Season 2 of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way aired its finale.
All that is left is the Tell All, and that was already filmed weeks ago.
Ariela Weinberg was one of the show’s most polarizing stars this season — second only to Brittany Banks and Deavan Clegg.
Her first foray into reality television was a rough one, as she shared some of her most vulnerable moments with millions of strangers.
Ariela signed up for the show for one reason, and she’s hoping that her efforts pay off.
But over time, she has formed real attachments with some of her castmates, and watched them all along with the rest of us.
So she has taken to Instagram and posted a series of moving tributes to everyone else from her season.
Take a look below at what Ariela had to say:
1.
Ariela has a lot to say
She is offering parting messages, the sorts of things that high schoolers would write in each other’s yearbooks, to her castmates ahead of the Season 2 Tell All. Whatever you thought of Ariela’s season, her story, and her as a person, these are some truly touching tributes.
2.
Ariela had a tough time on her season
Yes, sometimes, it was the result of her own poor choices (though, let’s be honest, this particular moment in the hospital may have been hard for her, but she’s not the one who’ll suffer lifelong consequences for it).
3.
Sometimes, it was just bad luck
An early deliver AND an emergency C-section, days or even weeks before her parents arrived in Ethiopia? Scary stuff. Neither she nor Biniyam were even remotely prepared for this.
4.
She dealt with family pressure
At times, Ariela felt torn in multiple directions. Other times, it seemed like everyone in her life was ganging up on her to push her to make the same choice.
5.
She had to deal with a LOT
The religious differences between Ariela and Biniyam should have been handled months before childbirth. Instead, the two would disagree on something, and Biniyam would wear her down until she agreed to whatever he wanted in the first place. And when his sisters were involved, it was even harder.
6.
The worst was always when it came from Biniyam
Even when he wasn’t saying unkind things, Biniyam had a tendency to act as if his way of doing things was the only way. When Ariela explained her perspective, he only grew annoyed and refused to listen. Which is probably why he got his way on basically every dispute that they had. So yeah, Ariela put herself through a lot.
7.
And she did it all for love
As you can see in this screenshot of Ariela’s DMs as posted by the incomparable 90 Day Fiance blogger John Yates, Ariela admits that she did this whole show to show off Biniyam and to help him become recognizable and ideally showcase his talents so that he can launch his career.
8.
And that’s why she gets it
Watching her castmates on their shared season, she understands their pain — not seeing their whole stories told, seeing their loved ones (past and present) in a new light, dealing with hate and judgment (justified or not) from millions of strangers. She knows how they’re feeling because she feels that way, too. Perhaps that is why she decided to post a series of tributes to her castmates.
9.
To Brittany Banks
“Never apologize for having a strong personality and being who you are,” Ariela suggests. “It is going to take a strong man to keep up with you. That’s a great thing! I wish you the best. You’re going to do awesome things.”
10.
To Yazan Abo Horira
“Yazan, you were vulnerable in front of the entire world,” Ariela writes. “I know it wasn’t easy. That is admirable. I wish you the best.”
11.
To Deavan Clegg
“I once told you that what you are experiencing is a blessing,” Ariela begins. “Even though it comes with criticism, being so young and having such a big platform is an amazing thing. Use it wisely! You are pursuing your happiness and that is what we all hope for in the end. We are all just hoping for a chance at happiness.”
12.
To Jihoon Lee
“I know you are going through it right now from seeing your Stories,” Ariela writes. “When we are suffering we really don’t know why and it makes it that much harder. But pain can be transformative if you don’t succumb to bitterness. You have your whole life ahead of you. Find your peace.”
13.
To Melyza Zeta
“I know your love was real and so was the awful heartache that sometimes comes with real love,” Ariela writes. “One day it will all make sense, even if it doesn’t now. I find you to be gracious and I love how you support your fellow women.”
14.
To Tim Clarkson
“Admitting you made a mistake is hard,” Ariela acknowledges, “but admitting it in front of the entire world is real bravery. I respect you for that. I wish you the best.”
15.
To Jenny Slatten
“Jenny, you are a kindhearted soul who deserves the best,” Ariela affirms. “I wish that for you. Thank you for lovely conversations and answering all my questions when I was new to this.”
16.
To Sumit Singh
“It is amazing to be as loved as you are loved by Jenny,” Ariela notes. “Never forget that. I wish you the best.”
17.
To Kenneth Niedermeier and Armando Rubio
“I congratulate you on facing adversity together,” Ariela writes to address them both. “I wish you both the best. Your story touched so many people and opened the minds of many more.”