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Alan and Tatiana - 19 January 2011 | Update November 2011
 If you are looking for a loving wife with old-fashioned values to raise your children, you want to give these Russian ladies a try!
I met Tatiana in my very first bunch of contacts, and quickly eliminated all the others. We graduated from emails to Skype -- a necessity!!
She was shy at first about meeting on Skype, but after she saw me and heard me talk for about twenty minutes, she turned on her camera. What a lovely lady !!
Tatiana lives in Siberia, and invited me to meet her in Moscow for the Holidays.
Was language a barrier ?? -- Well, so much of our communication was non-verbal that I'd forget we came from different countries. Tatiana is a college professor, and her English is so good that I'd completely forget she might not understand everything I said. There were some hurt feelings till I explained that I truly didn't realize she hadn't understood what I said.
Moscow is a very interesting place, and Tatiana wanted me to meet her friends and experience the Russian culture. But I have some health problems, and Moscow not only is not handicap accessible -- it's downright handicap hostile. There are miles of stone stairways in the subway system, along with long corridors that require very strenuous walking. Very few benches to rest on, and no drinking fountains when you're dehydrated. Add to this that our apartment was on the 5th floor -- and there was no elevator!! I go on record that I would have done all that for no one but my Tatiana!!
As I said, Tatiana is a college professor; educated, intelligent, well-spoken, and loving. And at 51 years of age, she has the figure of a high school cheerleader!!
WOW ...
Moscow is also a lot more expensive than I planned on. And in Russia, going Dutch or sharing expenses is simply not done. You will be blacklisted by the lady's friends if you do not pay the full bill.
But hey, guys -- it's worth it !!!
Take along three times as much pocket cash as you think you'll need. And don't take American Express traveler's checks -- the banks were closed for 10 days at a time [over the Christmas holidays] and we couldn't cash them anywhere. I had a moneygram with extra cash sent from home, and couldn't find anywhere to cash it either.
So, we had to live like teenagers in their first apartment rather than adults on vacation, shopping at the cheapest grocery stores and cooking our own meals! ( There was a good deal of BONDING that takes place when doing this lifestyle, and I don't regret it!!)
But looking back, we decided that we'd have been better off going to one of those "All-Inclusive Resorts" they have in some countries, where airfare, lodging, all food and all drinks are included in the package price up front. No surprises.
We are looking into the possibility of sponsoring a group Russian Bride Resort Vacation in Cancun. If anyone is interested, please let me know!
How did it end? Well, I am more in love with Tatiana than I've ever been with anyone before in my life! She seems to love me, too.
RussiaUkraina.Dating was extremely helpful, providing advice and insight that you get at no other online agency that I know of.
Alan (USA) and Tatiana (Russia)
Update November 2011
 When I got back from Moscow last January (see previous post), I started saving money for Tatiana's airfare and she began working on getting a Visa.
Her Visa was not approved until 3 days before departure, so we had to book the air tickets at the very last minute. She said that the hallways outside the Visa interview room were full of crying, disappointed ladies who were turned down. Tanya has visited Ireland, France, China, and other countries, so she was a better candidate and was approved for a 2 year Visa (instead of the 2 months I was expecting).
In spite of minor injuries, car troubles, and other misadventures, we had a wonderful six weeks together. Tatiana absolutely LOVED the Iowa countryside. She ate mulberries picked from a tree, watched a mother robin feed her babies, was thrilled by rabbits and squirrels, and finally got to see our resident woodchuck. It was absolute magic when she first saw fireflies rising from the grass at nightfall; she danced among them looking like a little girl in a Victorian painting.
We visited the Ledges State Park, the Amana Colonies, the Iowa Capitol Building, and Salisbury House Castle in Des Moines. We spent a week at my uncle’s lake home in Wisconsin. And as the grand finale, we spent a day at the Iowa State Fair.
Tatiana cooked special Russian dinners for my friends, and I made native Iowa cuisine for her. My neighbors adopted Tanya as a best friend. My parents and sister absolutely loved Tanya, and she adored them.
Next summer, the University in Irkutsk where Tanya is a professor will supposedly pay for her travel expenses to come back. I’m saving money in case that doesn’t work out, and we can use the money for a side trip to Mexico or Florida if the University comes thru.
I miss Tanya terribly. We still talk on Skype whenever possible. (She teaches seven days a week without sick leave, so her time is limited).
We have done a little looking for engagement diamond rings…
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