'90 Day Diaries' recap: Elizabeth and Andrei buy a home, Benjamin and Akinyi try for a baby, Steven and Olga share details of brief split, and more updates on Laura, Rachel and Jon!

90 Day Diaries' third season featured Benjamin Taylor and Akinyi Obala trying for a baby while struggling with finances, Elizabeth Potthast and Andrei Castravet buying a new home, Steven Frend and Olga Koshimbetova apartment hunting in New York after a brief split, Laura Jallali picking up the pieces after her divorce from Aladin Jallali, and an update on Rachel Bear and Jon Walters during the episode that aired Monday night on TLC.


The third episode featured Elizabeth Potthast, a 31-year-old from Tampa, FL, and Andrei Castravet, a 35-year-old from Chisinau, Moldova, who starred on 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? Season 6; and Steven Frend, a 23-year-old from Bowie, MD, and Olga Koshimbetova, a 24-year-old from Voronezh, Russia, who starred on 90 Day Fiance Season 6.

The following cast members also appeared on the special: Benjamin Taylor, a 36-year-old from Phoenix, AZ, and Akinyi Obala, a 28-year-old from Nairobi, Kenya, who starred on 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Season 3; Laura Jallali, a 54-year-old from London, Ontario, who starred on 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 1; and Rachel Bear, a 37-year-old from Albuquerque, NM, and Jon Walters, a 37-year-old from Weston-Super-Mare, England from 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Season 2.

RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

90 Day Diaries follows former 90 Day Fiance cast members navigating their lives after the show, providing viewers with an intimate view into their homes, plans and daily struggles.


Some of the footage will be self-shot, similar to how cast members filmed themselves for 90 Day Fiance: Self-Quarantined.

90 Day Diaries' Season 3 cast will chronicle not just successful 90 Day Fiance couples but also numerous 90 Day Fiance alums who didn't see their original 90 Day Fiance relationship work out. The cast members will attempt to begin new romances after the failure of their prior overseas relationships.

The season will feature more cast members in the coming weeks, but below is what happened on Episode 3 of 90 Day Diaries' third season.

ELIZABETH and ANDREI

Elizabeth and Andrei's daughter Eleanor, or Ellie for short, is almost three years old.

Elizabeth and Andrei started chatting in 2015 and then they met four or five months later in 2016. The couple had met in Dublin, Ireland, where Andrei was living at the time.


Elizabeth visited him in Dublin and they fell in love and ultimately applied for the K-1 visa, which allowed the pair to marry in the United States a few months later.

Ellie was born not long after Elizabeth and Andrei got married, and then Andrei attempted to join Elizabeth's family's real estate business, which didn't go over well since Andrei barely gets along with his wife's siblings, especially her brother Charlie.

The altercations that took place over Andrei's new job left Elizabeth's father Chuck in tears, fearing for the future of his family.

In light of all the family drama, Elizabeth and Andrei decided to focus on themselves, Ellie, and a new career they were building.

"I've developed a lot in the past year in the real estate business. Chuck now trusts me with buying and selling the homes, and I'm not doing the demolition and the dirty work," Andrei explained.


"With a market booming like this, I see a bright future in this, and it's going to be awesome."

The couple was also building a new custom house, which had a closing date pretty soon.

"We deserve it. It's our first house," Andrei said.

"Our own!" Elizabeth gushed.

"We are at a new stage, and we are very, very excited about it," Andrei shared.


The couple was therefore shown buying new furniture and getting design ideas. Elizabeth and Andrei, however, argued about how expensive items were. Andrei wanted Elizabeth to consult him before making a purchase and be smart with money.

RELATED LINK: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO BROKE UP? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

Elizabeth said if Andrei wanted to penny-pinch and was so worried about their finances then he should let her go back to work full-time and hire a babysitter. Elizabeth was spending a lot of time at home with Ellie and had begun working for her father only part-time.

Elizabeth wanted to get back into her dad's business full-time because she loved her job, working in design and advising Chuck on how to make a space more liveable.

"You're taking my job away from me and you're pushing me out of my dad's business that I helped him create," Elizabeth argued.


Andrei asked Elizabeth to find some hobbies and concentrate on Ellie, and Elizabeth responded, "Even though you're annoying, I still love you."

"I love you, too," Andrei replied.

Later that evening, Andrei set up a romantic dinner for Elizabeth after she put Ellie to bed.

Andrei was hoping to convince Elizabeth to be more of a stay-at-home mom, but she didn't see excited about that idea.

The couple then checked out their new yellow townhouse, which Elizabeth called "amazing." Andrei also said he was happy to show Chuck the results of their "flip."

Chuck complimented Andrei on doing "a great job" with the property, and he also told Elizabeth that her interior design on the place was "top notch" and he was definitely impressed.


However, Chuck told Elizabeth and Andrei they should never bring Ellie to a construction site, which resulted in Elizabeth reiterating how they should hire a babysitter for Ellie.

STEVEN and OLGA

Four years ago, Olga had visited the United States on a work and travel program and met Steven. The couple started seeing each other and hanging out in the summertime, and only two days before she was scheduled to fly back home to Russia, they found out Olga was pregnant.

Olga returned to Russia and Steven was able to fly to her native country just in time to witness his son Richie Aleksandr "Alex" Frend birth. Alex is now three years old.

During Steven's lengthy stay in Russia, they filed for a K-1 visa. And then after about a year, the visa was approved and Olga arrived in the United States in Summer 2019.

About a year prior to filming this special, Steven said he and Olga broke up because they were having a lot of problems. Olga said she and her child's father were being "toxic" to each other and so they just needed a break.

"We decided to get back together because of our son Alex and how big of a change this would be for his life," Steven explained. "And honestly, we started thinking about how different our lives could be without each other."


RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

After getting back together, Steven and Olga looked into "a van life," which is something they definitely still want to do. However, the couple realized trying to work on their relationship wasn't going to be easy while living together in a small van.

Alex was also about to start Pre-K, and so they acknowledged now wasn't the right time to move into a van.

The couple was therefore shown packing up their belongings to move to New York City, where Olga would feel "more independent" and the pair would have "more opportunities."

Their budget for an apartment was a maximum of $2,000 per month because then they'd have to add on Alex's daycare as well as food, groceries, utilities and more. Olga therefore suggested they should live in Manhattan, in the middle of everything, but they were also considering other areas.

Steven and Olga were looking to move in the next two or three weeks, but Steven noted how they weren't in a rush to get out of their former apartment.


"I have faith in us," Steven told Olga.

Later that day, Olga revealed how she had been working in photography for a few years and hoped to find a career in New York City. But Olga found working and balancing a toddler "very hard."

Steven then gave Olga a little trouble, asking her how much she was getting paid for this job to take photos of a model named Diana. He hoped she wasn't doing it for free as a favor to a friend.

"We're going to have bills and stuff, Olga, so you need to understand that," Steven said.

"I do understand that!" Olga replied.

Olga felt she was doing her part in the marriage and so she just wanted Steven to support her.


The couple then had a video chat with a New-York based realtor who showed Steven and Olga "the apartment of a lifetime." She showed them a unique, renovated townhouse with a nice, sunny view. The price for this apartment was $2,395, which included heat and hot water but not electric.

Steven wondered if the couple should consider a place a little more affordable, but Olga said she absolutely loved the apartment and her "biggest dream" was coming true.

Olga got emotional, but Steven asked her to think logically and sleep on the decision. He didn't want to just jump on the apartment without looking at its location and finding out more specifics, which seemed to annoy Olga a little bit.

BENJAMIN and AKINYI

Benjamin and Akinyi got married five months before filming this special on a K-1 visa.

Since the wedding, Akinyi said her life in America wasn't what she had expected or anticipated. She said they didn't have a permanent place to live and they were "trying to have a baby" -- but unsuccessfully, apparently.

"Our marriage is good. I cannot complain about that, but our life is not where I thought it would be by now," Akinyi said.


Benjamin told Akinyi that they'd need to continue renting for another year because they couldn't afford a house yet, but Akinyi hoped to have a place of her own where she could raise her babies.

Akinyi said it looked very easy to buy a house, based on what she had seen in the movies, but Benjamin just laughed and explained to the cameras how they were "struggling" financially.

RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: HAPPILY EVER AFTER?' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

"We don't have the funds that I would've had saved up because I had to spend it on travel and the wedding and the whole K-1 visa process, so we're facing some challenges," Benjamin said.

Knowing Akinyi was upset, he planned a nice day for the couple to go paddleboating on a lake.

Akinyi and Benjamin revealed how they had sex for the first time after getting married and he had his "hand in the cookie jar" every night since then.


Akinyi wanted a house and a baby right away, but Benjamin essentially asked his wife to be patient.

"Maybe we need to try some different options and see a doctor," Benjamin suggested.

"Me, I am a Kenyan girl. You just go in and I get baby," Akinyi replied. "That's how it works."

"Okay," Benjamin said with a laugh.

Akinyi wondered if they weren't getting pregnant because their life wasn't stable, which was putting stress on her. She joked about how maybe her eggs were just "hiding" while she was waiting for Benjamin to buy them a house.

Later on, after five months of trying every day, Benjamin and Akinyi visited a fertility specialist, where Benjamin gave a specimen.


Benjamin learned he'd be talking with a doctor in a week from that point, once his results came back.

RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

Benjamin eventually discovered that he was in very good shape to conceive a baby. He was told his sperm count was perfect and he had 142 million sperm.

His motility was also above average or normal, meaning 49 percent of his sperm were swimming when 40 percent is the normal number.

The doctor advised Akinyi and Benjamin to just "give it more time" because everything checked out well and appeared to be operating normally. He told them to try three or four months before exploring another method.

Laura Jallali

Laura was once married to Aladin Jallali, who had met through a mutual friend and talked for a year before Laura decided to travel to Tunisia to meet him in-person.


Once in Tunisia, the couple got married within nine days of her trip, and Laura said she was totally wrapped up in this Harlequin romance with him.

Laura therefore packed up her bags, said goodbye to her son, and moved to Qatar to be with Aladin permanently.

"After the wedding, however, everything changed," Laura claimed. "I just was so lonely, and I thought, 'What did I do?' When Aladin decided to suddenly divorce me, I virtually lost everything."

As a result, Laura moved in with her son Liam and secured herself a one-bedroom apartment in London, Ontario. Liam said living with his mother wasn't too bad but there was a bit of awkwardness and tension between them since Laura never wanted to talk about her past with Aladin.

The mother and son walked their dog together every day, but Aladin really affected their relationship.

RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)


Liam felt a part of his life had fallen off and flown into the sky when Laura left him for Aladin, and it was apparently a devastating and hurtful thing for Laura's son.

Laura therefore tried to build back a trust with Liam, who admitted time had been "a healing factor" even though things were different now.

The next day, Laura did a little goat yoga with two of her girlfriends. Her relationship status was "zero," saying that nothing was going on.

"It's been three years since I was in the presence of a man romantically," Laura confessed. "It's been a long time! I really want to get back out there and meet men... and start to get myself back into shape again."

After a fun outing, Laura revealed to her friends how Aladin had already remarried.

"I am fully divorced and he is fully remarried," Laura said, adding that she no longer spoke to Aladin but she saw online that he married a woman from Sweden.


Laura's friends acknowledged how she had been through a lot, and Laura told the cameras that Liam would have to like and approve of her next boyfriend, without a doubt.

RACHEL and JON

Rachel and Jon met five years prior on a karaoke app, when she attempted to do a duet with someone and Jon joined her.

She called him handsome, and then Jon proposed to Rachel at the end of her first trip to England, which lasted for two weeks. Jon had popped the question on a cliff right outside of King Arthur's castle.

RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: HAPPILY EVER AFTER?' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

Rachel has a daughter named Lucy from a previous relationship, but Lucy considers Jon to be her father.

Rachel returned to the U.S. after getting engaged and then went back to England six months later, which is when she and Jon got married.


"We've been long distance our entire relationship," Rachel lamented. "Even since we got married. Jon and I have not seen each other in-person since January 2020. We're going on two years."

The pair had been discussing another trip back to England, but things were in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"After Jon and I got married, we filed for his visa. And in May 2021, he did finally have his interview and the visa was ultimately denied. Jon has been in trouble in the past for fighting, which obviously on paper does not look very good," Rachel explained.

Given she had known about JOn's past ahead of time and the fact he'd probably get denied, they saved money and filed for a waiver asking the U.S. to reverse the initial denial and let him in.

Rachel anticipated receiving an answer in five to eight months. Being so close to a final answer, Rachel said she didn't really want to discuss what they'd do if they got a "no."

"I just don't think I'm mentally prepared for that yet," Rachel admitted. "The option of me moving to the U.K. is not an option at all because I share custody with my oldest daughter Ella and her dad wouldn't give the permission for me to take her out of the country permanently."


Rachel and Lucy were then shown "building a dad" using a pool noodle so they could feel like Jon would be joining them at the dinner table.

Once the girls finished their creation, they videochatted with Jon, and the pair expressed how they loved each other.

Rachel said Jon is the only father Lucy has ever known and he planned to legally adopt her.

"Nobody wants to be in a long-distance marriage. We're just looking forward to when we don't have to," Jon noted.

If the waiver gets denied, Rachel confirmed she and Jon are not going to give up on each other or their marriage.

RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)


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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski