Many of the girls I wrote to, came from there. I had also wanted, for some time, to spend some time with David, the guy who runs our Belarussian operation over there, and who is based in Gomel.
After returning from Minsk, I had decided that I wanted to see other girls, besides Oksana. Like many of the guys who use this site, I am also searching for a partner. Running a dating agency does have it's advantages!
I arrived in Belarus on Friday, and was collected from Minsk airport by Vatalik's father, who also works for the agency, and driven down to Gomel. The journey takes about three to four hours, so it an ideal opportunity to sleep if the time difference (+3 hrs GMT) is too much for you (US guys specifically).
The apartment I stayed in is owned by David, and is located about five minutes walk from the centre of the town. Gomel is not very big, so you can walk almost anywhere you want around the town centre.
The first day I was there I met an incredibly beautiful girl, Zhanna, another girl
who registered with the agency. We initially spent some time walking around the park,
and then took a boat trip along the river. Her English was quite good, providing I
spoke quite slowly and used only simple constructs. After the first day, I
though I had found a girl sent from Heaven. There was so much I wanted to ask her
and find out about her. I speak a little Russian, but not well enough to ask her everything
I wanted to know.
The next day we went to the beach. I knew she was slim, but WOW did she have a wonderful figure. She would have easily got a part in Baywatch. In Gomel, they have a "beach", which appears to be man made. There is lovely soft sand, but you swim in the river. The water is surprisingly warm. It's actually quite good fun.
The language problems, we were having, continued, and became quite frustrating. We had been to the Park earlier that day and seen David and Ken (another guest). I remember talking to him about Zhanna, and our language problems. He suggested we get Natalya (one of our translators) to translate for us, as she would be around on Monday (tomorrow). How I wished, at that point, I had planned ahead a little and enrolled Zhanna in the English classes we run. It would have made things so much easier if she had, had that little bit of tuition she needed.
The next couple of days we spent with Natalya. We learned a lot about one another but, having someone translate for you, wasn't quite the same. We spent the next two days going to restaurants, bars and the theatre and most of the places in Gomel. Gomel is a small town, and you, very quickly, get to most things available there.
Our relationship did not go well. We were too different. I like expressing my feelings, but Zhanna is a shy girl, so I think it was all a bit too much for her. At the end of the four days I had planned to spend with Zhanna, she decided she no longer wanted to see me. It was a shame, because she is a wonderful girl, and one I would have gladly had as my partner.
On Wednesday, I met up with Oksana, as I had originally planned to do so. Oksana had made quite an impression on me in Minsk, so I wanted to spend some more time with her, so I could get to know her better, and decide if she was the one I was looking for.
We went to the amusement park in Gomel, and had a great time. Oksana was a lot more like my personality, she enjoyed fun and adventurous things. I remember her dragging me onto a roller coaster in Minsk. We went on the big wheel, from where you get quite a nice view over Gomel. I am not keen on heights, so being up there with the wind blowing did not make me feel to happy!
Oksana invited me over to her flat to meet her parents. In Russia, most girls live with their parents until they get married. The parents have a lot of authority, so you really want to make a good impression when you meet them. Meeting the girls parents, is actually a very good sign, because it means she likes you and is serious about the relationship.
I felt so uneasy when I met her parents. Like most Russian cities, they are nice in the centre, but fairly awful around the outside, which is where most people live. Oksana's parents are quite well off, in that they own a car (an English Mk3 Ford Escort). If you meet a girls parents, it helps if you take some small presents for them.
We had a lovely meal. I love strawberries, and Oksana had gone out and got this huge bowl of strawberries. He parents were nice, although we all struggled with the language barrier. I also met Larisa's mother, who was a very nice lady, and spoke very good English. Larisa (Oksana's cousin) was in Minsk, taking her exams to be a translator. The evening went very well.
On Thursday of that week, Dave had organised a beach party. He invited the
people at the agency and its clients. He asked both Ken and myself who we wanted
to bring along. I brought Oksana, and Ken his girlfriend Elena. Elena is a very
pretty girl, and tiny next to Ken.
In the picture, Dave is to the left, then Ken and finally Vitalik on the right. Dave and Ken are American, and Vatalik is Russian. We all had a great time at the beach party. Dave had organised some crates of beer and I brought along a few bottles of Champagne. Ludmilla, Dave's Russian wife, had organised the food, so we had a barbecue on the beach.
I spent the next few days with Oksana, and we got to know each other very well. She is a wonderful girl, and almost exactly what I am looking for in a partner. However, I wasn't sure she was the girl I wanted to be my wife. It's a real problem being in Gomel, because the girls keep chasing you. You only have to say something in English, and you are the centre of attention, even if you already have a girl friend. Whilst I was there, there were, maybe, four other European or American guys in the entire city. You, sometimes, don't behave very rationally in such situations.
My decision to split up with Oksana was something, I later came to bitterly regret, when I returned to England. Oksana and myself are now back together, and she will be with me in the UK quite soon.
On my last day in Gomel, David took me out to a place that he described as
"the only place you can get something close to American pizza". Ken also
came along. After finally having western food again, we set off on a
tour of the local pubs. I was annoyed at splitting up with Oksana, so
we decided we were going to have some fun that night.
As a foreign guy, it is extremely easy to pick up girls in Gomel. Most girls are all to happy to sit and chat with you, to dance, and to spend the entire evening in your company. You must remember that most girls who live in Belarus, live a very quiet life and rarely have the opportunity to travel. Consequentially, you are probably the most interesting guy they have met all year!
Drinks are cheap in Belarus, so you can quite easily site down on a table full of girls with a few bottles of champagne and/or vodka and you wont break the bank. They will enjoy your company as much as you do theirs. We met these two girls (I liked the one on the right - Natasha) and went to a night club called (in English) "The Black Fox". Being Saturday night, it was very busy, so there was a problem getting a table. David had a quiet word with the manager and within a few minutes, we had a table.
It was an interesting evening. The dance style there is very hands-off, which I find very annoying, as I am very expressive. I'm sure everyone thought "what is this mad English guy doing here", but we all had a great time. Dave is a great guy and looks after clients very well.
Later that evening, Dave saw a girl who is with the agency and called
her over and introduced us. She was far happier in my company, so we
spent the rest of the evening dancing. She also spoke English, which
helps so much! Although I decided not to see this girl again, we had
a very good time that evening, which was nice for my last night in Gomel.
On Sunday morning, Vatalik's father collected me from the apartment,
and we went back to Minsk airport. Belarus is such a strange
country. We got stopped on the way back for speeding, and the
police officer wanted to fine him $11 dollars. Vatalk's father
negotiated his speeding fine down to just $2. I wish you could do
that over here!
So that concluded my trip to Gomel. I spent a wonderful week there, and
I have probably found the girl I was looking for. I hope everyone who goes,
also has such a great time!
Read about my experiences in Minsk.
Contact us for tour reservations. blues@bluesapphires.net