Ariela Weinberg of 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way's second and third seasons was recently in the news after her parents, who have consistently helped her with bills, asked that she begin paying her own way. Now that she has moved back to the U.S. with her Ethiopian fiancé, Biniyam Shibre, and their baby, Aviel, Ariela's parents expect the couple to pay for their own monthly rent and cable charges, among other responsibilities.
Ariela has since received criticism from fans over her negative reaction to her parent's request. However, the reality star isn't just sitting around. Ari and Bini are currently on 90 Day Fiancé's ninth season. Now living in New Jersey, she's busy raising her young son, building a business and aiding in the war relief efforts in Ethiopia, all while attempting to plan a wedding. Ariela is involved in so many unique endeavors, there's always something surprising to learn about her life and family.
She Owns A Travel Company
Ariela recently announced she's become a partner in her "Ethiopian brother" Tesfahun Dereje's travel company, Simen Land Tours. Ari has majorly embraced Ethiopian culture and is passionate about teaching others the country's rich traditions and history.
The company takes travelers on "customized trips and tours to the lesser known destinations" all over East Africa. They offer an extensive selection of experiences including coffee tours, nature tours, city tours, history tours, and more. Ari encourages people who have never been to Ethiopia to visit the country and see its beauty for themselves.
She Was Married When She Met Biniyam
Before meeting Biniyam, Ariela was married to an Argentinian man named Leandro for 10 years. The exes split amicably when Leandro returned to school to earn a doctorate and Ari left the U.S. to explore the world. However, Ari has since mentioned that they never officially broke up and their relationship was simply on hiatus when she traveled to Ethiopia, meeting Bini. Leandro and Ari's divorce was finalized in 2019.
After moving to Ethiopia to be with Bini, Ari invited Leandro to visit and stay in the couple's home. More recently, Leandro came to Ari and Bini's apartment in the U.S. and Ari asked him to go wedding dress shopping with her. Her close relationship with ex-husband Leandro has been the cause of many of Ari and Biniyam's wildest fights, as well as a physical altercation between the two men.
She Wants Another Child
In an interview with Us Weekly this April, Biniyam and Ariela had a candid conversation regarding how many children they see themselves with in the future. Bini was insistent he'd like to have 10 children.
However, it looks like he'll have to convince Ariela, who countered, "He [Biniyam] has more patience and more energy than I do." When asked how many children she'd like to have, Ari said, "I'm thinking two." Baby Avi, who is two years old, has been keeping the couple busy. Meanwhile, Ari is currently dealing with pregnancy rumors as a result of recent photos circulating the internet, as well as a 90 Day Fiancé scene in which she had an upset stomach.
She Met Biniyam In A Unique Way
Ariela met Biniyam in 2019 at a taxi stand in Ethiopia, where she traveled on a whim after scoring a cheap plane ticket. She has said of the meeting, "I was waiting for a taxi outside a local hotel and I saw a very attractive guy. I yelled out, 'Don't I know you from somewhere?' and it actually worked!"
After a few months with Bini, Ari found out she was pregnant. Their relationship has blossomed over the years and even included an adorable traditional proposal, complete with a lemon, during a festival celebrating the Ethiopian Orthodox religious holiday of Timket.
She's Jewish & Didn't Want To Baptize Baby Aviel
Biniyam and his family are Orthodox Christians, and baptizing Baby Avi was extremely important to them. However, Ariela is Jewish, and was hesitant for her son to be part of a religion whose teachings she didn't agree with. Bini and his sisters became upset when Ari admitted she was opposed to the ceremony, with his sisters telling her the baby would go to hell if not baptized.
Ari has been very vocal about the fact that she doesn't believe in hell. She's even said, "It's [hell] just so awful to me. I just don't think that its something we should be teaching our son about." Ari eventually gave in, allowing Avi to be baptized. While the disagreement certainly wasn't among 90 Day's biggest controversies, it did drive a huge wedge between the couple.
She's Entering Into Ethiopian Real Estate
Like many former and current 90 Day cast members, Ariela appears to be entering into real estate. Ariela has posted several Ethiopian properties for sale or rent on her Instagram page and has encouraged those interested to reach out to her for more information.
Ari is excited to showcase the properties which include guest houses for rent, as well as residential and commercial properties for sale, such as a hotel. All properties appear to be in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital city. With all of Ari's business dealings, she may soon become one of 90 Day's smartest wives.
Her Relationship With Biniyam's Family Isn't Great
Ariela has always had a difficult relationship with Biniyam's sisters. They have publicly fought about Baby Avi's baptism, Ari's ex visiting, and a slew of cultural differences.
Most recently, two of Bini's sisters argued with Ari and threw wine in her face after learning, last minute, that Bini would be moving to the U.S. with her. Fans were outraged for Ari, with many vocalizing that Ari wasn't to blame for the miscommunications, as Bini should have told his family about the move sooner. Now that the couple lives far away from Bini's family, the distance may calm the drama down.
Her Best Friend Is Also Her Son's Nanny
Ariela was alone a lot when she first moved to Ethiopia, and quickly befriended her son's live-in nanny, Mimi. Mimi was a patient teacher, always willing to help Ari learn traditional cooking techniques, and other culture-specific rituals. She was also amazing with Avi.
Mimi was a sympathetic ear for Ariela, who often dealt with Biniyam's overly-involved sisters and feelings of homesickness. According to a sweet Instagram post honoring Mimi, Ari said she considers her a "best friend" and a "family" member, and stated Mimi has taught her "so much about Ethiopian culture, friendship, and sisterhood."
She's Raising Money & Awareness For Ethiopian Civil War Relief
While Ari isn't always the most likable 90 Day cast member on season 9, she should be acknowledged for her humanitarian work. Most of the reality stars on the show don't use their platform to promote important causes, but Ari has reached out to her large fan base on numerous occasions to raise awareness and aid for the people of Ethiopia. In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Ariela detailed the situation in Ethiopia and how to help.
Ethiopia, the country Ari fell in love with, has been embroiled in a civil for the past two years. The country is also experiencing a severe drought. The two factors combined have displaced more than a million people and left many communities in need of food, water, and assistance. Ariela returned to Ethiopia to volunteer and has documented the journey on her Instagram page.
She's Soon-To-Be A Step-Mother
Ariela wasn't the only one married before she met Biniyam. Bini married an American woman named Bria in 2016 and in 2017 the couple had a son named Simon. Bria, who was living in Ethiopia, returned to the U.S. for Simon's birth and ended things with Bini. According to Starcasm, it appears that Bini, who now lives in the U.S., is applying for joint custody of Simon.
Even though Biniyam and Simon haven't been able to have much of a relationship, Bini seems hopeful he can reconnect with his eldest child. Technically, Ariela would become Simon's step-mother, once she and Bini officially tie the knot. Fans would like to see Biniyam and Ari welcome Avi's older brother into their family.