Now, in time for Valentine's day, the romance has gone one step further as the pair, now known as Mr and Mrs Dodevski, following their wedding late last year, tell SBS Macedonian about the impending birth of their first child together.
"Love is the most beautiful thing." - This is the Valentine’s message that Noora Arkavazi, a Kurdish refugee from Iraq, wants the world to know this Valentine's, following her unlikely romance with Macedonian border cop Kurdish refugee, Bobi Dodevski.
"After I leave Iraq, I had been travelling on the backroads, and having many bad times," Noora explains of the harrowing trip from her homeland.
"After I started travelling - I just have one thing in my brain - that is to have a good life. To live one day, without being scared, without being afraid of something happening to you or your family."
Listen to Noora and Bobi's full interview (in English) with SBS Macedonian:
Fleeing Iraq and on her way to Germany, following 17 days in Greece, it was at the migrant camp at Tabanovce, on the border between Macedonia and Serbia that Noora first met the friendly border guard.
"In the morning we arrived at the border between Macedonia and Serbia," says Noora. "We must wait there for hours."
"It starts to rain - and it's very very cold weather - rain and snow. My family, are sick too."
As Bobi explains, from his perspective, it wasn't a great day at the border either. "It was a rainy day," he says. "We had so much mud and didn't know when the border was going to be open."
A migrant walks in the mud at a makeshift camp near the village of Tabanovce at the Macedonian-Serbian border in 2016 Source: AFP, Getty
Noora says, "I start to ask many police what time they will open the border - And I find Bobi."
Noora had fallen ill with fever and was directed to the only English speaking officer on shift, Bobi Dodevski.
"They say he alone, is the only person at the border who speak English," says Noora.
She explains, "In my family, I'm the only person who speak many languages."
Noora says the moment of connection with someone who could understand her, was a little overwhelming, "I started to cry, he started to talk to me so much."
"I feel like he has something special and the first time I see him, I actually feel my heart."
She explains it was like love at first sight. "When I meet him, I see just an amazing person who stayed with me, who tried to help me calm down."
Similarly, Bobi says, "from the first time I see Noora, it started to tickle me in my stomach and my heart. I thought 'maybe this is what I've been searching for, for many many years.'"
For Bobi, who had already been twice married and says he had searched many years to find the actual true love, he says, "When I see Noora, I say 'this is it!'"
Noora explains that although the situation was rough, Bobi went the extra mile to make the best of things, and make it better for the refugees.
Two children look out of a tent at a makeshift camp near the village of Tabanovce at the Macedonian-Serbian border in 2016 Source: Getty Images
"He tried to help me and help all the refugees who are with us," she says. "He tried to do everything - I see him take the milk and give to children. He tried to play with the children - because kids, especially the boys, love to see police and guns."
"He brings me more stuff, covers me with a blanket."
It didn't take long for a romance to blossom.
"After one week, he tells me he loves me," says Noora.
"My body starts to shake - he's the first person to tell me 'I love you.'"
Noora says she never imagined she would have such a whirlwind romance.
Bobi and Noora are expecting a baby after an unlikely romance at a muddy border stop Source: SBS
"I never imagine I could have a good love and an amazing life with a person I loved and had chosen as a husband."
"But after I see how he love me - he do many things to show me how he love me, and doesn't want to play with me."
"After one month," says Noora, Bobi asked her to marry him. "I thought he was joking with me."
"He said 'I'm not joking with you - honestly, I love you and I want you to be my wife."
"After he swear to me he really love me, I tell him yes, I will marry you."
As her Muslim family continue their way to Germany, while Noora stays in Macedonia working with the Red Cross, she calls them to break the news.
Unlikely lovebirds Noora and Bobi pose for a selfie together Source: Supplied
Worried about the religious and political divide between Bobi's Orthodox faith and her family's Muslim beliefs, she says. "I knew my parents would be very worried, very angry and won't like to talk to me."
At first, Noora's apprehensions were correct. As she says, "they start out being angry."
Given time though, her parents' attitude changed.
"After they know he really loves me, they start to call me and have contact with me and respect this thing that I do with my life," she says.
Their heart-warming love story that began at one of the most unromantic places, the muddy border between Macedonia and Serbia in the midst of the migrant crisis, took the world by storm.
"Many, many media from all over the world from Columbia, China and countries from all over started to contact us," says Bobi. "Because this is a story that puts all religions in the one place - to show to the world the heart is one."
The world could not get enough of the ray of hope that love and humanity are very much alive, even in the most undesirable circumstances.
"Everybody see in the newspaper, just bad stuff," says Bobi. "Nobody can imagine there is a love like this."
Even Noora says she never expected to find such a romance in the most unlikely of places, but that she was simply looking for a safe haven. "I always had in my mind, that I wish to find the good life." she says. "Never did I imagine that I would find love."
As Bobi explains it though, "The love is bigger [than] two different religions, two different politics."
"If you have good love and strong love, everything is going to be good."
Bobi and Noora’s wedding last year was an ethnic and religious mix much like the Macedonian town of Kumanovo, where people with different religions and traditions live in peace together.
Noora says that adjusting to her new home was easy as people do not treat her as a refugee, but rather as one of their own. And, the 3 children from Bobi’s previous two marriages have all embraced Noora as a friend.
Bobi and Noora celebrate together on their wedding day Source: Supplied
Now, their romantic story has gone one step further, as the pair are blessed with the exciting news of a new addition to their family on the way.
Noora says that the baby news has assuaged any lingering doubts from her parents. "They very happy," she says. "Especially my daddy. He was the most angry person, but know he's the most happy person!"
"They love Bobi. They know I chose the most amazing person and will stay all my life with him."
The pair now urge young people all over the world to not be afraid to love somebody because he or she prays to a Allah or Jesus.
"The first time it was very hard for my family to understand that I love Bobi," says Noora. "But now they see it is true love."
"Because love is the most beautiful thing in the entire world."
Below: Bobi and Noora shared the video below of their love story.
Marry Me, Marry My Family is the familiar story of multicultural Australians, as they are today - trying to embrace their Australian identity, whilst staying true to their culture, identity and family. It's a heart-warming update on how multiculturalism is working in Australia and a colourful account of the country that we are evolving into.
