Ariela Weinberg is catching heat from 90 Day Fiance fans for inviting her ex-husband to stay with her and Biniyam Shibre in Ethiopia.
The New Jersey native is struggling with feeling isolated while living in Ethiopia, over 7,000 miles from her family and friends in the U.S.
In a preview clip from this Sunday’s premiere of The Other Way, Ariela talked about being lonely and who her best friend has been while she’s struggled to adapt to living in Africa.
Although Ariela found a best friend in her nanny, Mimi, she admitted that she doesn’t have a “set group of friends” or “deep relationships” with people in her new country.
Ariela Weinberg invites ex-husband to stay with her family in Ethiopia
Ariela confided in Mimi that she decided to invite her ex-husband of 10 years, Leandro, to come and stay with her, Biniyam, and their son, Aviel.
Ariela admitted that she and Leandro talk “all the time” and that he’s “really involved” in her life.
Feeling homesick, Ariela invited Leandro to come meet her fiance Biniyam and their son Avi, and to explore her new life in Ethiopia. Watch Ariela explain her relationship with her ex-husband to Mimi in the clip below:
Fans of 90 Day Fiance, however, didn’t agree with Ariela’s decision to host her ex-husband in her home, and they voiced their opinions on Instagram.
Fans of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way slam Ariela
“There’s no reason to keep in touch with an ex. Especially if you don’t have children together. They are [an] ex for a reason. They are your past not your future,” wrote one fan of the show in the comments.
Many fans of the show weren’t even aware that Ariela had an ex-husband, and one commented, “I didn’t know she had an ex husband ? whom she still kept in touch with[.]”
Another fan of the show thought Ariela was sending mixed signals since she told Mimi in the clip that she was her best friend, but later referred to her ex-husband Leandro as her best friend.
Their comment read, “You just told her she’s your best friend and now your ex-husband is your [best] friend too??? Girl get it together[.]”
One fan of the show, however, defended Ariela after seeing all of the negative comments about her decision.
Ariela gets support from a 90 Day Fiance fan
They wrote, “No way, yall are not gonna come for @arieladanielle about this!”
“Not only does she look GOOOORGEOUS this season..buuut as someone who’s ex of 12 years is now their ride or die best friend with zero romantic intent or anything close…it makes complete sense.”
“We don’t know ANYTHING about their marriage, if they ended up making better friends without being romantic partners than they did what was best for both of them and got divorced. Healthy relationships aren’t weird yall…relax,” the comment concluded.
Ariela caught wind of the comment and replied, fully aware that criticism is par for the course as a reality TV star on social media.
Ariela responds to her supporter
Ariela replied, “@nicbeautymaker oh they are definitely going to come for me. But I know they just don’t get it. And that’s cool.”
“They’d come for me even if I donated a kidney to a homeless kitten. Can’t win with the internet ?” Ariela wittingly admitted.
As previously reported by Monsters & Critics, Ariela explained her reasoning for inviting Leandro, whom she divorced in 2018, to come visit.
“Me and my ex-husband, we’re still great friends. We have a great relationship. He’s really involved in my life. He still talks to my family and he’s involved in family holidays and stuff,” Ariela revealed.
90 Day Fiance fans can catch up with Ariela and Biniyam this weekend when they join the other five couples — Alina and Steven, Ellie and Victor, Armando and Kenneth, Sumit and Jenny and Evelin and Corey — when Season 3 of The Other Way returns to the air this Sunday.
90 Day Fiance: The Other Way returns for Season 3 on Sunday, August 29 at 8/7c on TLC.