rtking

Day 14 – Saturday, September 11, 2004

I hadn’t slept well last night on the couch. Not because it was uncomfortable, but because I kept thinking of ways to extend my stay in Kiev. I’m sure I could find a way to stay longer, but at the expense of domestic duties at home. I will need to find a date in October or November to return to Kiev.

Russian news service made notice that today is the 3 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks in New York. I am amazed that the news service in Ukraine is so globally oriented. It seems that news in America focuses solely on domestic issues and gives a five minute window for international news (with the exception of the terrorism in Beslan.) I like the fact that I can learn almost as much about America on Ukrainian news as I can by watching Ukrainian news.

O1 sits on the couch with me as I write this entry. We had breakfast earlier and we’re spending quality time together before the move to the studio flat this afternoon. O1 will have her English lesson at 3:00 PM and we’ll meet at 7 o’clock for dinner. I appreciate the time that we have together but it hardly seems adequate. I think it’s particularly cute that O1 leans over and attempts to read what I’m writing. I’ve promised that I’ll translate the whole transcript into Russian for her (via a translator) and will send it to her.

O1 was a bit inquisitive this morning and asked to see the profiles of the other women I met while in Kiev. It was a little surprising to hear, but I keep no secrets from O1. I should have expected this question because we spent some time yesterday and this morning comparing actors and actresses (as well as Ukrainian and Russian Pop-Music stars) trying to determine what the other thought might be attractive. If I mentioned that someone was very attractive, O1 would playfully raise her fist. I ‘m still not sure if this means that she’ll pummel me or the starlet, but I’m not about to test that scenario at all. I’m amazingly happy with O1 and for me, that’s enough.

I pulled-up the web pages for each of the women I was to meet. I started with V1. O1 opened her eyes wide as she recognized her! V1 was in the Kiev Connections office when O1 was there. O1 didn’t think V1 was very attractive. Next was I1, and I explained to O1 how I1 was just not a very good match for me. Last was S1 and O1 recollected immediately that she was the expensive dinner-date. I explained how I hadn’t felt well after dinner and decided to end the date early. And since that time (a week ago) I hadn’t called. Terrible, I know… I should be more of a gentleman and have called S1 to explain the situation, but I was far to content and focused on spending time with O1 to really be bothered.

We decided to eat lunch a bit early today… about 11:00 o’clock. I wanted to take O1 to an Indian restaurant tonight… but we may go to the Moda Bar instead. I know it’s a bit pricey (per O1) but I’d like to go sometime before I leave Kiev. Besides, O1 had mentioned that she had been there once and liked it very much.

O1 decided to depart a bit early so she might clean some clothes for this coming week and prepare for her English lesson. I waited for my driver to arrive and thought about what I might do for the day. Honestly, I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do. Well… that’s not exactly true. I had thought about trying to set-up a new email account for O1, but I decided that I would do this from the comfort of our apartment later in the evening. No point in creating an account and finding-out that she can’t understand the website. O1 and I had discussed how often I’d call from America… and we agreed to 3 times per week. I am sure that those days that I don’t call will be very difficult for me.

__________________
Visa Received: 10 Mar 2005
Fiancee's Arrival in US: 7 July 2005

BradIL

Bob---

O1 is adorable! Congrats!

---Brad///

rtking

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the feedback on O1. I'm really nuts about this girl (as you'll read )

Bob

__________________
Visa Received: 10 Mar 2005
Fiancee's Arrival in US: 7 July 2005

rtking

Day 15 – Sunday, September 12, 2004

Last night, O1 persuaded me to eat at home. We went to one of the local magazines (local store) and bought fruit, salami, cheese, bread, juice and cookies. We then came back to my flat and ate dinner while watching TV and a DVD on my laptop computer. I really wanted to take O1 out to dinner, but she didn’t want to go out. I suspect that part of it was because she was a bit tired after her English lesson, and part was because she didn’t want me spending money on her.

We settled in and watched “The Butterfly Effect” on DVD. I had hoped that there would be English subtitles, but there weren’t. So we settled for English audio and Russian subtitles. It was a surprisingly good film despite the fact that I’m not a fan of Ashton Kucher. O1 watched in suspense as did I and we discussed the film a little after the end. After that, we cleaned the apartment a little and settled-in for the night. Our studio apartment has a king-sized bed and a sleeper sofa. I selected the sleeper sofa and made my bed. I warned O1 that I might snore a bit, but I had thought ahead and brought some snore strips. O1 was amused by these snore strips since they’re not available in the Ukraine. I placed one on her nose to see what she thought. We both laughed when the strip was placed firmly on her nose.

Both O1 and I woke at 6:00 AM. O1 always wakes at this time to prepare for school. I seem to be consistently waking at 6:00 AM while on this trip to Ukraine. I asked O1 if I had snored during the night, especially since I had managed to remove my snore-strip sometime during the night. O1 had said that I snored a little, but it wasn’t bothersome. I was glad to hear it! I think I’ll be using the snore strips a bit more often!

We prepared breakfast this morning while watching TV. O1 would leave at 8:30 to meet her mom who had arrived in Kiev last night. I would meet O1’s mom at 2:00 o’clock. This would give me time to iron my slacks and shirt, shine my shoes and run down to the underground to buy two roses; one for O1, and one for her mom. We would go to an early dinner together where I’m sure I’ll endure scrutiny and many questions. I’m a bit nervous. In my profession, I speak to a large audience on occasion and I’ve found my comfort zone. I can easily speak to a room of 10 top executives or 500 people in an auditorium and still maintain composure without any feeling of uneasiness. But my dinner meeting with O1’s mother makes me very nervous and the thought of eventually meeting her very-conservative father just petrifies me.

1:30 PM rolled around quickly. A bit too quickly if you ask me. But I had pressed my slacks and ironed a shirt, so I was prepared. I quickly showered, threw-on my shoes, gathered my gifts for O1’s mom and ran downstairs. I was about 5 minutes early, so I leaned against the wall and enjoyed the Autumn breeze. The leaves have started to turn golden, red and orange and the breeze brought new leaves swirling around my feet. I love this time of year. Just as I looked up, O1 and her mom were approaching. I walked up to them, managed to stumble through and introduction and presented O1’s mom with a rose, a bottle of California Muscat Cannelli, and a bottle of Dolce & Gabbana perfume (which she loved.)

We jumped into a cab and drove to a Mexican Restaurant that O1 had seen on television the night before. The restaurant (Mamba) actually had very good Mexican food, but it’s a bit upscale in pricing. I wanted to make a good impression with O1’s mom, so money was hardly an issue. O1’s mom (we’ll refer to her as A1) and I got along just fine and I really took a liking to her. She definitely had a sense of humor and I felt at ease with her. After lunch, we headed over to the Zoo (“Zoo Park” in Russian) and enjoyed looking at the animals. It was a great afternoon and I felt great speaking to A1. (Her English is a bit limited and we referred to the dictionary and O1’s interpreting for us often.)

The day ended with O1 and A1 at 6:00 PM. A1 needed to catch a train back to Kharkiv (O1’s hometown) and O1 needed to study for her classes tomorrow. I received three hugs from A1 before she got into the car. (I think she’s accepted me!) I said good-bye to O1 and we agreed to meet at Tsoom department store again at 3:00 PM tomorrow afternoon.

I took a taxi back to my apartment. On the way back to the apartment, we passed Hreshaltik Boulevard and I saw that the streets were closed-off for foot traffic. I had forgotten today was Sunday! I decided I would go back to my apartment, grab extra Gryvnas and head back to Hreshaltik. I had a mission… to buy one of O1’s final gifts for this trip. Earlier in the day, I had bought the last-day (last-morning?) gift… an Italian made stuffed lion (Trudi). I would be on a mission to UniWorld to buy a notebook computer for O1. That way she would be able to keep in touch via email and instant messenger when the weather gets cold and she won’t need to wander away from the student’s hostel at night to find an internet café. A bit pricey for a gift? Perhaps, but I can openly say that I love this woman and I’ve asked her to be my wife. She accepted and her mother was thrilled when O1 told her.

Some might say this decision was a bit brash. Actually, I had asked O1 a few days earlier and just had not written about it. It was a bit difficult to explain, but I’ve finally developed the words. Love is a feeling of the heart, not the mind. If you use your mind, you can rationalize anything. But when the desire comes from the heart, sometimes you just need to go with it. I had committed myself to meeting people on this trip, but the amount of time I spent with O1 just cemented the feeling in my heart. I decided to throw logic aside and pursue an adventure of the heart.

I walked into UniWorld and found the salesman that I spoken to in the past. He recognized me and we looked at a couple of notebook computers. I selected an HP computer for O1 that had an impressive list of features (including DVD/CD-RW drive) for 7034 Gryvnas. (About $1,327 US Dollars.) I happened to purchase the notebook computer at a good time since I was rewarded with a in-store gift credit for 400 Gryvna. I’m sure O1 can use.

After the purchase, I decided to walk along Hreshaltik Boulevard. It would be the last time during this trip I would be able to enjoy this scene with people filling the streets since the street closure only happened on weekends. I bought a beer (.5 liter) and a street vendor’s hot dog, then sat back to watch a mime perform on the streets just as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons piece began playing elsewhere on the street. I continued down Hreshaltik Boulevard and stopped to listen to a man playing an electric mandolin. It was absolutely beautiful and I watched him play even as the streetlights began illuminating the dusk. It was all a bit surreal. I realized then how vibrant and alive Kiev is. I loved my time here and I’ll miss it dearly.

__________________
Visa Received: 10 Mar 2005
Fiancee's Arrival in US: 7 July 2005

Jill

MY GOD!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Pozdravlyayu!!!!!!!!!!!Vitayu!!!!!!!!! What an exciting end to the story!!!!!!

Hey, I told you that you'd love Kyiv

mtbclay

Congratulations Bob!!! I agree with Jill, what an exciting end your story. I am very happy for, I can truly understand when you say that you feel the need to follow your heart. I am sure that O1 will be overwhelmed with her gift (you da man!).

Looks like You have won over 01's mom, dad may be resistant but with mom's approval he will have to give in.

Clay

-3 days and counting.

Keystone

Congrats, Bob and O1. I am very happy for you both. I was in your shoes back in January.

Keystone

__________________
Mailed I-129F 3July2004
Received NOA 12July2004
2nd NOA 29Sept2004
Cleared NVC 12Oct2004
Elena's received packet 3 22Oct2004
KEV-1 submitted 28Feb2005
interview 22March2005 visas granted
23March2005 visas in hand
30June2005 Exit Ukraine arrive USA

Vyesna

Congratulations! I hope it works out for you.

RollingT

Great news, what exciting times ahead. I do not know what it is about the femininity of the RW, but it will be hard to explain when you get back. Continued good luck!!!!!!!!!! Cheers

__________________
______________________
Mailed I-129F - August 5, 04 Texas Center
Received First NOA - August 09, 04
Received Second NOA - September 13, 04
Interview (Moscow) - December 1, 04
VISA Granted
Arrive in Washington D.C. - January 10

Keystone

Congrats RollingT I see that you I-129F has been approved.
I am still waiting, waiting and waiting.
Keystone

__________________
Mailed I-129F 3July2004
Received NOA 12July2004
2nd NOA 29Sept2004
Cleared NVC 12Oct2004
Elena's received packet 3 22Oct2004
KEV-1 submitted 28Feb2005
interview 22March2005 visas granted
23March2005 visas in hand
30June2005 Exit Ukraine arrive USA

RollingT

Keystone, I just sent you a e-mail. I thought you were using the Texas center also. I could not believe the speed of the approval. The INS website has not updated since August 18 and still says June 1. There must not have been many applications being sent yo INS to get this fast approval. I just got the email response today notifying me about the approval. I'm so excited but I don't know what the next step is. It may be a great Christmas present to have Tanya here before the New Year.

__________________
______________________
Mailed I-129F - August 5, 04 Texas Center
Received First NOA - August 09, 04
Received Second NOA - September 13, 04
Interview (Moscow) - December 1, 04
VISA Granted
Arrive in Washington D.C. - January 10

Pin Boy

Congratulations Bob and thanks for posting the report ala Stoichman...like his, I was hooked and read your posts each day at breakfast...if O1 is half as nice as she is beautiful you're one lucky S.O.B. ))

pin boy

BrianV

Congratulations!!!!
That is an awesome ending to a good trip and my best wishes to a new and happy chapter in the both of yours life journy.

Menehune

hey rt,

love you account of your travel. I am also an Asian-American and would like to ask you, did you feel unfortable while in kiev b/c you're asian. In your accounts, you mentioned you saw a few asians there, was this something sought out to feel more at ease? When i travel to a country dominated by caucasians, i feel i am targeted more than who has white skin. I get more hassles, glares, and people whispering in europe than aus or canada though. I feel more at ease in aus and canada than in europe

in sept of 2002 when i was leaving amsterdam on my way to barcelona, me and another asian person i do not know were the only person to be asked to show our boarding pass upon entering the plane. I asked the attendant and she said it was a ramdom thing, i told her she lied b/c she only made two people show her the boarding pass and they are both asian so it was not random.

While at a casino in Costa Brava of the coast of barcelona, one of the cashier was giving people change breaking the larger euro notes. When i came to the counter, i was pointed to a machine over in the corner to get my change. Of course none before me were treated so, but then again they were all caucasians. My x-brit g/f at first thought i was exagerating, by then end of our 3 weeks travel, she did agree with me that i did get alot of glare and bad service b/c i am asian.

I love to travel abroad so i put up with all this. yes racism exist everywhere, but it sux to be made to feel like a second class citizen; even though ur flying first class.

Maybe it's just me, but i would love to hear your views on this.

__________________

"The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time...."