A single who went from breaking hearts to traveling across the globe to potentially meet the love of his life is detailing his experience with BOSSIP.
Naeem Thompson is one of five singles who uprooted their lives and left everything behind to find love in a different country with a complete stranger on Bravo’s Love Without Borders.
Source: Love Without Borders / Bravo
He’s putting it all on the line after realizing that he’s been stuck in a dating rut and the woman he’s always wanted could be waiting for him on the other side of the world.
The easygoing social worker who lives just outside Houston is a big kid at heart who’s ready to settle down and have children of his own. He’s also a reformed heartbreaker who admitted on the show that he lived a wild lifestyle before he nearly died from COVID and received a message from God telling him to re-examine his relationships with women, find a wife and settle down.
Now reformed and fully ready, Naeem’s entrusted Love Without Borders’ relationship expert Arica Angelo’s assistance.
In the last episode, we saw Naeem being surprised at the airport with news that he would be traveling to Panama to find love. We also saw his concerned mother stop short of giving Naeem her blessing to meet and live with a woman whom he’s never met. The stakes are at an all-time high and tonight, we’ll see if sparks fly when he meets his match.
Ahead of that, Naeem chatted with BOSSIP about his previous dating experiences that included being catfished, his concerns about quitting his job to find love, and his family’s reaction to this unconventional move.
Tell us more about your dating life prior to this experience. We noticed that you said you don’t “fit in the dating scene or dating expectations” in Houston. What are the dating expectations specifically?
Dating in Houston was fun but also had some challenges. I didn’t expect for the distance between towns in the city to be such a big deal, literally I would drive from Houston for one hour just to be in another part of Houston. The long-distance at times was a barrier. Additionally, I was tired of being catfished or meeting women who were not what they pretended to be. Specifically, my dating expectations have always been to find someone attractive with patience, virtue, and God-given spirit.
Speaking of dating expectations, what were your own dating expectations prior to this experience? Did you have a certain physical or personality type that you usually dated in Houston?
Prior to this experience my expectations and aspirations were to date someone playful enough to reciprocate my energy. I always pursued a woman of god and usually someone that cooks. Physically, I was always a big fan of natural women, with natural hair such as locks, curls, or straight hair.
It’s clear that you went through an immense change after your experience battling COVID. Prior to that, did you think you would be a bachelor forever?
Prior to my battle with Covid I wasn’t in the same spiritual place. It took me being pronounced clinically dead and hearing directly from God for me to grow spiritually and change my life objectives. Prior to Covid, I wanted a wife and a family, but I wasn’t spiritually mature enough to actually make a meaningful relationship last through good times and bad.
What hangups did you have going into this process? Were you worried that your match wouldn’t be your type physically or that you two wouldn’t click?
Going into the process I was extremely concerned about quitting my job and risking it all going to an unknown location. I remember praying about my decision and being reassured that it was a good idea for me. Initially, I had a few concerns about the compatibility of my match not being attractive or a believer in God.
Your mom clearly had some hangups about you leaving the country to find love, considering how close your two are—what went through your mind when you didn’t get her approval?
My mother is one of my best friends and heroes. I realized this wouldn’t be the first time I had to make a decision without the approval of my mom and that’s okay.
We’ve clearly seen your mom’s reaction to this experience, but what about the rest of your family, how did they react?
My family had mixed reactions. Some of them were shocked and couldn’t grasp the concept of me leaving to an unknown place so abruptly. Other family members were eager for my adventure and wanted me to be safe.
What went through your mind when you heard you would be meeting your match in Panama?
Thank God I won’t be freezing !! I was grateful and humble that Arica was sending me to a tropical country with beautiful people.
If you could sum up your Love Without Borders experience in three words, what would they be?
Walk By Faith
Watch new episodes of Love Without Borders, Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo and stream next day on Peacock.
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