Due to the fact town of Halifax celebrates Pride, simply over about ten years ago Elena Ivanova ended up being doing anything but. Dating a person, even she felt wasn’t her own though she liked women, and living a life. It took a voice that is canadian her to make a journey throughout the ocean to “freedom. ”

Ivanova was born in Ivanovo, nearly 300 kilometers northeast of Moscow. Understood when while the “City of Brides” because of its then large-scale textile industry, the company has since diminished following the autumn associated with USSR. Ivanova decided to go to school within the populous town to master architecture and began working at a large architectural and design solutions firm alongside her mom during the chronilogical age of 24.

Her dating a woman was something she still couldn’t pursue primarily due to family pressure though it was years before Russia’s ban on gay “propaganda”, Ivanova said.

“It absolutely works, after all I became willing to destroy my entire life to complete whatever my family members wanted us to accomplish only to satisfy them, ” she stated in an meeting with worldwide News.

In the time her mother as well as other loved ones had been asking her why she wasn’t dating and expected her to rather be a “housewife, ” she said.

Her mother pressed her into using heels and dresses and changing whom she had been. She stated at one point her mother noticed a person, called Dima, whom arrived to function and told Ivanova she should begin dating him before an other woman did.

She did for eight months, however it had been “the worst time within my life i might state. ”

For this time, Ivanova started speaking with a lady known as Meg rock from Canada on an internet site that is dating. She claims they weren’t on the website hunting for times, rock wished to discover Russian while Ivanova had been wanting a getaway from her life.

Fulfilling rock, she stated, had been the possibility in turn, learned more info on the girl whom she says was “so big. On her behalf to be herself and she”

Elena Ivanova, left, satisfies Meg at Boryspil airport Elena Ivanova

And Ivanova found rock, now simply over 50, passed her energy onto her prompting her to travel to Ukraine and satisfy her friend that is canadian at Airport in Kyiv, the administrative centre city.

If they came across, she claims that’s whenever she thinks her life began.

“I think very nearly I’m able to count my true to life from that point on. Before it very nearly appears like we ended up being asleep. ”

However the start of her life that is new states, very nearly ended the moment it started. After meeting rock, she allow her mother know there clearly was a page in her own desk explaining her relationship with rock, being released to her moms and dads for the reason that note, also it prompted her mom, her buddies and her boyfriend to phone her times that are numerous her to return. She didn’t.

WATCH: From intimidation and arrests to death threats, Jeff Semple is with in Moscow to consider just exactly what gay activists face and describes what sort of Canadian charity is helping.

Her escape to Canada, nevertheless, stumbled on an understanding after an encounter together with her family members in Kyiv. Her mom had talked with Ivanova, telling her she had been coming to meet up rock in Kyiv exactly what ended up being allowed to be a conference changed into both her moms and dads looking to get her to come back to Russia.

“The concept would be to kidnap me personally and drag me personally right back to Ivanovo, ” Ivanova stated.

The now 38-year-old told rock to come back to their apartment in an effort “to save yourself her” as she ended up being delivered to a McDonald’s.

“They barricaded me because of the tables, they might maybe not let me get anywhere, ” she explained.

She then phoned rock and explained what took place, leading rock to reach during the restaurant and after “fighting” the four of these had been removed from the restaurant by safety and taken to law enforcement place. Following questioning by authorities, Ivanova said police released them and Ivanova had not been forced to get back together with her moms and dads to Russia though she claims her moms and dads left Ukraine along with her passport.

The set realized they needed seriously to arrive at Canada, but without having a passport, visited the consulate that is canadian Kyiv. She stated the consul agreed to assist but could only provide a safe spot. They informed her she could request security if on Canadian soil, but to obtain here she would want her passport to get a visa.

Through efforts of a buddy in Russia, Ivanova managed to regain her passport as well as the few left for Turkey hoping of shopping for a ship and making their method over the ocean. Throughout their stay that is two-month in nation, she discovered to sail so that they both will make their method over the seas.

“Otherwise we’d hugely be endangering our lives, ” she stated.

Elena Ivanova, appropriate, learns just how to sail from an trainer. Elena Ivanova

Ivanova and rock purchased a yacht that is 14-metre and lay out regarding the water in June 2006.

Your way had not been simple, they trekked over the mediterranean and beyond, made their means by way of a hurricane when you look at the Atlantic Ocean, journeyed in to the Pacific through the Caribbean Sea and Panama Canal, before arriving at land in Victoria in 2007 april.

The Atlantic Ocean after a hurricane while Elena Ivanova and Meg are cruising the waters. Elena Ivanova

Since that time, the pair have used their boat to travel the seas. Stone’s house needed to be offered as a result of price of the visit to Canada from Turkey, and she presently works being a programmer. Ivanova claims she attempted to find act as an architect but had been not able to do this, and alternatively penned book in Russian to inform the tale of these journey called “Talking towards the Moon”, and hopes their story will help other folks, particularly females.

“I would like to enable ladies to take back once again their everyday lives. I’d like them become happy, certainly pleased, I would like them to smile, to accomplish crazy https://brightbrides.net/review/plenty-of-fish things, become strong, ” she stated.

The couple found Halifax this past week-end and went to Halifax Pride, which she stated they actually come upon by accident on observing Pride flags and had been told through some individuals that the activities had been place that is taking.

Elena Ivanova and Meg in Halifax in 2017 july. Elena Ivanova

Expected exactly exactly how she feels since going to Canada, Ivanova said she’s happy.

“I’m entirely various person now. I’m happy. Personally I think great. Personally I think liberated in a lot of means that We can’t count all of them. There’s no relative straight back in my situation. We have become finally where I always wished to be. ”

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