Introduction and Request for quick information - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

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Introduction and Request for quick information
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Posted by: Renegade

Hello all,

After years of lurking, and dreaming, and 4 trips to the former soviet union, I have finally found my match, beyond my dreams, proving that the harder you work, the luckier you get.

My fiance lives in a remote area of Ukraine, in a city of about 100,000. I need to set up internet communication, so that she no longer has to go to internet cafe or to the agency which is farther away. I think my only option here is to send her money, and have her set it up (please no warnings about sending money, I understand already). However, if there is a large ISP covering most of Ukraine, with an English version website, offering broadband, that would be great.

I have purchased calling cards from Noblecom.com, and thank you to members of this forum who referred me to this.

I also need to pay for her English classes at the local university. I assume Western Union is the best option here. I will search this forum for other options, but if anyone has tips on this, please let me know.

Anyway, hello to all here. I have some reports that I will probably post later. I have found the lady I have been looking for, and the journey, which has been both hard and exciting to this point, has really just begun.

I will pass along two observations, as for understanding the people in the FSU. First, if you understand that people are basically the same everywhere, then you're 50% of the way toward understanding them. Second, if you understand that no matter where you go, there you are, then you're at least 75% of the way toward understanding them. Then, the rest is cultural, economic, historical, and environmental.

Later.

Posted by: Cheburashka

Welcome to the forum Renegade.

Posted by: Chrismc

Welcome Renegade

Rather than WU and their extortionate fees, try and open a bank account in her name or get an additional cash/atm card for an account attached to your own and transfer money into it, she can then just withdraw it when she needs to from an ATM in her home town, they will have them even in small towns or in banks in her town. Saves all the WU fees.

When you get her set up on the net, then use Skype or VOIP it is much cheaper than a lot of the calling cards.

Chris

Posted by: Renegade

Okay, thank you for the information. Any particular banks you can recommend where the account may be set up over the internet?

Posted by: cedarwind

I do not know that answer to that question, but my friend in Primorsk uses private bank (located all over Ukraine) It is a subsidy of Chase bank.

I simply 1 time each month using my account at Washington Mutual bank send a wire transfer (free of charge) to her bank account. Then she can get the money.

Posted by: Cheburashka

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade

Okay, thank you for the information. Any particular banks you can recommend where the account may be set up over the internet?

I don't think ANY bank will let you set up an account over the Internet. They want to see you and your identification. If that were possible, drug lords and money launderers would be extremely happy.

Posted by: Renegade

Okay, I have asked her to open a new account for purposes of receiving money. I guess as long as there is a routing number and an account number, that it doesn't matter which bank she uses, and it doesn't matter which bank I use. Sounds simple enough. Thank you for the information.

Posted by: Chrismc

duplicate

Posted by: Chrismc

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade

Okay, I have asked her to open a new account for purposes of receiving money. I guess as long as there is a routing number and an account number, that it doesn't matter which bank she uses, and it doesn't matter which bank I use. Sounds simple enough. Thank you for the information.

It should be easy enough, would be eaisier if there was a US Bank branch in her own town, or if you had a bank and they had a branch there, then you could just attach her account to yours. But if not any bank should do, but you may incur transfer fees if it is not one affiliated to your own? However, this would stil normally be a lot cheaper than WU.

Posted by: Turboguy

Why not just open an account here in your name, get an atm card, send it to her, send the PIN seperately, tell the bank you will be using it in Ukraine and you can add as much or as little as she needs and close the account if things don't work out.

Posted by: Renegade

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turboguy

Why not just open an account here in your name, get an atm card, send it to her, send the PIN seperately, tell the bank you will be using it in Ukraine and you can add as much or as little as she needs and close the account if things don't work out.

Thanks for the idea. I will consider it. However, I know there are the issues of the delay in my receipt of the ATM card, and the delay of getting it over to her, as well as what happens if she loses it, or, heaven forbid, uses it as a credit card, and exceeds the limit (which can be done). May be a good long term solution though.

Posted by: ira156

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renegade

Check with your bank. I can transfer money straight from my account to Nats. There is a fee but i think that the security issue being my own bank gives me peace of mind. As long as both your banks are registered to do it its not a problem. If you trust her enough to send larger amounts less often it will reduce your costs. It has no connection to credit facilities.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Believe it or not most US banks will allow you to get a strict ATM card without the debit card features. No chance of overdraft then.

I think the best approach is for her to get a local bank account, you get instructions on how to do international wire transfers - might help to explain to local bank why you are doing them. Then she can use an ATM from the local bank, or withdraw money, or etc... And she won't feel like big brother is questioning her about her spending habits.