Issue Date: 09/11/2026

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is back for the time being. Eventually, all of this will go away. But due to the nature of our circumstances, we have decided to bring it back to restore order and a meaningful review process. The department has existed for many years; one person is not going to make it go away.

What went wrong?

A lot of things went wrong in 2026. Some were within our control, and some were not so much.

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Breakup – This was the biggest event that led to low morale and health complications. This occurred at the end of April 2026. To this day, we have not recovered.

What caused the breakup?

In our opinion, to put it simply, it is our belief that we could not be what our partner needed us to be. Our inability to be open to change and growth. A sense of imbalance in the effort put into the relationship, differing future prospects and lifestyle choices, and poor communication.

Lessons Learned:

1. Communication: address problems and concerns head-on. Don’t ignore or run away from any potential concerns you or your partner may have. Always be open to hearing them out and try to understand their perspective.
2. Have Check-Ins: Have occasional or as-needed check-ins with your partner about how they feel the relationship is going and what you can do to make them feel safe, secure, and loved. This is an opportunity to listen and discover any potential concerns.
3. No more 50/50. You’re the man. Regardless of how poor or tired you are, it is our opinion that if you’re in a relationship, it is your responsibility to pay and put in the effort for your partner. Always be grateful and appreciative. Do random acts of kindness for them, not just because a special occasion is coming up. The “I did this just because” actions.
4. Have at least two common interests or likes. We connect better with people who have common interests; this does not mean shared backgrounds. It doesn’t mean we have to like all the same things, but we need to be able to enjoy each other’s company.
5. I need words of affirmation; I am a major overthinker. I need to hear words of affirmation. Like I’m proud of you, Thank you for being there, It means a lot to me, something like I’m not leaving you. I have this major fear that the person I’m with will eventually leave for someone better. This is because I have major insecurities; I never think highly of myself, and I just need little reminders and supportive words. This needs to be communicated to our partner.
6. Don’t introduce your partner to the family until it’s been over a year. I thought my last partner was “The One.” Boy, was I an idiot. Let’s not make the same mistake again.

We are not going to be dating for the foreseeable future.

I went on one date, and it didn’t go exactly how I wanted. I think it’s best we just stay single. I really don’t want to go through the pain again. Part of me feels like I’m just not deserving of a loving relationship. The pain is very deep and long-lasting. I can only hope that it will fade away with more time.

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Where our energy is being directed:

Health & Wellness – Until the health insurance issue is resolved, which might take a couple of months, our primary focus is on physical health. We have been running and lifting, but even then, this requires eating more to make sure the body has the energy it needs. Eating more has been an issue for many years. We hope once we actually move out, it will be easier because we have total control of access to food.

Increased Income – We cannot afford to live on our own; we’ve known that for a long time, which is why it’s taken so long. Which means we just need to accept working two jobs. Our primary focus is getting a part-time job and also looking for a new full-time job that pays at least two dollars more than what we make now, or seeing if we can get our current employer to give us a raise. It’s time to work hard.

Volunteering – Since we’re moving to the Johnson County area, we’ll have to start over with the Young Dems group. I still want to regularly volunteer somewhere to make a meaningful impact within the community I live in. However, if I am going to be working all the time, I may not have a lot of time to spare.

That’s it for now. Need more money to afford to live and hopefully reduce the out-of-control debts. I don’t think we should go out very often. Other people can have fun, but we’re Mexican. Remember, we have to work twice or three times as hard just to be on the same level. That means sacrifice. No one is helping us; we’re doing this by ourselves. Like always. Now we will at least have our own place and no more distractions.