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Where do I start?
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Posted by: Moose55

Hello, I've just started looking in to mail order brides sites and don't know where to start. I spent $200 on Anistasia before I did some research and realized my mistake. Then I thought to try elena's models but read something about a Jim's List scam where they hype up their sites and accuse other sites of scamming. I heard some good things about loveme.com. I was hoping you guys could suggest a reliable site (I'm only 24, not sure if that matters).
Any help would be great. Thank you.

Posted by: AkMike

Hi Moose!
Welcome to the forum. You'll learn alot both good and bad if you sit down a read thru for a bit. There several lifetimes worth of expierence here,
The first thing you NEED to do is drop the "mail order bride" phrase.
These women cannot be ordered up from the Sears catalog. It's kind of demeaning. 'Nuff said.
Now go and read to learn about internet dating.

Posted by: Moose55

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Hi Moose!
Welcome to the forum. You'll learn alot both good and bad if you sit down a read thru for a bit. There several lifetimes worth of expierence here,
The first thing you NEED to do is drop the "mail order bride" phrase.
These women cannot be ordered up from the Sears catalog. It's kind of demeaning. 'Nuff said.
Now go and read to learn about internet dating.

Good point, I'll make sure I don't use it on these forums

Posted by: AkMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

Good point, I'll make sure I don't use it on these forums

My wife had a 'talk' about this just last week. I'm passing on the word is all.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

My wife had a 'talk' about this just last week. I'm passing on the word is all.

Was it just a talk?

Posted by: AkMike

But of course! It's been just over 3 years of marriage (4 total)and we have yet to have our first fight.. She's a darling!

Posted by: AkMike

Moose, The first thing you need to do is ask yourself if you're ready and willing both emotionally and financially to go thru with it. It'll take at least a couple of trips to meet a woman, Not cheap, and passportsas well asvisa's are needed some places.
The if things go very well and you got lucky enopugh to find the right one there is still several months of paperwork for getting her into Canada.
It's not for the faint of heart but it can be and is worth it!
There's been alot of horror stories as well as some good ones.

Posted by: Raspberry

Yes, Mike has got this one right....

Posted by: Moose55

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Moose, The first thing you need to do is ask yourself if you're ready and willing both emotionally and financially to go thru with it. It'll take at least a couple of trips to meet a woman, Not cheap, and passportsas well asvisa's are needed some places.
The if things go very well and you got lucky enopugh to find the right one there is still several months of paperwork for getting her into Canada.
It's not for the faint of heart but it can be and is worth it!
There's been alot of horror stories as well as some good ones.

I thought alot about it. I've been single for about 3 years now. I changed high schools in grade 11(because I moved) and don't talk to any from there. My College was a tech program so it was all guys. All of my friends girlfriend's friends that are single in my mind are single for a reason. That really only leaves bars and even though I think I look pretty average competition is tough. Any girlfriends I've had or had any success with have been at I party where they can get to know me and not judge me on whether I look like a football star or something. At almost 25 these parties and girls are becomming scarse and I'm only getting older.I have a few friends with kids that have been divorsed. The divorse rate is like 50% or something. I don't want to be another bad part to that stat. I guess I'm kinda old fashion in the way I look at things. My mom was 18 and my dad 22 when they had me and they couldn't be happier. I've always thought of Eastern European women as the most beautiful in the world and I've heard they take marriage more seriously than the women of North America. As for the cost can you put a price on happyness? This is why I joined this forum so some of you members could tell me the best places to look and give me pointers so I don't waste as much time and money. Thanks again guys

Posted by: Jerico

AKMike is right. You need to really sit down and ask yourself if your ready for this type of relationship.
It can be difficult. To go to another country and meet a women who in emails sounds great. Then you meet her and she doesn`t seem the same. You start to think "what am i doing here ,wasting much time and money."

However when i went to Russia I knew after that first trip I wanted a Russian women!!!
Even if it did not work out and I returned without any prospects I knew i would try again.
Ya it cost money and i still pay for these trips 4 years ago. About 20 grand out the door give or take.

AT the moment I am having problems with my Russian wife. So a word of advise from someone who has went though this process already.
Try to spend as much time over there as you can to make sure she is " the one"
I cant stress this enough. Remember that even though they are Russian they are still women and they have a different view of westerners that is incredibly false.You will see what i mean if you pursue this.
However I do think you should try this. It can be rewarding as Mike said.
Jerry

Posted by: royalpalace774

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerico

AKMike is right. You need to really sit down and ask yourself if your ready for this type of relationship.
It can be difficult. To go to another country and meet a women who in emails sounds great. Then you meet her and she doesn`t seem the same. You start to think "what am i doing here ,wasting much time and money."

However when i went to Russia I knew after that first trip I wanted a Russian women!!!
Even if it did not work out and I returned without any prospects I knew i would try again.
Ya it cost money and i still pay for these trips 4 years ago. About 20 grand out the door give or take.

AT the moment I am having problems with my Russian wife. So a word of advise from someone who has went though this process already.
Try to spend as much time over there as you can to make sure she is " the one"
I cant stress this enough. Remember that even though they are Russian they are still women and they have a different view of westerners that is incredibly false.You will see what i mean if you pursue this.
However I do think you should try this. It can be rewarding as Mike said.
Jerry

HI Jerico,
Now that you are married to a Russian women, what are the incredible false views that you have experienced with your women? Very interesting to here what you have to say about this.

Posted by: Stirlitz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

Any help would be great. Thank you.

Elena�s models is not that bad. At least, you can have women�s contact details there. At any rate, try to use agencies where you can the contact details and communicate with women directly if you like. Write as many as you can afford, narrow down your choice to a score and try to visit them all. Of course you will only get to see half of them or fewer and you will like even fewer. Then you can talk to the remaining 5-6 or so and finally make up your mind after another visit, leaving one to three. This is called write many-visit many, the best efficient approach which allows you to save time and money.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by royalpalace774

HI Jerico,
Now that you are married to a Russian women, what are the incredible false views that you have experienced with your women? Very interesting to here what you have to say about this.

The best way I can explain what I am thinking Jerico is on about is to relate a story told to me by a friend of mine (american) who lives in Russia.

Russia is the kind of place where you can meet people in the right setting and they will give you the last food in their home to feed you if you are their guest. These same people will step over someone dying in the street and not look back.

Another way to show what I think Jerico is on about is to look at how far Russians trust other Russians in business and other relationships. THEY DON'T!!!

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerico

AKMike is right. You need to really sit down and ask yourself if your ready for this type of relationship.
It can be difficult. To go to another country and meet a women who in emails sounds great. Then you meet her and she doesn`t seem the same. You start to think "what am i doing here ,wasting much time and money."

been there done that, on my second trip. still a wonderful woman but not what I was looking for. My first trip is what truly convinced me that I would continue this adventure until I got it correct.

However when i went to Russia I knew after that first trip I wanted a Russian women!!!
Even if it did not work out and I returned without any prospects I knew i would try again.
Ya it cost money and i still pay for these trips 4 years ago. About 20 grand out the door give or take.

this is not for the faint of heart, but you do not need to be you do not need to be on "Forbe's list of richest people" to do it, just use common sense and be smart with your money

AT the moment I am having problems with my Russian wife. So a word of advise from someone who has went though this process already.
Try to spend as much time over there as you can to make sure she is " the one"
I cant stress this enough. Remember that even though they are Russian they are still women and they have a different view of westerners that is incredibly false.You will see what i mean if you pursue this.
However I do think you should try this. It can be rewarding as Mike said.
Jerry

Hope this is just a bump in the road and that the two of you can straighten everything out.

Moose55, this process is truly not for the faint of heart, do not want to scare you off, I have been there twice and think the people are wonderful, the culture is fasinating, and even though I have yet to find my mate, I do not regret one minute or one dollar spent.

Posted by: Moose55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stirlitz

This sounds like a good plan. Alot of people on these forums use Elena's models so they must have some success; I think I'll try them. The one thing I'm wondering about is what is the reaction of some of these women when they find out you're meeting other women besides just them? Thanks for your advice.

Posted by: Moose55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chillidog

Nice to meet you. If I'm going to set myself up for a let down I'd rather it be now while I'm young. What was the average cost of each of your trips?

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

Most of them are writing to other men as well. They generally won't become exclusive to you until you become exclusive to them. I was writing to 2 women and was dreading having to make the choice between them, neither knew about the other. Fortunately, the one from Ukraine made the choice for me and said that she had been writing someone else at the same time (after she said she wasn't). Funny tho, after about a month of telling me that she was going to be with him exclusively, she wanted to start writing me again. Well, too late, I had really started getting close to the other one so I just correspond with her and have a meeting planned in May. This other woman, after about 3 weeks of writing and calls to each other, she took down her profile from Elena's so we are exclusive to each other. Some members feel that if they don't ask, you don't tell, others tell them up front. I tend to go with the first reason and see how the chips fall. The Russian woman is very jealous (at least mine is), so you have to think it through if you want to tell them you are gonna meet other women because it could seriously backfire on you.

Posted by: goforit

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

But of course! It's been just over 3 years of marriage (4 total)and we have yet to have our first fight.. She's a darling!

Outstanding!! Sounds like you are very blessed.

Posted by: goforit

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

As for the cost can you put a price on happyness? This is why I joined this forum so some of you members could tell me the best places to look and give me pointers so I don't waste as much time and money. Thanks again guys

Moose, I think you might have what it takes.

Posted by: goforit

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

A wise man would do best, IMO, to keep that info to himself unless asked. If you have to reveal that info know that some women will be cool with it and some won't. Frankly, unless you are mutually exclusive it shouldn't even come up.

Posted by: Stirlitz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

This sounds like a good plan. Alot of people on these forums use Elena's models so they must have some success; I think I'll try them.

It�s not just Elena�s models. There are other agencies that operate on this basis, search for them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

The one thing I'm wondering about is what is the reaction of some of these women when they find out you're meeting other women besides just them? Thanks for your advice.

Well their reaction is always negative. Yet it should not bother you. You have a goal. We have a saying: listen to the woman� and do the other way around

It applies here as well. Of course every woman wants to be the only one. But you cannot be sure she is until you heard her voice, met her in person, talked to her directly, discussed many important things, looked into her eyes� had sex with her� actually saw that she likes you too. This does not take emails but a personal visit. So while you are at a letters stage whatever they think you must correspond with many. Simply because they will be opting out one after one and if you do it in succession you will waste tons of time but if you do it simultaneously you will save months and years.

And, what�s funny and makes a good point, they, like blucatz pointed out, also talk to nearly all the men who approach them. So this must be fair

However, don�t let them know that without the need. Try to avoid the subject. If a woman insists on telling her if you talk to other women, do. If she wants to know the details, tell to her in a mild way it is none of her business. If she is too unhappy or furious about it, just dump her. You don�t want her believe me. It is a good test if she is going to be a jealous wife and possessive person who will be bossing you around, but not too smart at that.

Posted by: Jerico

Quote:

Now that you are married to a Russian women, what are the incredible false views that you have experienced with your women? Very interesting to here what you have to say about this

Well for one thing they think the average westerner makes about 12000 a month. After marrying my wife she told me at the time she thought i was stingy for not sending her money or gifts ( remember she was thinking I made 12 to 15 grand a month so sending her 500 a month is nothing.) Well now she knows better.

Also as Deccie said , they would have no problem stepping over a dead guy to pick up a rouble.

They watch to much American TV there. It corrupts them totally.
Again this is not all russians it is just what I have seen being around them.
Jerry

Posted by: Buckeye5704

Hi gang,

1st post for me and two more to go (well, and 1 hour).

I see some good info here and couldn't agree more with the write to many ladies at once method. It will certainly save you untold hours, days, months, years and money. I found a nice site (Fiance) and registered then bought the VIP plan and am writing to about 20 right now.

Ok, see ya. I gotta do two more posts.

Tim

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

Nice to meet you. If I'm going to set myself up for a let down I'd rather it be now while I'm young. What was the average cost of each of your trips?

including round trip air fare and the hotel in Moscow for 8 days last July, it was in the neighborhood of $3000. The lady I met lived in a small suburb of Moscow and the hotel I stayed at was on the outskirts of Moscow (not city center) it took my pre-arranged driver 3+ hours to find it. I landed at 11pm Moscow time and did not finally get to the hotel until around 2-2:30 AM. The hotel was about 1 block walk from the nearest metro station to her town. The total cost I gave also includes going on 5 guided personal tours for me and the lady I met, to museums, and other places of interest, eating out every day. also the use of an additional interpreter for 3-4 hours every day

Posted by: Moose55

Thanks for all the info guys......know I have a better idea what I'm getting myself into and how to go about it.

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerico

you mean you don't make 12,000 a month or was that a week

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chillidog

3K for a trip like that is not bad, especially staying in one of them overpriced hotels. Would have been cheaper in an apartment.

Posted by: royalpalace774

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerico

Why do you think they think the average Westerner makes that salary? Is it from watching television? Is it from reading anything? Is it from photos?

Why is it they think like that?

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Welcome Moose. Two other sites beside Elena's are www.freepersonals.ru and www.allsinglerussiangirls.com. I've used both and found some great women on these sites, including my fiancee.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by royalpalace774

Why do you think they think the average Westerner makes that salary? Is it from watching television? Is it from reading anything? Is it from photos?

Why is it they think like that?

The way most Russians live is very different to that in the West.
There are a number of salient points.

1. Many Russians either avoid paying tax completely or drastically understate their income to the government.

2. The percentage of income they have is spent very differently. For example, my fiance lives at home with her mother and earns about $750 a month. However, a large percentage of those funds are disposable income to be spent how she chooses. After she pays for food, transport, phone and internet costs plus a small amount for utilities the rest is hers to do as she wishes.

3. Utilities are priced very differently to what we are used to. e.g. local calls in russia are free.

4. Things like mortgages are a relatively new development for Russia as is the idea of paying for something over a large number of years. Thus, they see the nice houses, cars and other things we enjoy and assume we own them outright.
The idea we might be paying for something for 5, 10 or 20 years is quite different to the way a lot of Russians operate their daily lives.

I think all these things contribute to them not quite understanding western pay scales.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

You're not even close Deccie. It's TV and movies.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

You're not even close Deccie. It's TV and movies.

How much Russian TV do you see GTR? I've got 6 Russian TV channels here and none of them show the west, particularly America, in a particularly affluent way.

Posted by: BluesTraveler

Deccie: I gotta agree with GTR on this one. American movies and TV really show things in a glamorous way.

For example look at the show Friends. Really how many people that live in Manhattan live in a 1500 sq foot loft with two bedrooms. come on...music videos always showing flashy cars, big houses, and lots of bling.

After a while you start to think that everyone in America lives like that.

Speaking of not understanding pay scales, one of the HUGE differences is the tax rates. In America if you make 50K a year, you pay ~40% in taxes i.e federal, state, medicare, and medicad. Russia has a flat 14% tax rate. 14% vs 40% makes a huge difference in take home pay.

Posted by: Pin Boy

i think deccie is on to something and i think the american TV/movie crowd also has a good point. a lady i know in ukraine LOVES watching the american comedy/drama desperate housewives. when i showed her a photo of my neighborhood she said, "it looks like wisteria lane!"

i said, "that's not reality. the neighborhood is nice, but not exactly as perfect as wisteria lane (the street where the desperate housewives characters live).

pb

Posted by: deccie

For GTR, who thinks I haven't got a clue, let me quote from Oksana Leslie's book "How to survive an international marriage".

On page 22 of the paperback edition i have she writes in part:

"I had no idea it was not easy for Keith to save that kind of money for me. So I thought Keith had enough money to buy a house. (I had no idea people bought houses on credit in the US)."

Later she writes:
"I was sure to spend $400 a month on food in the US, and to have health and car insurance was a luxury." I did not know he bought his car on credit and was paying every month for it. I could not imagine that in the Us there were so many places you had to pay a lot of money for a service".

Posted by: deccie

I will counter the Friends and Wisteria Lane comments by pointing out that American Cinema also frequently depicts the struggling family in poor housing. A single working woman with a child or a washed up middle manager.

Posted by: deccie

quoting from the same book later on:

"Olga was a very successful woman. She was making $500 a month, compared to a teachers salary of $10 or $15 a month. She could pay for any clothes or jewelery she wanted, pay all her bills and pay for repairs in her home. She lived with her mother and brother in the apartment they owned."

This book is now somewhat dated.
Oksana Leslie is a Russian woman from Uzbekistan who married an American.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

You make me laugh Deccie! You are more out of touch with the Russian culture and its people more then I thought!

The book you are quoting from was published over 3 years ago and probably written 4-5 years ago. Do you know how much the FSU has changed in 5 years ... I guess not? It is also the author's biography based on her opinions. Are her opinions those of all Russian people?

You need to to watch Russian TV again and talk to these people. They know about loans, insurance, American programs that talk about rich people, American movies, that portray the "streets are paved in gold".

You are so off base I'm not even going to try to educate you about this topic. We will have to agree to disagree.

Posted by: Spakoyna

I have to agree with Deccie here. My wife always lived under her families wing. She never knew any other life than what she earned she spent on whatever she wanted.

We all see tales of women who are fugal and those who aren't. If you want a fugal FSU woman find one who lives on her own and has had to scratch out her living on her own. If she lives at home with family she will have no idea about financial responsibility!

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Yes but your wife has lived here for a few years now. Access to more information is available in the media these days. How many FSU people had computers 5 years ago? I'm sure it has grown to over 100% in the past 5 years and probably more.

My fiancee and her son has seen more Ameican movies than I. He even used the word "hood" the other day and they both know about Monica Lewinski and Clinton and Obama are running for president and Obama is the favorite. She watched a Russian TV show about Russian visiting the USA. He saw Chicago and now she wants to see this city.

The influence of TV, movies, and the Internet has "educated" the FSU citizen about the USA and how "rich" all the people are.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

You make me laugh Deccie! You are more out of touch with the Russian culture and its people more then I thought!

No, I'm just out of touch with you GTR. (Thankfully)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

You need to to watch Russian TV again and talk to these people. They know about loans, insurance, American programs that talk about rich people, American movies, that portray the "streets are paved in gold".

You need to talk to more Russians GTR. Many of those people that "know" about loans certainly don't know about how to manage them. Spakonya is right - despite the fact his wife came to the US several years ago.

And like I said before American movies and TV also portray working poverty too. One would have to be very selectively blind only to see one side

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

You are so off base I'm not even going to try to educate you about this topic.

The only thing you could educate me on GTR to do with the FSU is how to divorce a Russian woman.

Posted by: blucatz

Here we go again, another war of words between GTR and deccie. You two should arrange a meeting somewhere and just have it out face to face. I am betting you two would not be so harsh to each other if you had to look at each other.

Posted by: Spakoyna

The one perception I observed was this: If a man has the money to travel to Russia he is rich. This does have a ring of truth to it...having the ability to travel abroad where many in the world and the FSU do not have the means to do so.

Posted by: Spakoyna

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Here we go again, another war of words between GTR and deccie. You two should arrange a meeting somewhere and just have it out face to face. I am betting you two would not be so harsh to each other if you had to look at each other.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Quote:

Originally Posted by deccie

No, I'm just out of touch with you GTR. (Thankfully)

Well at least we agree on 1 thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deccie

You need to talk to more Russians ...

Oh, we agree on 2 things ... too bad you got the idea from me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deccie

And like I said before American movies and TV also portray working poverty too. One would have to be very selectively blind only to see one side

I spoke about the movie that my soon to be step son saw and heard the word "hood". Do you think this was a glitz and glammer movie about America? Yet at 1 time he thought I was rich and we could fly to New York anytime and see a New York Rangers game, which he sees on TV in his country all the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deccie

The only thing you could educate me on GTR to do with the FSU is how to divorce a Russian woman.

I won't need to educate you on that because your good time girl you call a fiancee will never marry you. How many guys would be with a woman that said in a church on their wedding day ... "I can't marry you", and still be with them?

Take your best shot Deccie, I'm finished with this thread.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

For a moderator GTR you can be a deeply offensive man. And for the record I don't care a damn about your comment she won't marry me but I _do_ find your comment calling her a good time girl offensive. Be a man GTR, take your shots at me and not at a woman. But then, it seems rather in keeping with your character of late.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

Take your best shot Deccie, I'm finished with this thread.

What a pity it's not more than that.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

As a person Andy, you can be deeply offensive.

You are doing the same thing by attacking my ex-wife so I guess you find yourself offensive too! So stop bringing up my divorce and I'll stop bringing up your scamming good time girl.

At least I have a character.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

As a person Andy, you can be deeply offensive.

Don't use my first name GTR. You don't have that right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

You are doing the same thing by attacking my ex-wife so I guess you find yourself offensive too!

To the best of my knowledge (since I'm writing this at 6.30am in the morning here) I have never directed a comment to your ex wife personally at all. YOU ARE making a direct personal comment by calling her a good time girl and you don't have that right.

Posted by: AkMike

Both of you guys should put the other on "ignore" and leave it set there!
There's no reason for this!

Posted by: deccie

Mike,
I think there is a substantial difference between pointing out a relationship failure compared to attacking one party who doesn't even post here and can't defend herself.

Perhaps my relationship will fail. Perhaps it won't. That still doesn't give GTR the right to make the comments he did.

Posted by: AkMike

Deccie and GTR
I feel that both of you guys have added alot to this forum in too many ways to count. But I sincerely know that there are folks that just naturally clash. LOL, I have some here that I wouldn't take a leak on if they were burning up.
There is no reason to be doing any of the name calling and misc. slurs. And you're right, I'd be in anyones face if that was said about Tanya.
But I sincerely wish that both you and GTR would go to each others profile page and just click the ingnore button.
It has detracted alot from the spirit of this thread.. I am just as much if not more guilty as anyone from getting off topic during a thread. But this is a tad too much!
Please click the ingnore buttons!

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

Thanks for all the info guys......know I have a better idea what I'm getting myself into and how to go about it.

in an effort to get this thread back on track, but I think Moose has already abandoned ship, at least this thread.
I looked back at my records for my trip to Mosco in july 2007. this is what I came up with
Round trip aifare (Chicago to Moscow via Warsaw) $1283
Hotel (8 nights outskirts of Moscow) $788
Transfers (pre-arranged taxi to and from airport/hotel) $115
Visa Invitation $12
Excursions (5- with personal tour guide/interperter for me and the lady) $753

Total spent (not including meals, souveniers) $2923

I beleive (and this I am just working off of my memory) the cost I spent including buying gifts to bring with me, all of the meals, additional money for an interprter when we were not on these excursions, and souvenirs brought back with me was deffinitly under $1000 and probably much closer to $600-$750. So the whole trip was deffinitly under $4000 USD.

Posted by: Moose55

I haven't totally abandoned the thread, I only check it out when someone other than the 2 posters who hijack it write a post.

A trip to FSU sounds affordable. Once I meet a few girls that I like, I'll probably make a trip there. Was it uncomfortable having an interpreter around? What kind of tours did you go on? Did you dress up in a suit and tie like some of the forums suggest? Thanks again for your input

Posted by: AkMike

They dress alot better than we're used to. Maybe not a suit but dress shirt, tie and a sweater type of deal. Your best dress shoes shined up til you can count your whiskers in the reflection. ( LOL, then shave)

Once you get a trip or 2 in then you'll feel more comfortable and know some of the language.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

They dress alot better than we're used to. Maybe not a suit but dress shirt, tie and a sweater type of deal. Your best dress shoes shined up til you can count your whiskers in the reflection. ( LOL, then shave)

Once you get a trip or 2 in then you'll feel more comfortable and know some of the language.

A tie? Can I use a clip-on?...LOL I havn't shined shoes since boot camp, I don't think I remember how to.

Posted by: AkMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

A tie? Can I use a clip-on?...LOL I havn't shined shoes since boot camp, I don't think I remember how to.

Find a grunt with time on his hands!

LOL, I even was "ASKED" to shave off my beard..... In the middle of the winter... ( Of all the nerve)
Now I can't wear one... Well actually I could but I'd be very lonely..

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

I haven't totally abandoned the thread, I only check it out when someone other than the 2 posters who hijack it write a post.

A trip to FSU sounds affordable. Once I meet a few girls that I like, I'll probably make a trip there. Was it uncomfortable having an interpreter around? What kind of tours did you go on? Did you dress up in a suit and tie like some of the forums suggest? Thanks again for your input

Hey Moose!

I would suggest that deffinitly on the very first meeting a "dress for success" attitude, a suit with tie, would be my personal preference, first impressions last a lifetime and you only have one chance at this. With that said I think you have to dress the way you feel most comfortable, no sense dressing like you have millions of dollars, when you live in a trailer park, she will eventuallity see the real you. But I totally believe that your public appearance reflects on the person you are with, if you love and respect someone you do not go somewhere public with them dressed as a total slob, this is a disrespect to them and it shows in your attitude towards yourself. Other than the first meeting, I have worn dress jeans (never blue, just my preference) with a nice shirt (does not have to be button down), a dress look that is at the same time comfortable, casual, that unless the dress code is "white tie", it will fit in anywhere. Just something that says, I care about how I look when I am with you, but more importantly I care about you and your feelings. Remember they are women, appearence does matter. What woman do you know who does not spend hours in front of the mirror trying to look good, then for the FSU woman multiply this by 10 (as for me I will never be able to figure them out-women) but thank the God above that I can date them and not us pigs!!!!

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

to answer your question about having an interperter around and if this was uncomfortable, is not really easy to answer. On this trip (met the girl for the first time) I knew from day one she was not what I was searching for, so in that sense the interperter helped to lets say keep a distance. I did not go with on this trip with a "plan B" but would not have used one even if I had, main reason---why would I go if I at least did not respect her as a person, we had made plans for the whole week, including meeting her family, I just could not bring myself to make such a decision based on one day, I did tell her (through the interpreter-after a couple of days together) that I did not feel getting her family involved at this point was agood idea when I could not make a commitment to her for our future or even a second meeting (tried my best at being considerate and compassionate for her feelings).
what I will say is ---yes having an interpreter made it difficult to get close (of the heart-I am a very private closed person when discussing such strong feelings) but it did help in our communication. I did feel we learned much through the interpreter. under different circumstances I would do things differently.
If the womam/man has difficulty in communicating in the others language, I would use them on the "first date" but try to communicate as much as possible one-one with no third party, if need be only 1-2 hours each day and spend the majority finding ways to communicate.
The excursions we took were---- "Novodichy Convent" with history and ties going back to Peter the Great, the Sheremetev summer home "Koskovo Estate" yes, the same family that the International airport is named after. Tretyakovsky State Gallery" is the home of all of the Russian born painters/artists, and another was the "Pushkin Museum" which showed painters/artists/exhibitions from around the world. Even though the woman I was meeting had lived her whole life in and around Moscow she never had the oportunity to visit some of these places and so she also learned a lot about her own country and culture.

Posted by: Moose55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chillidog

Hey Chillydog
I see your point. I like how you said "dress for success" it's kinda catchy!
I agree that they will judge you by your appearence. My only concern is that I don't dress that way. I do thing I should wear a nice **** and no jeans. I am only 24 and any date I've been on or seen the guy usually wears a dress shirt and nice jeans. I do realize this is Canada and the FSU is a different place. Like you said sooner or later if it is serious they'll know if your pretending or not. Did you see a lot of younger guys wearing suits and ties? I'm only curious, if this this is true than I guess I gotta suck it up and take one for the team. I'm sorry for picking at your brain, I want to go somewhere in the FSU in the fall and when I do I want to have a full battle plan and don't want to be caught off guard.

Posted by: AkMike

IMO a nice sport jacket w/o a tie would be good for the first trip.Slacks for a night out and nice jeans the rest of ther time is OK. Just remember that jeans aren't as common as here, you'll stand out a bit more as a westerner. Dark slacks are more common there.

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose55

Moose,
look at my picture under my name, what I am wearing is nothing fancy, black jeans, nice shirt, something along this lines after your initial meeting is good. To me it is all about showing respect, do not wear anything with holes, no matter how much it costs to get them this way

If there is a possible meeting with the parents, then make sure you at least have a sport coat and some dress slacks, again it is a respect kind of thing. To me that is much of the problem with today, when people go out, the girls are wearing sweat pants, flip-flops the guys are wearing the pants that are hanging to their knees and their darn breifs are showing, to me it is just a total lack of respect to the person your with and to yourself. Most of my cloths are docker type pants, or nice jeans (again for me I stay away from blue) with some dress slacks thrown in also, nothing that will break the bank, all my shirts are "dress casual" mostly pullover type, some button down, "no t-shirts" and I always bring with me a suit.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

IMO a nice sport jacket w/o a tie would be good for the first trip.Slacks for a night out and nice jeans the rest of ther time is OK. Just remember that jeans aren't as common as here, you'll stand out a bit more as a westerner. Dark slacks are more common there.

What about shorts in the summer? yay or nay?

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Yes shorts are okay in the hotel room but not when going out. Not many Russian men wear shorts. With you going to Egypt, I'm sure it would be okay.

Posted by: blucatz

Good, I can't imagine wearing long pants of any kind during the day in the desert.

Posted by: AkMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

What about shorts in the summer? yay or nay?

NAY!! Especially for you! (Your legs look like toothpicks) And while we're on the subject, a brown paperbag over your head isn't a bad idea!

(j/k)

Tanya says ahorts are ok in the summer but I haven't been there summers to confirm. I wouldn't because my legs haven't seen sun in years and might frighten the horses!

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

NAY!! Especially for you! (Your legs look like toothpicks) And while we're on the subject, a brown paperbag over your head isn't a bad idea!

(j/k)

Tanya says ahorts are ok in the summer but I haven't been there summers to confirm. I wouldn't because my legs haven't seen sun in years and might frighten the horses!

Since I am environmentally friendly, would one of those plastic bags be ok instead of paper?...LOL

Posted by: AkMike

Just tie it air tight to eliminate any potiental fumes from escapeing! LOL

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Just tie it air tight to eliminate any potiental fumes from escapeing! LOL

Good tip, I would hate to have the Haz Mat team called out on my behalf.

Posted by: AkMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Good tip, I would hate to have the Haz Mat team called out on my behalf.

Anything to help you out Buddy!

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Good, I can't imagine wearing long pants of any kind during the day in the desert.

blucatz, both of my trips have been to Russia in the summer months, granted one of these was in June to Arkhangelsk (Located on the White Sea) so probably the hottest that trip got was maybe 70F tops. for me I do not even pack any shorts, but for you on a trip to Cairo or somewhere warm like that, I would pack some shorts, but I would also most deffinitly get at least a 1 month unlimted tanning package prior to the trip!!!!!