Moscow, Russia. February 9 2015
I am Nathalia Petrakova, a 19-year-old Russian woman, and I am looking for a husband in a different country for a better life. I go to Moscow to meet men for marriage. That is where I meet with Sergi.
I come from a poor village, Zarnista, with my mother, father and two brothers. Father wants me to stay in the town and marry Viktor, father's friend. I do not want this. So I look for a different way. I can not pay for my study, and I can not leave my father's house.
In Olgino, I met a man, Sergi, at the gym who told me I could meet a wealthy British man on the internet for marriage. But I must first take pictures and write my story for the website.
Sergi is a Russian man the same age as his father, maybe 45, and has a dark beard and a round belly. He wears a leather coat and dark pants. His hair is dark like a beard, and his eyes are dark like night. Sergi is not tall, but a huge man, maybe 1,70 tall and 100kg.
I say yes to pictures and stories. Sergi says I must come to Radisson Slavyankskaya Hotel in Moscow to take pictures and meet other girls who want a rich husband.
On February 26, I took the train to Moscow Kiyevsky Station and walked to the hotel. The hotel is a 500 meter walk from the train. I go to room 168 in the hotel; there, I meet Sergi. Sergi is excellent, and he introduces me to other girls. We were five girls, all Russian.
I make pictures, make a story and make fun. It was an excellent time. After the photos, I went back to my father's house and waited.
In one month, on March 28, I got a call from Sergi; a man wanted to meet me. The man is called John. Sergi says John is asking many questions and wants to see me. So I must go back to the hotel on April 1 and video call John. Sergi will translate for John.
I feel excited. Again I take the train to Moscow, I go to the hotel and meet Sergi. We are in room 168 again, and Sergi has a laptop on the desk. The video program is running, and Sergi tells me I must be very kind. I speak very poor English, but I do my best. John calls with a video program. He is an old, fat, bald, white British man. But I must not show disgust; he can make me a better life than in Russia. John says he lives in London and he shows me out the window; I see many buildings, it is beautiful. My heart was happy for the chance for a better life.
I do not understand much of what John and Sergi say, but I feel happy. John is friendly. He wants his wife to cook, clean and have sex with him. I know this, and it is ok. I can learn English, and I can go to school.
When done talking with John, Sergi says I must go to the lobby and wait for him. So I do. I take the lift and go to the entrance. I stay at the bar is 6:30 pm, and I have a drink. Soon, two men come to me and take me by arms. They are prominent men. The man on the left is 2 meters tall and 150kg. A very, very big man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wears jeans and a leather coat. The man on the right is more petite than the man on the left, maybe 185cm 95kg, but with dark hair. I did not see eyes, but he wore jeans and a leather coat.
These men say I must go with them, but I protest. I am not ready to go; I must wait for Sergi to hear if John wants to marry me. The man on the left says I no delay; I go now.
They pull me outside the hotel; there is the car. Blue car, four doors with driver inside. The driver is 30 years old and has long brown hair and a pink shirt. The men push me into the car, and we go driving. We drive to the bus station; I know Moscow is not good, but I know street names, not.
Around 8 pm, we arrive at the bus station on Uralskaya Ul with two men. The tall man speaks to the shorter man and tells him Elena is waiting in Prague for us. I see many buses waiting to depart the station. A shorter man, still holding tight to my arms, says come. He pulls me to the bus and gets on the bus with me. I wait for Sergi and John, who want to marry me, and the short man says John is waiting for me in London, and I must take the bus now.
I want to go to John, but I must say goodbye to my family. The short man says no, and we must get on the bus now.
I need clarification on why so hurry. But I want a better life, so I go on the bus with a short man. A short man named Andrei. We sit on the back of the bus, and at 8:45 on April 1 bus leaves from Moscow. Andrei says the bus goes to Prague, where he gives me to Elena, and she brings me to London to meet John.
Soon, I saw no husband with a better life for me.
Sincerely,
Nathalie Petrakova