Liliya and I walked a few blocks when we saw a restaurant. I was starving, so I nodded toward the door hoping she would get the hint. “Ah. You want eat? Okay.” That was all it took, and we went inside.
The inside was so much like an American restaurant that I almost forgot where I was. We found a nice table toward the back of the room, and I took a chair on the back side so I could look at the people and the traffic outside.
I looked at the menu, but didn’...
By the time we reached the apartment Liliya had rented, I thought my neck was going to break from trying to see everything. Funny-looking cars, brick buildings where they didn’t even scrape off the mortar, and so many people.
I thought back to the map I had found of Tatarstan, and this city of Kazan. The information I found said that the population of Kazan was 1,118,000. 2005 was also the year that Kazan celebrated its 1,000th year. Denver only had a...
Everyone on the plane was wide awake now as we flew over Europe heading for Germany. People were getting their belongings organized and put back in their bags. There were even some children who were in a bad mood after being restricted to one area for so long.
This was the time when I regretted getting an aisle seat. Details of cities and roads were coming into view as the plane began its descent to Frankfurt Airport. I stretched up to see out the window,...
I had become so consumed with work and finishing before I left for Kazan, that I was out of the house by 7, and not back until 7. The people I was working for were so anxious to get their remodeling job done that they were more than willing to meet my schedule.
Like clockwork, the pieces fell into place, and by the 24th of August, 2005, I had more than enough money for the trip, money saved back, and a full day to rest before I would be on my trip starting...
I sat at my computer desk for a long time after we all decided to end the call for Sunday. Liliya’s story about almost starving made my mind reel. From my earliest memory, I couldn’t think of a time when we went without food. I thanked God again for sending Targot with supplies.
In the little town of Monte Vista, neighbors looked out for the old and helpless. It was the way things were, but I had never lived in the conditions...
A Word That Kept Me Up That Night
Liliya’s last word, “Maybe,” stuck in my mind for the rest of Sunday. There was hope, and I was going to go for it. I had so many questions still. How do I get over there? What documents do I need? What kind of money do they have? I could hardly sleep.
After some time on Google, I found out that they use the Ruble. No clue, but some images of their money showed up, so I wasn’t clueless. The article I read talked about...
Finding Our Groove
As June continued, the three of us got into the groove of our Sunday talks. It helped so much to know that Liliya understood my words, and I understood hers. She was intrigued by my quiet life after the divorce and my choice not to date anyone. When I told her about that woman from church, she laughed, saying that she knew a few women who were like that.
It became clear to me that life in Russia was different from the US. A large...
Almost Lost Her
I almost couldn’t sleep after talking with Liliya. She was even more beautiful than I imagined, and this fueled my desire to keep the dialogue going.
We exchanged email addresses and tried to make arrangements to video chat with her at least once a week. Sitting in front of my computer monitor at home, I had a hard time trying to imagine what it must be like to have to go to an Internet Cafe to do business or chat with family and friends.
...
Hitting Record
As I continue to watch Russian Brides, I back up to my recliner. The more the show played, the more I knew that I wanted to keep it. I jumped up and headed for the VCR to slip in a new tape, and pushed record.
With the recording, I was able to get the website address for the Russian dating site that had the highest rating out of the 10 listed.
With my debit card in hand, I signed up quickly and then got busy filling out the information for my profile. The site had a spot for a...
A Life Put on Hold
I didn’t start looking for a wife in another country, but that part matters. I was lonely and tired of the same old every day, week, and month. I was open to some new thoughts and ideas about finding love and a wife.
When my marriage ended in 1991, I was out of my home and away from my daughters. Instead of seeing them each morning and tucking them in at night, I was reduced to every other weekend. I rented a one-bedroom apartment while...
