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

Ivanova came to be in Ivanovo, very nearly 300 kilometers northeast of Moscow. Known as soon as while the “City of Brides” because of its then textile that is large-scale, the company has since diminished following the fall associated with the USSR. Ivanova went along to college when you look at the populous town to master architecture and began working at a large architectural and design services company alongside her mom during the chronilogical age of 24.

Though it absolutely was years before Russia’s ban on homosexual “propaganda”, Ivanova stated her dating a lady ended up being one thing she still couldn’t pursue mainly because of household stress.

“It absolutely works, i am talking about I happened to be willing to destroy my entire life to complete whatever my family relations desired me personally to accomplish only to satisfy them, ” she stated in an meeting with worldwide News.

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

Her mother forced her into putting on heels and dresses and changing whom she had been. She stated at one point her mother noticed a guy, called Dima, who arrived to function and told Ivanova she should start dating him before an other woman did.

She did for eight months, nonetheless it ended up being “the worst time in my own life I would say. ”

For this time, Ivanova started speaking with a female known as Meg rock from Canada on an internet site that is dating. She claims they weren’t on the website in search of dates, rock wanted to learn Russian while Ivanova had been wanting a getaway from her life.

Fulfilling rock, she stated, ended up being an opportunity in turn, learned more info on the lady whom she says was “so big. On her become by herself and she”

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

And Ivanova found rock, now simply over 50, passed her power onto her prompting her to fly to Ukraine and fulfill her Canadian friend at Boryspil Airport in Kyiv, the administrative centre city.

If they came across, she claims that is whenever she believes her life began.

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

However the begin of her life that is new states, very nearly ended the moment it started. After fulfilling rock, she let her mom know there clearly was a letter inside her desk explaining her relationship with rock, being released to her moms and dads for the reason that note, also it prompted her mom, her friends and her boyfriend to phone her times that are numerous her to come back. She didn’t.

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

Her escape to Canada, nevertheless, stumbled on a understanding after an encounter along with her family in Kyiv. Her mom had talked with Ivanova, telling her she ended up being coming to generally meet rock in Kyiv exactly what had been supposed to be a meeting converted into both her moms and dads hoping to get her to return to Russia.

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

The now 38-year-old told Stone to come back with their apartment in an effort “to conserve her” as she ended up being brought to a McDonald’s.

“They barricaded me with all the tables, they might maybe perhaps not permit me to get anywhere, ” she explained.

She then phoned rock and explained exactly what took place, leading rock to reach in waplog chat the restaurant and after “fighting” the four of these had been removed from the restaurant by protection and delivered to the police section. Following questioning by authorities, Ivanova said police released them and Ivanova was not forced to get back along with her moms and dads to Russia though she claims her parents left Ukraine along with her passport.

The set recognized they necessary to arrive at Canada, but with no passport, visited the consulate that is canadian Kyiv. She stated the consul wanted to help but could just provide a place that is safe. They informed her she could ask for security if on Canadian soil, but to have here she would want her passport to get a visa.

Through efforts of the buddy in Russia, Ivanova surely could regain her passport as well as the few left for Turkey hoping of shopping for a ship and making their means throughout the ocean. In their two-month remain in the country, she learned to sail so that they both will make their method throughout the seas.

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

Elena Ivanova, right, learns simple tips to sail from a teacher. Elena Ivanova

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

The journey had not been simple, they trekked throughout 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 visiting land in Victoria in April 2007.

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

Since that time, the set have now been utilizing their watercraft to visit the seas. Stone’s house needed to be offered because of the price of the day at Canada from Turkey, and she currently works as a programmer. Ivanova says she tried to find act as a designer but had been not able to do this, and alternatively wrote a written book in Russian to inform the tale of these journey called “Talking towards the Moon”, and hopes their tale may help others, particularly females.

“I would like to enable ladies to simply take back their everyday lives. I would like them to be pleased, certainly delighted, I’d like them to smile, to accomplish things that are crazy to be strong, ” she said.

The couple found Halifax this past week-end and attended Halifax Pride, which she stated they really come upon by accident on observing Pride flags and had been told by many people that the activities had been place that is taking.

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

Expected exactly how she seems since moving to Canada, Ivanova said she’s happy.

“I’m entirely various person at this time. I’m happy. I’m great. I’m liberated in a lot of methods that I can’t count all of them. There isn’t any relative back for me personally. I’ve become finally where i usually desired to be. ”