The Truth About Geoffrey Paschel And Varya Malina's Relationship
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina are one of the most memorable couples from the 90 Day Fiancé franchise — yet they couldn't be more different. After all, he's a country boy from Tennessee, and she's a city girl from Russia. However, as fans of 90 Day Fiancé can attest, opposites obviously attract.
Throughout Season 4 of TLC's popular show, 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, this lovestruck couple was often the focal point of the series' drama. And while their on-camera journey ended in a happy (second) proposal, the relationship is more complicated than some may realize.
Viewers met Geoffrey and Varya when they met for the first time in Russia. However, the couple's meet cute was anything but perfect, and quickly proved to be as cold as the Siberian winter. Luckily, things turned around quickly for the two as they each let down their guard and grew the connection that brought them together in the first place. But between Geoffrey's criminal past and Varya's cold feet, the couple has faced obstacles that have threatened their icy love bubble. Read on to learn the truth about Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina's TV relationship, and what you didn't see on-camera.
Varya Malina thought Geoffrey Paschel didn't like her when they first met in Russia
Varya Malina and Geoffrey Paschel's first date just so happened to take place in front of a TV crew — and it was nothing short of cringeworthy. After only having dated long-distance, the 90 Day Fiancé stars' first meeting at a Russian airport — and the car ride that followed — was downright awkward. It seemed neither of them knew what to say after finally seeing each other face-to-face.
"Things aren't going exactly how I thought they would go," the single dad narrated in-between clips showing him and Varya making small talk on the car ride over to the hotel. "I'm getting this weird vibe from her. It's not bad and it's not good. It's just a little distant; a little standoffish," Geoffrey continued.
Months after the episode aired, Varya expressed her embarrassment over that day in a video on her YouTube channel, and shared that she too felt the same weird vibes. "I decided that he doesn't like me; maybe I don't like him," she said. To clear the air, Varya confessed she sneaked away from the cameras once they arrived at the hotel to speak to Geoffrey privately.
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina overcame a major language barrier
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina have had to learn to navigate a language barrier — an obstacle faced by many international couples. Words tend to get lost in translation when you date someone who lives halfway across the globe; however, these misspoken words and phrases do make for some awkwardly hilarious moments.
On her YouTube channel, Varya shared some of these laughable instances that have happened between herself and Geoffrey. Varya, who's from Russia, recalled when the two first met at the airport. Excited to see her American beau, Varya started talking about her plans for the visit. At one point in the conversation, she accidentally told Geoffrey that she prefers "to make out" with him when she meant to say she prefers "going out" with him.
"It was so embarrassing!" Varya told her subscribers. She continued, saying, "I didn't even realize what I said." Fortunately, Varya's English has significantly improved since making her reality TV debut, making it easier for the couple to communicate.
Geoffrey Paschel gave Varya Malina the cold shoulder after she rejected his first proposal
Geoffrey Paschel was heartbroken when Varya Malina "not now" to his (first) marriage proposal.
"I'm not ready to leave everything here," Varya told Geoffrey about her life in Russia on a 90 Day Fiancé episode, as he confidently knelt down on one knee to ask for her hand in marriage. Varya also expressed how she felt they were moving too fast after only spending a few weeks together in her homeland.
Feeling rejected, Geoffrey didn't waste any time flying back home with every intention of moving on. However, Varya didn't let him go that easily. In an interview with the Domenick Nati Show, Geoffrey said he received text messages from Varya for about a month. According to the American guy, he'd mostly ignore Varya's texts — though he would sometimes respond with short, dry messages. Geoffrey was heartbroken after the awkward proposal, and thought he and Varya were on the same page. "With her turning me down with a "not now," I was so done," Geoffrey said. He continued, saying, "I put so much into [the relationship] and I didn't feel like I got it back."
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina were in a love triangle early on in their relationship
Although Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina wouldn't know it from the start, there was always a third person in their relationship. That person's name? Mary Wallace.
"She constantly texted Geoffrey while he was in Russia. I saw her messages pop up on his phone," Varya shared in a video on her YouTube channel after viewers saw the love triangle unfold on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. According to Varya, when she asked Geoffrey who Mary was while they were in Russia, he told her she was just a friend back home and she had nothing to worry about.
However, those text messages would soon turn into a romantic relationship after Varya rejected Geoffrey's first marriage proposal in Russia, and he flew home heartbroken — only to find solace in the arms of his "friend." When Varya realized she wanted to marry Geoffrey, she decided to surprise him by showing up at his doorstep; however, she got a surprise of her own when she found Wallace there with him. "It freaked me out," Varya recalled in a YouTube video.
Varya Malina's surprise U.S. visit to see Geoffrey Paschel wasn't staged
Varya Malina's surprise visit to see Geoffrey Paschel in Tennessee was 100 percent unscripted, according to Varya.
After realizing the mistake she made by saying "not now" to Geoffrey's proposal, Varya confessed she tried to reel her ex-love back in, even asking Paschel to visit her again in Russia, sans cameras. However, Geoffrey kept making excuses as to why he couldn't come, and that's when — according to Varya — she came up with a "brilliant idea" to surprise him by showing up at his doorstep. Along with a camera crew, she headed to Tennessee three months after saying goodbye to Geoffrey in Russia, according to a confessional video on her YouTube channel.
Though there were theories circulating that the surprise visit was staged, especially since Mary Wallace was caught in Geoffrey's house the morning of Varya's surprise visit, both Varya and Geoffrey shut down the theory. "It was a total surprise for all of us. For me, for Geoffrey, for Mary, for the crew. It was crazy," Varya said of the surprise moment. Speaking to Domenick Nati, Geoffrey revealed, "I didn't know what to do."
Geoffrey Paschel put Varya Malina through a wild ride when she showed up at his doorstep unannounced
Though Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina stayed together at his home for two weeks after she appeared unannounced on his doorstep — all wasn't forgiven. Instead, Geoffrey put Varya to the test to make sure she was the woman she'd presented herself to be.
While Varya was ready to be Geoffrey's girl again, he had reservations. "Varya told me no to my proposal and I've moved on with my life. I don't know what I should do," Geoffrey said during an episode of 90 Day Fiancé.
Geoffrey wanted to make sure the spark was still there, and that he and Varya were as compatible as he once thought. One way he did so was by making Varya ride nearly every Dollywood rollercoaster. Geoffrey posted on Instagram a video clip of the two on a rollercoaster, which featured a terrified Varya. Visibly freaking out as the coaster makes its way to the top, Varya can be seen telling the camera, "I don't want to die!" Geoffrey captioned the clip, "My goal was to see if she was as adventurous as she had claimed."
It took two proposals for Varya Malina to say yes to Geoffrey Paschel
Varya Malina and Geoffrey Paschel's relationship is proof that relationships require lots of work — and maybe even second chances.
In a matter of months, Varya went from saying "not now" to Geoffrey's first proposal, to saying "yes" when he got down on one knee for the second time. The second time around, Geoffrey asked Varya for her hand in marriage at an old wishing well in his Tennessee hometown. Before he proposed, the couple wrote down their own individual wishes on strips of paper, tying them to a wall full of strangers' wishes — a tradition for people visiting the local landmark.
After the couple made their wishes, Geoffrey bent down on one knee. "I didn't realize how much I truly loved you and how much I truly missed you until you said 'surprise' at my doorstep," he told Varya before popping the question. While she accepted his proposal, Geoffrey was nervous he'd hear another rejection. "I was really kind of worried," the groom-to-be told cameras following the TV proposal. One thing's for sure: Varya always keeps him on his toes — or, erm, his knee.
Varya Malina's family didn't necessarily approve of her relationship with Geoffrey Paschel
Varya Malina and Geoffrey Paschel might have rekindled their relationship — but that didn't mean their loved ones all approved. In fact, Varya's family didn't necessarily support her relationship with Geoffrey — especially when he confessed to them all during a visit to Russia that he was an ex-convict back in Tennessee.
Varya's mother understandably didn't like the idea of her daughter being with an ex-convict — especially so far away from her home country. However, like any loving, supportive mother, she let the couple stay at her place before they headed off on a camping trip. As they said their goodbyes, Varya's mom expressed to her daughter that she'd support whatever decision she made. "My daughter is an adult and she makes good decisions that she has thought through carefully," Varya's mom said, speaking in Russian.
Following the episode's airing, Varya confessed on the Domenick Nati Show that — though her family wasn't as supportive as she wished they'd be — "nobody can stop" her when it comes to her following her heart. There's no arguing that she's a woman who knows what she wants!
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina have always pushed each other out of their comfort zones
Varya Malina and Geoffrey Paschel are undoubtedly entertaining on 90 Day Fiancé. However, reality TV drama aside, these lovebirds are just as entertaining when they're just doing normal couple things — like camping together.
Cameras filmed Varya and Geoffrey as they camped in the Siberian wilderness in Russia, which was more Geoffrey's idea than it was Varya's. Despite her hesitance, Varya seemed to have a good time, as evidenced by the album of photos she shared from the trip on her Instagram account. Captioning the photos, Varya wrote that she tried to "dissuade" her beau from camping by telling him stories about the huge mosquito problem in Russia, but it didn't work. However, she got her payback when a large mosquito bit Geoffrey in a rather uncomfortable place.
The two also soared new heights (pun intended) when they went on nearly every rollercoaster in the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee, which took place during Varya's surprise visit to America. Geoffrey shared with fans on Instagram Live (via YouTube) that Varya nearly passed out on all the rides. "It was so funny!" he said.
Varya Malina and Geoffrey Paschel's on-camera relationship was real
Varya Malina and Geoffrey Paschel might be reality TV stars — but nothing about their romance is made-for-TV. According to the lovebirds, their relationship was always genuine and real.
While everyone knows that reality TV shows like to cleverly edit scenes for the sake of ratings, Geoffrey has said what 90 Day Fiancé viewers saw on-screen was a pretty accurate representation of the couple's relationship, which was riddled with uncomfortable moments. "The kind of retakes that we did was entering into the restaurant a couple of times because the lighting wasn't right," he said on the Domenick Nati Show. Geoffrey continued, saying, "I don't feel like [the camera crew] steered me in any direction."
Varya confessed to fans in a video on her YouTube channel that the tears you saw her crying when she said goodbye to Geoffrey at the airport after rejecting his proposal were very, very real. According to Varya, she felt "very sad" and literally cried her makeup off — even hiding in the crew van to get away from cameras. "I cried so hard because I didn't want [our relationship] to end so sad," Varya revealed.
Here's why Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina didn't appear on the 90 Day Fiancé tell all
Varya Malina and Geoffrey Paschel didn't participate in the tell-all episode for 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days Season 4. However, there was a good reason for their absence.
Prior to 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days premiering on TLC, it was already known that Geoffrey was facing criminal charges, including domestic assault. Even so, the network proceeded to feature his relationship with Russian beauty, Varya. Though he appeared throughout the season, as noted by The Fraudcast podcast, Geoffrey wasn't invited to appear in the show's live tell-all episode after his shady past received backlash from viewers.
However, Geoffrey did take to social media to defend himself, and even addressed the 90 Day Fiancé scandal on his own YouTube channel, saying he's not fired from the show and his 90 Day Fiancé contract remains active. "It's complete and utter nonsense," he said about the firing rumors. Still, Geoffrey remained vague regarding when 90 Day Fiancé fans will find out about his and Varya's relationship status, saying there are "different things in the works." Apparently, viewers will just have to wait patiently to discover the truth.
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina have kept mum about their relationship status
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina know how to keep fans sitting on the edges of their seats.
Probably the biggest cliffhanger on Season 4 of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days was the status of Geoffrey and Varya's relationship. The last time fans saw them, the lovebirds were engaged — but viewers weren't so sure if that was still the case after the season came to a close. And when neither Geoffrey nor Varya were at the Season 4 tell-all, these suspicions grew even more.
To make matters more confusing, Varya wasn't wearing her engagement ring during a June 2020 interview on the Domenick Nati Show. Varya explained the ring's absence by blaming the early hour, but when the host asked the reality star if she was still engaged, Varya couldn't give a definitive yes or no answer. The missing ring came only a month after Geoffrey wrote a cryptic post on Instagram alongside a photo of the couple at dinner. "Cheers to going in as team and going out as one ... [respect] for each other regardless of the outcome," Geoffrey wrote. Talk about adding suspense!
Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina still make cameos on each other's social media
While Geoffrey Paschel and Varya Malina plan to tell-all someday, their Instagram activity may provide some clues that the two are still in communication.
Both 90 Day Fiancé cast members have a loyal following on the social media platform, and even make cameos on each other's feeds. Varya popped up on Geoffrey's feed with a video wishing the dad a Happy Father's Day in June 2020. "You are an amazing person!" she said. The reality star continued, "You always find time to help, support and love your kids."
On Varya's feed, a photo of the two appears in a June 2020 video she posted to introduce her YouTube channel, which features self interviews of her experience as part of the 90 Day Fiancé franchise. While fans can't be totally sure what their current relationship status is, it's obvious these two are on friendly terms — at the very least.