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I was going through my favorites and deleting links I haven't used for a while and when I got to the "P's", I forgot how long it's been since I posted to this board.  As I scan the users, I remmeber names like wsbill, LP, cold warrior, bobby orr, and a few others.  It's nice to see some guys don't fade away (like me).  I faded away because of the my marriage to a FSU woman.  For all the good reasons...just too busy in love.  I haven't told my story for quite some while, so I figured I would share on this board again for those who may have not heard such a "not so typical" story.  I remember wsbill accusing me of being a troll for telling such a story.  Well, no troll I may be, here is the story again with some updated info.  Enjoy.

I was the guy back in 02-2001 who went to an FSU republic to meet a girl I met on a connection website.  I was the guy who flew 5,000 miles east to meet a woman I knew by e-mail for only 4 months.  I was the guy who she e-mail before I left that her father and her could not meet me at the airport because their car broke. I was the guy, who discovered upon arrival into Baku, forgot the directions to her city and apartment back home.  I was the guy who rented a car and drove well outside the city limits of Baku, Azerbaijan all day looking for some little stinking town north of Sumgiat, Azerbaijan.  I was the guy who drove through an abandonded chemical factory near the Caspian wondering what that stench was in the air.  I was the guy that got pulled over for speeding and the policeman and I babbled back-and-forth in languages we did not understand until he let me go.  I was the guy that never met the woman I came to see.

In a very weird situation, I thought I would do something "normal" and to go back to my hotel and e-mail her and tell her why I did not show and that I was at the hotel and I would pay for her taxi to come to me.  I fired off the e-mail.  

She won't check e-mail for a while, so... what to do now... I'm hungry.  So I go to the bar at the hotel and order a beer.  Still hungry.  I ask the bartender, who doesn't speak english, where to get food.  (For some reason, rubbing your belly with your hand works for any language).  He was a Turkish man, so naturally he told me the name of a Turkish restaurant only a few blocks away.  I wasn't in the mood to try something I haven't had before, so I went up to the receptionist on my floor and asked him where to go.  He told me the same restaurant.  Now if that were the only restaurant in town, it wouldn't seem strange, but there were 50 restaurants within 5 blocks of my hotel in a city of 2 million.  Still unwilling, I asked the elevator attendant (they have jobs for everything there) where I should eat.  He said the same restaurant.  3 different people, in 3 seperate inquiries, all say the same restaurant.  Alright, I give in, I think to myself.  I walk to the restaurant and I enter.  I see 6 waitresses sitting at a table folding napkins and as they all look at me.  My eyes wonder for a split second and focus on the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen in my life.  That moment is and will be forever frozen in my mind.  I can see it clearly as I write this nearly 3 years past.  She stands up and walks towards me to greet me and bring me to a table.  I sit down and she speeks to me in Russian.  Everything is in slow motion as her lips move and as she fiddles with the pen and paper in her hands.  I can't understand a word she is saying as I uncontrollably smile and stare into her eyes. She's smiling as she speaks. Pause.  I studder and stammer as I say, "Ne punny-my-yoo pa Russki.", while my ear-to-ear grin is sustained.  She begins to speak broken english and asks me if I want some soup.  Looking back now, I know how important the soup is.  I just say yes or "da".  She continues to smile and walks away.  I couldn't keep my eyes off of her and stared at her legs an butt as she walked away.  I remember so distinctively this thought, "Why couldn't I have come all the way over here to meet a woman like that!"  I eat, we talk, we flirt, we smile, I pay, I leave.  I go back to the hotel and check my e-mail for a response from the woman I was going to meet.  She responded!  Cool!  Things may work out after all.  I read her e-mail...reading....reading...what the f-heck!  She says she does not want to see me because I never showed up and she is in love with another man.  I laugh!  Better than crying, right?  I sat there for a moment pondering...pondering...pondering...  I am a normally spiritualistic guy, so I look up and ask God,  "Why did you bring 5000 miles from home to meet a woman who doesn't want to meet me?"  That's when I almost thought I heard him laugh. A moment later, her face was in my mind-The waitress from the restaurant.  I thought, "No, this can't be...No...well, she was cute...No...No way, that's too farfetched...Nuh-ah...can't be...I'll sleep on it.  Next day I go (run) to the restaurant and it was closed - OK, I went early 'cause I could not wait to see her again.  I ordered some tea.  After an hour or so, I asked her on a date.  She said she would have to ask her mom if it was OK.  Skip ahead of her phone call with mom.  We met after her work that night and attempted to have conversations with an English-Russian dictionary.  We met everyday after and I met her family.  Just spending time with her and talking was incredible.  We had chemistry.  I knew it.  I felt as if I fell in love with her at first sight, in the restaurant. One night, I remember holding her in my arms down by the Caspian and gazing into her eyes.  Strange, but I felt I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.  I asked if I could kiss her and she said...NO!  Sounds of screeching tires in my head!  I'm thinking she either does not like me that much or she's just a self-respectable woman and doesn't kiss any guy she meets.  I optimistically hoped for the latter.  That night, before I dropped her off at home, I leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  She melted towards me and we kissed.  Another moment forever engrained in my head.  Knowing I had to leave the country soon, I told her i wanted her to be my wife.  A sudden proposal, but I explained the Visa process would take some time and we could e-mail and talk on the phone for at least 6 months before she came to America.  I explained that if she thought it wouldn't work out, we had time to be honest with each other.  I then explained that after she got her Visa and came to America, we would have 3 months to live with each other and, again, be honest with each other if it wasn't going to work out, she could go back home.  She looked at me with those big beautiful green eyes, smiled, and said, "First, you have to ask my mother for my hand in marriage."  I loved this woman for saying that because mom said, "So soon, while crying, and then hugged me and said horosho."  (side note - had to spend a lot of time with mom to know me after that.)

Today, we have a son together and are expecting another child.  Everything is working out well.  I can't say we didn't have rough times through all the culture conflicts, but we love each other, believe in each other, and work things out as a team.  She's the love of my life and I feel like I am the luckiest guy on earth.  By the way, mom is here with us right now on a visitor visa visiting her grandson.  Somehow, the fridge never seems to hold enough Borsch. :-)

Good luck to all who venture into their dreams.  God bless.

Flyboy

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

Wow!
It's been awhile...Happy to learn all is going well...
I remember when you were preparing to travel...
best of all....

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

I am glad to hear that you're doing well with your RW. happy new year to you and your family.

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

nt

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

[This message has been edited by LP]


...The way it's supposed to happen. Once again, the MOB girl sticks it to you while the girl in the street does not. This is exactly why I myself now deal only with non MOB women. Blue skies and tailwinds...

... in response to Nice...., posted by LP on Dec 31, 2003

That is a good point. This is what Jack at First Dream has been telling everyone in varying degrees.

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

Flyboy-
Great Holiday Season Story!

and i wish you and yours a great New Years!

Still awaiting my wifes visa , so we wont be together this New Years but hope to post something similar next year ;)

FWIW - I always tell guys to chat up every devushka they see on the street or pectopah! :)

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

Nice story, ended well.    Would you mind telling us your age and the age of your wife?
thanks
Robert D.

... in response to Re: It's been a while (long), posted by Robert D on Dec 31, 2003

Robert D.

My wife is 13 yrs younger of me.

Flyboy

... in response to Re: Re: It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

thanks but frankly I was more interested in your ages because of the postive nature of your observations.   It seems like one of those movie story that one normally associates with very young people.  Very nice story.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: It's been a while (long), posted by Robert D on Dec 31, 2003

Robert D.

I understand the nature of your question because it's easy to associate age with character and attitude, umongst other things.  I don't know how old you are, but I hope a "positive nature of observations" isn't just for the young.

A wise man once told me something about age.  He said you are only as old as the person you are feeling.

Flyboy

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

Could you clarify----
You said "He said you are only as old as the person you are feeling."
Do you mean How you are feeling yourself in contrast to the person you are feeling? LOL

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: It's been a while (l..., posted by thesearch on Dec 31, 2003

Heh-heh :-)  Ya, something like that.

Flyboy

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: It's been a whil..., posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

I remember your story well. I am pleased to hear that all is going so well. Thanks for giving the report. I wish you and your family a great new year.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

interesting.  Sometimes I feel very old then.  I wish you continued good luck.

Robert d

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: It's been a while (l..., posted by Robert D on Dec 31, 2003


...your time will come, but *only* if you persevere.

And remember: If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.

A new year dawns...

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

What a wonderful story you have told.  I do not believe in fate, predestination and all that sort of thing; but, in your case, something higher seems to have been at work.

I wish you continued good luck and fortune.

... in response to It's been a while (long), posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

Great story - you are one lucky guy.  See the post on luck below.  I am happy for you.  Thanks for checking in.

... in response to You made your luck, posted by Bobby Orr on Dec 31, 2003

Thanks Bobby Orr.

I read the article about luck and found it enjoyable.

My I-129F was approved in 3 weeks at NSC.  I was able to speak with someone at the Moscow Embassy on the phone and schedule my wife's (fiancee at the time) interview. The woman at the embassy said, "What day would you like to schedule the interview sir?"  Total time from the day I first looked into my wife's eyes and the day she stepped on American soil: 5 months 3 weeks.  During that time, I put in lots of time preparing documents and phoning the embassy in Moscow at midnight.  All the hard work paid off.  Was I lucky? I don't know. The only place I think luck played a part was in that I didn't listen to the disbelievers (friends, family, co-workers, etc.) who told me our relationship would never work out.  Oddly, they seem to one's who tell me, now, how lucky I am.

Flyboy

... in response to Re: You made your luck, posted by Flyboy on Dec 31, 2003

I am not so sure you can speak to the embassy personnel these days.  There is a good chance I'll be starting another fiance visa process this February / early March.  I doubt things are the same as they were when you went through it, or I did my last one in 2001.

... in response to Seems like you need connections with INS..., posted by Bobby Orr on Dec 31, 2003

It probably is not the same considering I did it pre-911.  Regardless, I do reccommend attending the interview with your fiancee.  I corrected a war-stopping issue on the spot at my fiancee's interview.

Flyboy

... in response to Seems like you need connections with INS..., posted by Bobby Orr on Dec 31, 2003

There is a good chance I'll be starting another fiance visa process this February / early March.

-----------------------------------------------------

Hey Bobby did i miss or forgot something? Best of wishes you, and I hope your process goes through quickly. happy new Year.

... in response to Hey Bobby............, posted by Cold Warrior on Dec 31, 2003

Best of wishes to you as well.  A special thanks to you and the troops who have participated / continue to participate in cleaning up terrorism.  

The fallout from my time with Behappy2day in Tver resulted in one really high quality girl I have been speaking with twice a week and corresponding with almost daily.  I am sending her flowers for New Years and Christmas (January 7).  She is a quality package of a woman who happens to be a University English teacher / private lessons / occasionally flys around Russia training businessmen how to speak English who go to the West, so English is not a problem.  She has pulled herself off the website just to communicate / correspond with me - as I have only been corresponding with her.  She seems to really like everything about me - but I have had cold feet / run into problems before during the fiance visa process, so I am not 100% sure things will proceed to fiance visa start March 1 - but I am a positive thinker.  Her family also is a very high quality family in that both are University educators as well.  She was previously married to a RM but for a number of reasons things did not work with that guy - which is good for me.  Luckily no children resulted in their very short marriage.  This girl definitely is a winner on paper.  I am going back to spend time just with her and her family this February (although I am getting my own flat for the time I am in Tver).  I will also spend some of the time alone away with her skiing for five days or so somewhere close to Tver during my approximately only 12 days with her.  It should be a whirlwind of a trip, with an interesting trip report - and hopefully a happy ending for me in 2004.

... in response to Wishful thinking, posted by Bobby Orr on Dec 31, 2003

All reality first started as a thought, so keep positive and follow your instincts. Take up KenC 's offer. Best wishes Bobby.

... in response to Wishful thinking, posted by Bobby Orr on Dec 31, 2003

Mr Orr,
Email me if there is anything we can do to help as the wifey is currently in Tver until 1/20.  Lena also is good friends with Yassic.  Best of luck to you.
KenC

... in response to Re: Wishful thinking, posted by KenC on Dec 31, 2003

Thanks for the offer.  I do not at this point need any help.  Yaroslav has already helped me with a flat and has delivered flowers for new year and will deliver flowers to my girl for Christmas as well.   My girl will meet me at the airport, I meet her folks the next day and then will go off for five days or so to ski with my girl before heading back to Tver to spend more time with her, ideally.  I'll go back to Yaroslav for help in the event things sour, but I am highly optimistic of a successful relationship with this girl.  We call speak twice each week and write often.