2. NINA AND MIKHAIL
the unauthorized love story

4. AUGUST 2000
the Republican National Convention nominates George
W. Bush and Dick Cheney for the Republican
presidential ticket
But on another Hill, College Hill, more important events are
taking place.....

6. Clara Armand-Delille: "I met Mike at
Brown on my first day. And I met
Nina the following day at the
international party in Buxton. Can’t
remember if I introduced them but ...
I might have!”
Severine Brustlein: Nina thought: "I
am going to change this Russian!".
She definitely felt there was going to
be work!

8. Vadim Slavin: This is the
time to explore, to see
what the new life has to
offer, try every chocolate
in the box...but no, Mike
and Nina decided that
they were already
beyond that (at the
tender age of 18) and
took to each other like
Lenin and Marx.
Nadya Dimitrova: I am not even sure about dating -- always
together since then.

10. Severine: Definitely very different! Nina: much more calm
and collected. Mikhail: completely out of this world!! Huge
party animal, loves to climb up posts on Thayer street or
drive his car up piles of snow after nights at Viva.
Julia C: I was instantly
impressed at how deftly Nina
rolled her eyes.
Vadim: I knew they were meant for each other when Nina put
over-partied, overjoyed and still rambling = Misha on a garbage
bag and dragged him from my party to his dorm. What a
dedication! What love!

11. Even if it didn’t always feel like, they were at University...

12. Even if it didn’t always feel like, they were at University...
Julia: As their relationship solidified, each was pursuing
his and her own path in education, organizing events,
learning. It was clear how eager both Nina and Mikhail
were to be at Brown and absorb as much as possible.
Vadim: When I first met them, they were the cutest
couple already. It was a panel Mike organized for
Khruschev and he was on stage and soliciting questions
from the audience and no one would start. So Nina had
to ask the first question to support him.

14. Severine: They spend a couple weekends in Newport.
They take the bus or the boat... Always some kind of
adventure with them. Mikhail eventually gets a car but
it gets stolen... He finds it a couple months later...
Julia: Nina suddenly starts
nodding when we speak in
Russian, and I know that Misha's
last piece of armor is off.

16. Vadim: I knew this man trusted this woman when he
let her color his hair into gold Ivanushka. Talk about
trust.
Nadya Samonova: This was
during Parent’s Weekend. I come
out of the car and look straight
at Misha, but don’t recognize him
at all. He says, Mom, that’s me,
Misha!
And this was also the time we
met with Sandra and Gerard. It
must be said they took this very
well, much better than in Meet
the Parents. I can only imagine
what they were thinking...

18. Julia C: They are making friends, rising to the top, be it
the sorority or the economics club -- soon enough they
are crowned the Queen and King of Brown .
Severine: Graduation. End of a very carefree life.

19. NYC

20. NYC
Julia: Mikhail's parents help them move and put two
twin beds in the apartment along separate walls. Well,
guess this is going to be just like the dorm.
Nina and Mikhail In
Severine: They travel, they work, they practice
yoga... They gradually become more and more
similar and you feel the bond getting so much
stronger...

22. Julia: They can still throw a mean party! And Mikhail
can still surprise with his out-of-this-world antics!
Severine: He convinced a taxi driver to lend him the
taxi to impress his girlfriend whom he was picking up
at a restaurant. He ended up picking Nina up with
some friends in the back and driving off around the
block...I guess you can imagine the taxi drivers face
and stress when he saw his car being carjacked by
some crazy russian!!

24. Julia: But for all the macho-ness. Goodbye
investment-banker-style steak nights!
Sara Bernier: There’s a deeper
more spiritual commitment.
They have grown up together.
Mikhail is always right there
for Nina, taking classes and
workshops, going to camp in
the mountains to take yoga
and meditate with his lady.
He is even in yoga teacher
training!
Julia: Nina's knowledge about healthy food and
lifestyle, and ability to stick to it!, is inspiring not only
Mikhail, but is enlightening their friends and families.

26. Julia: Always brimming with ideas, they keep advancing in life.
Nina starts her business. Mikhail finally sees clearly what his
business is about.
Nadya D.: Both are very supportive of one another

28. Severine: Mikhail proposes to her in December
2008, during very difficult times for Nina. I have
never seen someone provide such careful and
strong support to their partner. I am so
impressed by their true, profound bond.
Ella Foshay: I wasn't privy to the development
of Nina and Mikhail's relationship, I only know
how happy it made her mother. Sandy loved
Mikhail and it was a divine gift for her to know
during her life of their engagement to wed.

30. November 22, 1980 July 30, 1981
Q: What does marriage mean to you?
A: Though your questions are very simple, but once being put to
older generations, it results in LOTs of Thinking... (Nadya
Samonova)

32. A: Mariage is like a Wagner Opera, nice and happy minutes,
long and difficult quarter of hours... Minutes may occur
fifteen times more than quarter of hours, time is hence
irrelevant, occurrence is. (Christian Brustlein)
A: You have to live in the same city
from now on :) and the realization that
the day to have kids has really come
close. (Nadya D.)
March 18, 1982

34. A: It means always trying to understand the other
person before making yourself understood.
(Shannon Cusick, 28, engaged)
A: It's awesome (at least the first few months!)
(Mikhail Shapiro, married August 2009)

36. “Hypocrite's advice about marriage I never had: Don't bring
up the Napoleon wars.” (Vadim)
Patience! (Nadya S.)
Ogden Nash has said it best:
"To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the
wedding cup,
Whenever you're wrong, admit it;
Whenever your're right, shut up."
We remind ourselves of this advice often, but follow it
rarely.” (Ella Foshay)

38. A: Marriage is nothing but a test of endurance, a test of
the spiritual essence of two individuals on the grounds
of grace, faith and tolerance. (Yogi Bhajan)

40. Many years of love and beauty to you!

41. Many years of love and beauty to you!
Produced by Devchonki Productions

42. Many years of love and beauty to you!
Produced by Devchonki Productions
Compiled and edited by Julia Chernova

43. Many years of love and beauty to you!
Produced by Devchonki Productions
Compiled and edited by Julia Chernova
Special Thanks to Everyone Who
Sent In Responses!!!!!