Life can sometimes take you to places you would have never imagined. Why? Well, because this is what makes life beautiful: all its mysteries and hidden corners where you can have either the best, or the worst experience. This time, I’m telling you the story behind my last visit to Cannes: you will find out more about what I did there, my passionate and then ruined (thankfully) love affair and also my following trip to London, where I went to do some modelling and meet some of my old friends.
So, it all started when I decided to go to Cannes for a wild vacation. There I met Mr. X, but, believe me when I say it, this was not the first time we met. I had seen him in Dubai the year before. This time, just after Ramadan had ended with his fasting from meat, alcohol and sex, Mr. X decided to meet up with me in Cannes. Long story short, we started dating. It was all roses dripping in diamonds in the beginning, but soon things started getting uglier and uglier. Mr. X started showing me who he really is and started occasionally disrespecting me. It was truly awful and devastating, I must admit. He was so addicted to gambling, that one hundred percent of his time was concentrated there. Looking at pictures of back then now, I think I look happy, but, in reality, I was deeply sad and couldn’t wait to get myself out of this whole situation.
What I find most intriguing about my relationship with Mr. X is that I never actually thought about going somewhere else. I felt not in the right place, but still, I thought that this was where I belonged. He sometimes went on to not treating me right and yet I still remained in oblivion. So, what did I do in the end? As August had almost ended, I packed all my bags and spontaneously decided to go to London. I just couldn’t stay there with him allowing him to treat me like I was not human. All the memories I now hold of him are of his heavy drinking and his gambling addiction. God bless the day I decided to leave Cannes. This was when summer really started for me.
London, London, London. The time for me to play it hard finally came. I’d been in love with this city since 2013! I always feel good there roaming the streets, going shopping and dining at nice places with my friends. And now, fast forward to my first photo shoot in London. I wanted to learn more about the fashion industry and actually start working on my modelling portfolio. On the set of one of my projects, I met him: Mr. Russian, as I like to call him. He was tall, handsome, and handled himself like a real man.
What else did I need? Our first date was more than magical. We went to Seacrys — my favourite restaurant in the city. It had this picturesque 360-dregree view over London. My next few weeks were fantastic. I felt so loved and surrounded by joy and happiness. But it was time for me to finally do what every transgender woman does at some point: I had do schedule my facial feminisation surgery, and more particularly, the forehead reconstruction one at Marbella.
Mr. Russian went through all of the pain with me. He flew with me all the way to Marbella and supported me in every way he could, which I am very thankful for. My surgery went very well — the results are more than pleasing. And what happened with Mr. Russian? Well, I guess you’ll find out later on in one of my following blogposts.
I know how it may sound, but I went from Khaled, who was an alcoholic addicted to gambling to a man who showed me how a woman like me should be treated. I guess it was all part of God’s plan for me: he wanted me to go through this so that I know that sometimes when life gives you lemons, they may be sour, but with a little bit of motivation and sugar, a lemonade is always in the making.
And the moral of this story? Ladies, trust me on this: never go for a man who prefers to spend his time gambling rather than spend his time with you. And now I ask myself: where will life take me next? And, believe me, when I get there, you will be the first ones to know!
Love,
Iva
