodbye. Although they wanted Bini to be happy, they were worried about his future with Ari in America. Bini's sisters and Ari didn't want to see each other, which added even more tension to the situation. Through the tears and anxiety, Bini, Ari, and baby Avi made their way to the plane as Bini's loved ones looked on.

The family of three touched down in New York! Ari's parents were patiently waiting for them with a sign that said, "WELCOME TO THE USA BINIYAM." Now, it was time for Ari and Bini's life in the states to begin.

A few hours later, Ari's parents brought her, Bini, and Avi to their new two-bedroom apartment. Janice and Fred covered the first month's rent, cable, and wifi bills for the unit. The couple was grateful for all the help, but Ari voiced her concerns about taking over the payments. She needed to find a job ASAP and hoped that Bini's work permit would be approved quickly so he could start contributing as well.

On Bini's first morning in America, Ari made him a fresh cup of American style coffee. It wasn't the strong Ethiopian coffee Bini was used to, but he was more than willing to sip on the "hot water" as he prepared for a day full of sightseeing in Princeton.

Bini loved exploring New York City with Ari and proposed moving there. Suddenly, their fun day took a turn for the worse and shifted to a heated discussion about finances. Money quickly became the couple's biggest source of stress.

Ari and Bini sat down with Ari's parents and siblings for dinner. It was Bini's first time meeting the entire family and he tried his best to make a good first impression. Things got a little rocky after Ari's sister, Kristin, questioned why Bini was always out when the couple lived in Ethiopia. Additionally, the mention of a green card took the dinner from friendly to awkward very quickly.

Bini took up MMA fighting to pursue his dream of becoming a UFC fighter. Unfortunately, when Ari found out he was practicing with a woman, she felt betrayed. She walked straight through the gym to confront Bini and his practice partner, Melissa. Ultimately, Bini's coach, Charles, didn't like "this type of energy in the gym" and asked them to head out.

Later on, the couple discussed their incident at the gym. Ari admitted she should've handled the situation better, but explained that Bini needed to keep her in the loop moving forward. Although they found common ground, Ari was worried that Bini was more focused on his upcoming fight than their relationship.

Bini the champ! In his first ever MMA fight, he took down his opponent in just 33 seconds! In true Bini fashion, he celebrated his big victory with a backflip.

Look who's back! Ari's ex-husband, Leandro, came to visit again. Bini was quite uncomfortable — and he wasn't too happy when Ari invited Leandro to celebrate Ethiopian New Year with their family.

During the Ethiopian New Year dinner, the family practiced "gursha," a tradition where elders are fed by other family members as a sign of respect. Ari fed her parents and Bini insisted on feeding Leandro.

In the spirit of Ethiopian New Year, everyone discussed making new changes. Janice suggested that Bini be completely truthful with Ari and in return, Ari wouldn't yell at him. After they agreed, Bini found out Ari was going to go wedding dress shopping with her sister and Leandro. Leandro made it very clear that he wasn't going anywhere and Bini was NOT having it.

Tune into 90 Day Fiance every Sunday at 8/7c to see what's next for the couple!

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