90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days star Alina has admitted she was "so nervous" about meeting her boyfriend Caleb for the first time in-person, an experience at the airport she called "mind-blowing."
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Alina, a 27-year-old from Saint Petersburg, Russia, dished about her long-distance romance with Caleb, a 28-year-old Caleb from Chandler, Arizona, and what it was like for the couple to meet in Turkey after only having a virtual connection.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
As shown in a preview for 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days' fifth season, which just premiered Sunday night on TLC, Alina feared Caleb would take one look at her in-person and say, "Eww," although he's well aware she was born with diastrophic dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism that affects one's joints and stature.
"I was just really, really nervous, to the point where I just wanted to throw up a little bit," Alina recalled to Entertainment Tonight in a recent interview.
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"Because I couldn't believe it was finally going to happen after all these years. I just never imagined that adding this random guy on Facebook, I would meet him [13 years later] in Turkey. It's just mind-blowing, actually."
Caleb and Alina had met on social media 13 years ago -- when Caleb was only 15 years old -- but they were only dating for a year-and-a-half by the time 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days' new season filmed.
Caleb and Alina started out with an online friendship and became best friends over a decade ago, but then they lost touch with each other.
Suddenly, when Caleb, a well-traveled adventurer, planned a trip to Russia, he hopped on a Russian dating app to see whom he could meet -- and he ironically matched with Alina, which resulted in the former friends reconnecting.
"And there was Alina! It was the biggest small-world experience. Some visa issues came up and I never actually made it out there, but we kept talking more and more -- and I realized that we had something special," Caleb shared.
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RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Caleb told the cameras he didn't want to wait any longer to find out if his connection with Alina was "real in person."
But due to COVID-19, the borders in Russia were closed when the spin off taped, and so the pair intended to meet up in Turkey.
Caleb explained how his "deep emotional connection" with Alina helped him to look past their glaring height difference.
"If somebody told me when I was 15, 'Actually, you know what? You're going to meet him,' I'd be just shocked," Alina told ET. "So of course I was really nervous."
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Alina feared Caleb's reaction to her upon meeting face to face because she has trouble walking and spends a lot of time in a wheelchair. She also explained how Caleb had received the most flattering photos of her when they were dating long-distance.
"On social media and the pictures that I sent to Caleb, you can control everything," Alina shared.
"You can control the angles and stuff. But in life, you are who you are, and it's not only from your best side."
She added, "So, I was just extremely nervous, but at the same time, I was very, very excited."
Alina expressed how she did have "questions" about Caleb's intentions but she followed her heart and will take viewers on "a fun" and "cute" ride.
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When looking back on the time she and Caleb reconnected after so many years of no communication, Alina said the pair just "clicked."
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"Our sense of humor is kind of similar, it's pretty important to have fun and everything," Alina said.
"And he also loves traveling, he's outgoing. He has aspirations in life, so, that just really attracted me. And he seemed like someone I want to get to know better and someone I can confide in because we also [have known] each other for such a long time."
Alina said it was important to meet Caleb in-person so that she would never have to ask herself, "What if?"
"If I didn't do it, otherwise I would always wonder, 'What about Caleb?,' you know?" Alina admitted.
Alina is making history as the first little person to ever star on the 90 Day Fiance franchise, and Caleb gushed in the premiere about how Alina brought out the best in him and inspired him to do more in life.
However, Alina, who cannot bend her fingers, was concerned about whether Caleb would be able to handle her physical needs.
Alina realized Caleb would have to help transport her wheelchair and assist her in reaching things in their hotel room, and so she anticipated the living experience would be eye-opening -- and hopefully not overwhelming or annoying -- for Caleb.
Caleb was also displeased to learn Alina's friend Elijah would be accompanying her on the trip in order to protect her and make sure Caleb's motives were pure.
Caleb worried about Elijah ruining the couple's vibe, and he also wanted to see if he could take care of Alina by himself.
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In addition to Caleb and Alina, Season 5 of 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days also stars Kim and Usman Umar, Gino and Jasmine, Memphis and Hamza, Mike and Ximena, and Johnny and Ben.
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
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