Michelangelo: The Short Good Bye

[KenC]

Michelangeloelo,
I wish you all the best.  It is wonderful that you take this relationship so seriously and I am sure that you will give it your best effort.  Spending time together while romancing the lady or traveling to romantic destinations is a lot easier than spending time together in a more day to day situation.  Most relationships that fail, fail when they enter into a more routine type environment.  Most couples don't have the opportunity to even glimpse anything close to a routine environment in this process.  Good thinking on your part.  And again, best of luck to you.
KenC

[PeeWee]

Michelangeloelo,
I wish you all the best.  It is wonderful that you take this relationship so seriously and I am sure that you will give it your best effort.  Spending time together while romancing the lady or traveling to romantic destinations is a lot easier than spending time together in a more day to day situation.  Most relationships that fail, fail when they enter into a more routine type environment.  Most couples don't have the opportunity to even glimpse anything close to a routine environment in this process.  Good thinking on your part.  And again, best of luck to you.
KenC[/b]

Same thoughts here. I could not have said it better. Ditto, Angelo.

Peewee

[Michelangelo]

Michelangeloelo,
I wish you all the best.  It is wonderful that you take this relationship so seriously and I am sure that you will give it your best effort.  Spending time together while romancing the lady or traveling to romantic destinations is a lot easier than spending time together in a more day to day situation.  Most relationships that fail, fail when they enter into a more routine type environment.  Most couples don't have the opportunity to even glimpse anything close to a routine environment in this process.  Good thinking on your part.  And again, best of luck to you.
KenC[/b]

Thanks for your good wishes, Ken.  They are appreciated. 

I'm looking forward to routine life and seeing how things go absent of the Eiffel Tower or the Prague Castle to visit. 

Honestly, I saw a glimpse of what "normal" life is with her during the month or so, over two visits, that I spent with her in Dnepr.  But living in our own place and not a rental apartment will be nice.   Also saying bye to her in the morning as she goes to work and having time alone to do my work will be close to normal, too. 

All in all, I think I know what to expect and I think things will proceed as we think, and we'll continue to be happy together.  We'll give it a go in Ukraine, and then later in the US.  After that, if all goes well, comes marriage.  But don't get me wrong--we are optimistic. We both fully expect marriage to be the end result.

[Michelangelo]

Same thoughts here. I could not have said it better. Ditto, Angelo.

Peewee

Thanks, Peewee.  I appreciate your good wishes.

[wiz]

Am I late to wish you Good luck Michael???

Sorry but I was too busy with my own meetings and business life over here.

Good luck whenever you read my message.
Wiz

[Michelangelo]

Am I late to wish you Good luck Michael???

Sorry but I was too busy with my own meetings and business life over here.

Good luck whenever you read my message.
Wiz

Thanks, Wiz!  I'm heading out Friday...14th of July--just missed Friday the 13th....HA!  LOL

Please PM me contact info; I have an apartment in Kiev for now but might be interested in what you posted about in the future.

Cheers,
Michael

[Leslie]

Michel

We are remarkably congruent in our journey.  From the beginning you had a thoughtful approach.  You were prepared to spend the time (and money) to find your partner.  I always thought you would succeed.  I too spent some months living in Ukraine with my fiance before we both moved to the UK.  Living together in Ukraine changed our perspective.  Understanding your wife's culture is just as important as her understanding yours.


This journey is like sailing.  You need to know where you are going whilst dealing with what is happening now.  Fair winds.

[Michelangelo]

 

Michel

We are remarkably congruent in our journey.  From the beginning you had a thoughtful approach.  You were prepared to spend the time (and money) to find your partner.  I always thought you would succeed.  I too spent some months living in Ukraine with my fiance before we both moved to the UK.  Living together in Ukraine changed our perspective.  Understanding your wife's culture is just as important as her understanding yours.


This journey is like sailing.  You need to know where you are going whilst dealing with what is happening now.  Fair winds.

Thanks for the compliments and well wishes, Leslie.  They are greatly appreciated.

I have spent a lot of time with Vik and we have become very comfortable with one another--I don't think of her as a Ukrainian girl at all.  She's just my best friend, and girlfriend!  But I know that we have only touched the surface of the depth of our relationship, so yes--I need to understand FSU culture better.  And the only way to do that is to be there, living it.

My Russian is becoming pretty good at the phase level and conversational level.  But I always learn so fast when I'm there, so I know I'll pick up a lot more by living in Ukraine.

By the way, with your child, does your wife speak Russian to her and you speak English?  If so, how's that working?

I'm leaving tomorrow, and

I'm ready to...

Sail away! ...

[Bruce]

God speed and good luck! 

[Leslie]

Hi Michel,

We both speak mostly Russian to Toma.  She has a stack of Russian Language DVD's  Her favorites are the old soviet era cartoons about forest animals. She understands simple questions (and cautions!) in English and Russian (e.g. Nosik / Nose).  This is a deliberate decision on our part.  We want her to acquire Russian first.

Once you live in Ukraine your Russian will improve rapidly.  Take formal lessons.  One on one with a teacher for two half days a week will make a significant difference.  It is worth the effort.  Once you speak enough Russian to blend in, people treat you differently.  Most ordinary Ukrainian people are not comfortable with a foreigner.  You might be the center of attention but people don't act normally around you.  

When I went to live with Natasha I entered her world.  Five nights a week I would go to the theatre in the evening, watch the performance, and eat afterwards often with other members of the orchestra.  Shop in the market.  Go to the forest and make shaslick.  People visiting.  Just living a normal life, we grew much closer.  It helped me understand the situation when Natasha gave up all of this to live with me in UK.

Enjoy the journey.

[Michelangelo]

Great pathway.  You are a very wise man, Leslie.

Intuitively, i am driven to the same path you took.  And I'm looking forward to the journey, yes indeed 

[catzenmouse]

After 5 pages I think we need to change this to the "Long Goodbye" 

Best of luck Michelangelo! Drop in from time to time as you get a chance. The more I read about being there and dealing with the political BS here at my work the better it looks to just up and go for awhile.

Ken

[Michelangelo]

After 5 pages I think we need to change this to the "Long Goodbye" 

Best of luck Michelangelo! Drop in from time to time as you get a chance. The more I read about being there and dealing with the political BS here at my work the better it looks to just up and go for awhile.

Ken

Thanks, Ken--you are correct! It was a long goodbye!  But I have greatly appreciated the good will expressed by so many over these past 5 pages; it's amazing really.

It's raining cats and dogs in Kiev (actually Dnepr) right now, so I'm throwing my umbrella in my bag as I zip it now and head for the door...

I'll post this plus one more, and I'm gone....really 

[Michelangelo]

Michelangelo has become Misha...

FADE TO BLACK...

[KenC]

I for one aint betting on Michelangelo being gone for too long!  Once he settles in and has some vacant moments to be filled, he'll be back!
KenC

[PeeWee]

I for one aint betting on Michelangelo being gone for too long!  Once he settles in and has some vacant moments to be filled, he'll be back!
KenC

yep, maybe he'll find an Internet cafe and send a message.

Peewee