Time: First meeting to Proposal

[Alfia & John 10]

I guess it is time I put forth my timeline. We met online, via Elena's Models, on January 20. We exchange multiple emails each day and my trip is planned for May 1-12 (May day and Victory Day time period).

My arrival will be fairly late on May 1, then we will take the train to Kirov (an all night-er). My emotions run wild and fast, she is much more conservative but has not attempted at all to put the brakes on me. We have discussed a life together, where to live, important personality traits, etc.

If all continues according to current conditions, I hope to do the proposal May 5 during an intimate dinner together.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

By the way, I still write to my wife every day on Skype or text messages. Seems like we got so used to talking to each other this way for so long we can't stop.

Yep, we still text and call several times per day and then meet up at the end of day for some activity together. We prefer to discuss family business in the big tub before bed. All diplomacy should be done naked in a big tub...you cannot have disagreements that way.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I guess it is time I put forth my timeline. We met online, via Elena's Models, on January 20. We exchange multiple emails each day and my trip is planned for May 1-12 (May day and Victory Day time period).

My arrival will be fairly late on May 1, then we will take the train to Kirov (an all night-er). My emotions run wild and fast, she is much more conservative but has not attempted at all to put the brakes on me. We have discussed a life together, where to live, important personality traits, etc.

If all continues according to current conditions, I hope to do the proposal May 5 during an intimate dinner together.

Elena's Models has the best catalog! Like Victoria's Secret for men. HOT women also can have good personalities.

May Day and Victory day are always a good time in Russia. We seem to have forgotten about the 2nd War, they sure haven't!

[Alfia & John 10]

May Day and Victory day are always a good time in Russia. We seem to have forgotten about the 2nd War, they sure haven't!

I have been in Russia for three Victory Day celebrations, very moving.

[PhilC 5]

Hey Moosecape.... We have been in AP for 77 days. We don't know why for sure. They never tell you. We have our suspicions but will probley never know. As time goes by I think we just might wait until school is out so her son can finish first grade in Ukraine. I hope things go good for you. I wish I could go to see her. If we are still in AP in June I will go back for a visit in June.

I hope my marriage is as good as Gary and Alla's. Some of the things he wrote has brought tears to my eyes. They are truly in LOVE......

I know we forget about this time we have been apart as the years go by, as time does cure all, but the waiting is getting to me. We do skype at lease once a day. but the time just seems to drag.

Edited February 13, 2013 by PhilC

[Alfia & John 10]

Hey Moosecape.... We have been in AP for 77 days. We don't know why for sure. They never tell you. We have our suspicions but will probley never know.

I hope my marriage is as good as Gary and Alla's. Some of the things he wrote has brought tears to my eyes. They are truly in LOVE......

This is everyone's worst nightmare, other than being denied. Actually, being denied would be better for me because then I would just move to Russia to be with her. But this endless waiting, worse than waterboarding.

Gary and Alla have it good but I know of many others on here that also have done very well. It is very encouraging to see it work well for so many, gives us all encouragement that it will also work for us.

[PhilC 5]

I aggree. My wife treated be better the any woman I have ever dated. She is a good cook and is very easy on the eyes. Each time I tell her how pretty or smart she is she tells me she is just "Usual" . Our time will come. They kept her passport and fingerprinted her at the interview so that is a good sign.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hey Moosecape.... We have been in AP for 77 days. We don't know why for sure. They never tell you. We have our suspicions but will probley never know. As time goes by I think we just might wait until school is out so her son can finish first grade in Ukraine. I hope things go good for you. I wish I could go to see her. If we are still in AP in June I will go back for a visit in June.

I hope my marriage is as good as Gary and Alla's. Some of the things he wrote has brought tears to my eyes. They are truly in LOVE......

I know we forget about this time we have been apart as the years go by, as time does cure all, but the waiting is getting to me. We do skype at lease once a day. but the time just seems to drag.

Phil, I promise you, you get over that stuff. I visited often when we were waiting and it was always so hard to leave. I was going there about every 6 weeks and when I cam back I was bummed out for about 2 weeks, (Ok 3 days was jet lag...but still) then I would start buying stuff to take for the next trip and start counting days and then I would be going over again and be awake for about 3 days!

Now we get to be together every night and we do most everything together. I always have more fun if Alla is with me, grocery shopping or clothes shopping (for her!) She wants a new RED DRESS this week for our Valentines Day date! She goes to her school and I go to work and she calls me between classes and I call her at lunch. We eat dinner together, sometimes I cook, sometimes she does (she cooks better)

We were lucky, no AP and no RFEs. We also had our own challenges, two children, overseas education for one and a life that resembles a fire drill at times with all the comings and goings and activities and this one doing that, and that one doing this and....I would not have it any other way! Our lives are busy, exciting, frustrating, joyful and challenging and at the end of every day Alla snuggles up behind me in bed and everything is OK.

The visa is the easy part, after that comes life and it is much harder, but you get to do it together.

Hang in there!

[BatmanUSA 105]

Met on facebook in November 2011, I went to Russia in May 2012...

Knowing it was a vacation for me, and knowing I would have a great time I kept an open mind and we spent our time getting to know each other... We did have a dinner with her family so we could all get to know each other..

hen I returned home, my father picked me up at the airport and asked when she was coming and when was the wedding... I honestly didnt think about it while I was there...

Within a month, I realized how much I missed her, I realized what a wonderful woman she is and that I was in Love.. We talk on Skype 3-4 days a week... So we discussed and realized we were very much in Love. We submitted the K1 in the end of June 2012..

Currently awaiting to schedule the interview in Moscow for mid-March.. Since her daughter must also go for the interview. I decided to make it a family vacation and my son is also coming.

Hoping for approval and then Elena and her daughter will come in July.. Her sister is applying for a tourist Visa so she can attend the wedding... Hoping she also get approved...

[St&Sv 33]

Gary I know exactly what you mean about looking into her eyes and knowing. My Fiancee and I met in April 2012 online, and really there hasn't been a day we haven't talked since. Physically we met in September 2012 when we were in Turkey together. After we both returned home we found our way onto the subject of marriage and I told her she would be my wife one day. Her reply, I feel the same. It wasn't until January this year while we were in Finland that I purposed to her, had to do it officially even though she had already said yes beforehand . Since I just got approved for my 3 year Russian visa I'll be going to see my girl here in couple months too

[SMR 368]

Yep, we still text and call several times per day and then meet up at the end of day for some activity together. We prefer to discuss family business in the big tub before bed. All diplomacy should be done naked in a big tub...you cannot have disagreements that way.

At a minimum, you know everyone is unarmed and not wearing a wire.

[USSR 1]

Corresponded with Yana during May and June, went to Ukraine and met her on July 10, proposed on July 12, and we were married on August 23 in Kharkov. While I have quite a bit of experience with Slavic culture (I am an Orthodox Christian and was previously married to a Russian woman), I have never met anyone like Yana.

Don

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

At a minimum, you know everyone is unarmed and not wearing a wire.

HUH?? I take my S&W M640 stainless centennial (do NOT ask where it is concealed) no one can see it but it is definitely THERE and it is, um, water proof.

These ARE Soviets we are bathing with, y'know! You can bet they are hiding something.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Gary and Alla

[baron555 934]

This is everyone's worst nightmare, other than being denied. Actually, being denied would be better for me because then I would just move to Russia to be with her. But this endless waiting, worse than waterboarding.

Gary and Alla have it good but I know of many others on here that also have done very well. It is very encouraging to see it work well for so many, gives us all encouragement that it will also work for us.

AP is a walk in the park...compared to what some of us have had to endure......think about what if your future wife is the government approved foster guardian of the young 2 year old boy and she as a single woman who wants to adopt him?!!! Why would a single mother in Russia want to give up all that free government assistance and stipends to be a foster adult to the young child just to ADOPT the child? Why? And then the entire decision was left to the subjective decision of a single Babushka in charge of said decisions?

My wife endured three said continuances for the decision. The hoops she jumped threw, just to be with me? What was with that?

You want to talk about feeling helpless? You want to talk about things beyond your control that could derail all immigrations plans? If she couldn't adopt him as her own child (BC with her listed as the mother), the Embassy would not have been able to issue him a visa.

A few days in AP is a walk in the park. Don't think for an instant that your case is so special. I don't mean this in any discouraging way....but what you guys talk about pales....just pales....in relation to what some others have to / have gone through....just to be together.

Have faith and keep the relationship strong. I know that many times, many times both, of us wanted to end our madness but the other just kept it alive because....they saw the future together as being brighter or at least the potential as being brighter.

Be the bright light and bring it all home. I know we both did and we do not question our decisions....and thank each other for being the strong person at the time and making that decision to not quit.

[baron555 934]

The visa is the easy part, after that comes life and it is much harder, but you get to do it together.

Hang in there!

Yep !!!