A Heartwarming International Love Story from Ukraine – Gary & Elena 

Forced to keep apart by covid, they developed their international love story with video chats for nearly 9 months before finally meeting face to face. Gary was so sure she was the one for him that he proposed on his first 3-day visit to Ukraine! Watch the video for the full story:

This webinar has transformed my life and led me to find my perfect traditional wife. The interactive conversation format allowed me to connect with like-minded people and share my hopes and fears. With the guidance of the host, I found the courage to pursue my love and ultimately exchange vows with her in front of our loved ones and friends. Our journey continues as we expand our family through adoption.

Discover How Gary’s Love Story Began with Match Guaranty’s Risk-Free Test Drive

Gary joined Match Guaranty’s 30-Day Risk-Free Test Drive [1] and during the process to get him going, he had a coaching call with Luba. He selected 10 ladies from the database but was only really interested in one, and that was Elena. Eight or nine of the ladies said they would like to meet Gary, but he was only interested in getting a yes from Elena. Elena was Gary’s first date on the free Skype call. She was the only one he selected and spoke to. Luba agreed that Elena was a good match for him, and she was glad that he had chosen her. 

A Virtual Date That Changed Everything: Elena’s Experience of Meeting Gary

Ironically, Gary was the only guy she agreed to meet for a virtual date. She knew Gary was waiting for her reply to meet him, and she believed he was genuinely interested in getting to know her. Each of them only met the other and started talking to no other person. How’s that for a result? First Skype call and first introduction that ultimately led to wedding bells.

When Elena saw a photo of Gary in her email, she liked him and agreed to the video date. Elena was quite impressed that Gary had the patience to put so much preparation into the date with his list of questions. She liked him very much, but the long-distance relationship had to stay online for quite a time because of covid and the country had restrictions on travel.

Romance Blossoms: Gary & Elena’s Instant Connection

As soon as Gary saw Elena on the screen, he knew. The chat was supposed to last for half an hour, but they went way over the time, speaking for well over an hour. They established a really good rapport in that initial meeting. Gary found Elena so interesting and obviously lovely. Elena shared some personal thoughts and feelings that made Gary know that she was very interested and serious about taking the relationship further. If you are curious what your chances of success with a Ukrainian woman will be, click here to find out in minutes.

Unforgettable Moments: How Gary & Elena’s Romance Grew

So they spent almost 9 months exchanging text messages on Viber and later on WhatsApp. They shared photos and used the time to build up their relationship. Gary and Elena had frequent contact that just grew as time went by. They even started a routine of talking to each other after their work each day. Elena would sometimes be relaxing in the tub, but it was headshots only! This was a favorite time for both of them. They would talk for an hour or hour and a half about their lives and all sorts of things. Some serious, some funny, some light, some deep, and it just developed really over the course of the next eight months. They continued this way from the beginning of September till the end of May.

Overcoming Misunderstandings Across Cultures

Sometimes the online relationship was a bit of a challenge because of the odd misunderstandings or perceptions of certain things. Having different cultures no doubt played a part in that, but they always talked about misunderstandings. If there was something one of them didn’t understand, they talked about it further until there was understanding. They said it was difficult sometimes because they had never met in person, but they came out with flying colors. 

Building a Strong Connection Despite Being Apart

Trying to find out about someone you have never met in person was the only option for them because of the COVID restrictions on travel. Any future plans just had to wait. It worked out well as they had loads of time to spend and get to know each other. They learned how to solve any difficulties they were having which made them stronger as a couple. They found positive solutions and were able to reassure each other. This stood them in good stead for when they actually met in person because they knew each other very well and how each would react.

A Magical Weekend: Gary’s Dream Come True

Gary and Elena’s first meeting in Kyiv came at the end of May, almost 9 months since they met online. It was a 3-day trip that was totally surreal for Gary. He had never done anything like this before. While sitting on the plane, a multitude of questions came to Gary’s mind. How were they going to greet? Do they embrace, do they kiss, or do they shake hands? It turned out to be a magical weekend with a full itinerary. He even fulfilled his dream of going to the ballet on Sunday evening. Gary had an amazing time and something he had never experienced before. 

An Old-Fashioned Gesture: Discover How Gary Proposed to Elena

Elena, like most Ukrainian women, is very traditional with strong family values, being very close to her parents. So, Gary decided he was going to do it the old-fashioned way and ask her father if he could marry Elena. Elena’s father, Leonard, had already arranged a family meal for Saturday evening. Gary and Elena went to the family house, and he met her parents and other members of the family. He explained to her father that they were serious about each other and that there was a prospect for the future of their international relationship. He wanted to know how they felt about him marrying their daughter. 

Elena’s parents talked for a while which Gary didn’t understand but then came the answer. They said yes! So, right there in front of her family in their lounge, he asked Elena to marry him. Elena paused for a short while to think and then said yes. Elena was really surprised because it was their first meeting in person and she wasn’t sure whether she was ready for all of it. Of course, they had nearly 9 months of a virtual relationship under their belt, but it still seemed incredible as it was their first meeting. Would you like to know your real chances of marrying a Ukrainian woman? Click here to find out.

Taking a Big Step for True Love

Elena, unlike Gary, had been married before so, she knew what a big step it was that Gary had taken. She admires the fact that Gary was prepared to accept the responsibility of the one-year-old that Elena had adopted. Elena appreciated that Gary had traveled a long distance to come to Ukraine, experiencing a new culture, and a new language just to be with her. She says Gary is very brave like herself which is probably why they are together. 

Elena’s Adoption Journey: An Inspiring Story of Love and Acceptance

Although Elena had been married before, she didn’t have any children. She had already made the decision to adopt a child before she met Gary. Elena says it was a long process because of quarantine and covid with big pauses in the process. She was shown a picture of her future daughter around the time that she met Gary online. Elena wanted to be totally honest and upfront about what she was doing, so she told him about her plans. Elena had no intention of changing her plans, but fortunately, Gary was accepting of her wishes. 

Within a couple of days after first meeting Gary, Elena met Dasha for the first time. Then she had to wait 3 months for the court date. In the meantime, she was juggling work and making daily visits to see Dasha. Within 2 months Dasha called her, “Mama.” In December, she brought home her new daughter. She feels like it has been the best decision she has made in her life. 

A Change in Their Relationship

After Elena adopted Dasha, their conversations changed. It was very difficult at times for Elena to find the time to communicate with her future husband Gary as the one-year-old took a lot of her time. It did cause some conflict because Gary wanted more attention, but Elena handled the situation very well even though it was a bit exhausting. When Gary came on his first visit, he met Dasha in person. It was a totally new experience for him as he didn’t have any children of his own. Elena was very happy to see Gary and Dasha playing together.

Gary appreciated that Elena had been so honest with him about her intentions. In fact, Gary himself had thought about adoption already so, he immediately had positive thinking about her intent. He saw it as an opportunity to have a ready-made family and be a real positive influence on Dasha’s upbringing. The more Gary thought about it, the more positive he felt about having the whole package. He was very happy although the reality was a bit more of a challenge as he had never had his own children. This was a next adventure for Gary. However, Gary also said it was very rewarding, especially those little moments of magic like when Dasha calls him or comes to him. He also loves the moments of success like when he was persuading her to put on a sweater when she didn’t want to and succeeding in the process. 

Building Bridges: Overcoming Differences in International Couples

Even after the happy occasion of Gary and Elena’s wedding, they appreciate that they are still in the process of relationship building with their multicultural relationship. There are differences in culture and each partner is accepting of the other. Respect is also important despite some misunderstandings. Gary says it’s the same for all couples in an international relationship, and they recognize they are on a journey that has only just begun.

Gary sees the institution of marriage as first and foremost a matter of commitment. The two of them are mature adults and understand that marriage is more than just love as love is up and down. Both of them are committed to marriage and building a family together. Despite their cultural differences and different mindsets, they are committed to each other and their daughter. Their 17-year age gap can also have its challenges, but their commitment to each other is what sees them through. Click here to see what your maximum age gap could be with a Ukrainian woman. [2] With love and commitment, anything is possible!

References

[1] Create an Account – Match Guaranty

[2] SMV (yoursmv.com)