My Friend from Moscow - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

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My Friend from Moscow
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Posted by: disculmawsu

My friend from Moscow received a visa to visit me in June! I am so happy. She is very happy too and has bought her tickets as well. She going to spend two weeks with me. I found her a nice but inexpensive hotel near my home. I am so worried about everything going alright during her stay

Posted by: GoingToRussia

CONGRATS!!!

I should be married and getting settled in by then. If she needs to hear a Russian voice let me know.

What kind of visa did you get?

Posted by: AkMike

Cool!! I'm happy for you. Is this a friendly visit or something leading to more?

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

CONGRATS!!!

I should be married and getting settled in by then. If she needs to hear a Russian voice let me know.

What kind of visa did you get?

She coming on a tourist visa. She found a company in Moscow which handles vacations in US and Canada to help her visa application. The company representative felt after looking at her passport, she had an excellent chance of receiving visa (she has visited all of Western Europe except Spain, Switzerland and Portugal). She applied and had interview (which about 2 minutes). The interviewer told her to pick up her passport the following day from the travel company (she was told by the travel company if she passed the interview she would need to wait for her passport if not it would be returned at the end of interview).

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Cool!! I'm happy for you. Is this a friendly visit or something leading to more?

I am only allowed to refer to her as my friend because she afraid of something bad happening (even though I have not asked her to marry me, she has decided that she IS going to marry me - this would alright with me).
I will let you draw your own conclusion on whether this a friendly visit or something more :smile:

Posted by: AkMike

LOL, Then maybe I'll wish you pain and plagues like we did to GTR. Reverse thinking... It's worked for him so far.. Anyway hotrod.. I hope it works out the way you want it..

Posted by: redhawk

yes,bad luck from me as well

ive heard thats next to impossible to get! lucky you!

Posted by: disculmawsu

AKMike and RedHawk thanks so much for "bad" wishes. My friend and I enjoy each company so much and I hope we have "a bad time" together when she "does not come" to vist me.

I will you posted on how things develop.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

CONGRATS!!!

I should be married and getting settled in by then. If she needs to hear a Russian voice let me know.

What kind of visa did you get?

Thanks so much for your offer if she wants to talk with some a Russian voice. I have been following your journey and I have planning based upon your and other's experiences.
Best of luck!

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

If she has decided to marry you, then why the hotel? Why not just stay with you?

Posted by: Seaview

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

If she has decided to marry you, then why the hotel? Why not just stay with you?

Because it's a tourist visa, I suppose. Tourists live in hotels

I don't think she mentioned the author of this thread in her application and during the interview.

Posted by: BluesTraveler

Like they say in the acting business -- "break a leg!!!"

Posted by: redhawk

dont you know? russian women are classy ladies!! they are very private! -she wanted to keep the noise down,so as not to disturb the neighbors

Posted by: redhawk

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesTraveler

Like they say in the acting business -- "break a leg!!!"

yah,the third one

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

If she has decided to marry you, then why the hotel? Why not just stay with you?

It part of the charade that she visiting the US for purposes of tourism. I also feel she is a little uneasy about traveling to meet me. I want her to feel comfortable (she paying for both the airline ticket and the motel - I offered to help her, but she would not hear of it).
By the way, what does mean for a Russian woman to buy you shoes. My friend told me that she and her mother decided that I needed three pairs of shoes (one pair for winter, one pair for spring/fall and a pair for summer). I tried to dissuade them from buying and sending them to me, but they insisted.

Posted by: Chillidog

Fantastic news, I am very happy for you, when does your friend arrive? I do not know what is meant buy the shoes, but in many cultures when a gift of clothing is given it represents that this person will be "providing for this person" it is a symbolic gift, but it is usually the men giving the gift of clothing to the woman or the woman's family, so in your case I am not sure

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

Wait, Im confused now, you have never met this woman in person, yet now she is buying you shoes? Thats a new one on me, I hope someone here and let us know if its some custom or tradition.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Wait, Im confused now, you have never met this woman in person, yet now she is buying you shoes? Thats a new one on me, I hope someone here and let us know if its some custom or tradition.

No, I met her while I was studying the Russian language last summer in Moscow and visited her in Moscow last December (and met her mother).
We are officially friends but we are working toward marriage (I am trying to be a sensible about the relationship given the geographical distance and cultural distance. In addition, one of her friends married an American while she on vacation in the US and her friend's husband having trouble getting a visa for her friend to return to the US. In addition, I am aware all of the problems I have read about visas on this forum, so I am cautious and want to make sure we have enough documentation).
As staying in a motel, it was her decision (I offered to let her use my guest room), but she said she was more comfortable in a motel. I stayed in hotel when I visited her in Moscow.
We chat everyday via Skype.
I have never had a girlfriend buy clothes for me, so this is a bit strange for me.

Posted by: Seaview

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

By the way, what does mean for a Russian woman to buy you shoes. My friend told me that she and her mother decided that I needed three pairs of shoes (one pair for winter, one pair for spring/fall and a pair for summer). I tried to dissuade them from buying and sending them to me, but they insisted.

I had a business partner (a Brit, arty type) who wore Timberland boots all year round. He was making more than 100K so it looked like a statement

.... We were wondering if he sleeped in them....

My colleague used to say: "If I see Mike in those boots one more time I'll buy him new shoes!" Can it be your case?

THere are no customs or traditions about buying shoes for guys. May be you should have bought a pair of new shoes long ago...

Posted by: Pin Boy

interesting perspective seaview....

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Yes I believe Seaview is on to something. My experience has been that FSU women what their man to look nice when they go out. It doesn't matter where. I believe the shoes are for dress, everyday, and casual. Not for the different seasons. It's their way or caring and looking after you. I can tell this girl really likes you

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

Yes I believe Seaview is on to something. My experience has been that FSU women what their man to look nice when they go out. It doesn't matter where. I believe the shoes are for dress, everyday, and casual. Not for the different seasons. It's their way or caring and looking after you. I can tell this girl really likes you

I guess my ex didn't like me very much, I had to twist her arm to get her to pick up a pair of sneakers for me at WalMart....

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

I guess my ex didn't like me very much, I had to twist her arm to get her to pick up a pair of sneakers for me at WalMart....

Makes you love those FSU even more!

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

Yes, she does like me. She called on cell phone from Vietnam when she went there on vacation.And I really like her very much. We have so fun together and seem to get along with each other. Her mother just adores me as well.
She and I have been exchanging parcels since September, but the shoes just seemed like an odd gift.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chillidog

Fantastic news, I am very happy for you, when does your friend arrive?

She arrives the second week in June for two weeks.

Posted by: BluesTraveler

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

By the way, what does mean for a Russian woman to buy you shoes. My friend told me that she and her mother decided that I needed three pairs of shoes

It means she didn't like your shoes. She wants you to dress well and is thinking about your well being.

Posted by: sidney

My wife also thinks we need seasonal shoes. A cetain style for summer another for fall/spring and another for winter.
Sid

Posted by: disculmawsu

My shoes from my friend arrived yesterday. They were a little big, but wearable.
They are very nice and will need shoe horn (the opening seems a little on small size).

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

My shoes from my friend arrived yesterday. They were a little big, but wearable.

What kind of shoes were they? Was there any note with them explaining why you needed these shoes?

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

My shoes from my friend arrived yesterday. They were a little big, but wearable.
They are very nice and will need shoe horn (the opening seems a little on small size).

are they the long pointed ones (like the old Cossak shoes) the women and men all seem to wear over there?

Posted by: AkMike

CD the men wear long toes squared off ones the pointy ones are for the ladies.
And some of those pointy ones make Texans jealous!!!!!!

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

CD the men wear long toes squared off ones the pointy ones are for the ladies.
And some of those pointy ones make Texans jealous!!!!!!

when I was in Arkhangelsk in 2006 all of the staff at the hotel, and anyone using their facilities for meetings (there were plenty of non-hotel staff coming and going) were all in suits and had the pointy toes none of these were squared off (for men) when I was in Moscow in 2007 I really did not pay too much attention to the shoes men were wearing, but thinking back the ones I remember (when I was riding the metro and could keep from getting whiplash

) the men were dressed more causal and the toes were long but squared off. Could it be that when dressed in suits the preference in shoes is different, or maybe in a couple of years the trend has changed or just more a Local thing in Arkhangelsk? do not know, but I did see plenty of men with long pointy dress shoes on this trip.

Posted by: AkMike

Were they wearing cowboy hats too?

I "MIGHT" take a look around at feet in 10+ days, but I'll bet I keep looking higher.. Especially at ladies.

Posted by: Pin Boy

the current style i noticed is squared off at the toe for men and razor sharp at the toe for ladies. be careful you don't get kicked!

Posted by: disculmawsu

The shoes are squared toed which makes the shoes seem longer than the ones I normally wear (my shoes have rounded toes).
There was no note with the shoes, so I am still not sure about the motivation.
I should take it as a way for my friend and her mother to communicate to that I loved by both of them. It very reassuring feeling to receive such nice gift. This is first women I have ever known who gives as well as receives.
I think I need a new job outside of the academic world where even the most trival things must have meaning

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Were they wearing cowboy hats too?

I "MIGHT" take a look around at feet in 10+ days, but I'll bet I keep looking higher.. Especially at ladies.

No cowboy hats, and I would be careful in the site seeing, T may haul off and whoop you one

Posted by: AkMike

Nah,, I'm looking and taking pics for my buddy that went over with me on the first trip. Honest!

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Nah,, I'm looking and taking pics for my buddy that went over with me on the first trip. Honest!

You keep saying that to yourself, sooner or later you may actually believe it, and maybe we will believe it also......NOT. Your a truck driver, always looking for that H*******r shot to drive by

Posted by: AkMike

Actully BC, I'ver never gotten one!
Maybe that's because I've been accused of having 'low brow humor" LOL

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Actully BC, I'ver never gotten one!
Maybe that's because I've been accused of having 'low brow humor" LOL

Yeah, that 'low brow humor' for some has not gone over well

, and appearently has kept you from some very interesting sites

I do not know have not had that view from sooo high up

off topic: Mike we may have different views and opinions and some subjects but this is what makes the world go round

Posted by: AkMike

Da da da

Posted by: disculmawsu

Is there a conversion chart for US to Russian and German sizes on this forum? I found several charts on the Internet, but my friend insists the sizes on the chart are wrong.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Five weeks until my friend arrives in the Detroit area. We are very excited about meeting again. Even through we Skype everyday it is not the same as being together.
I have motel for her near my house and list of activities for us do when she arrives.

Posted by: disculmawsu

By way my friend and I figured the chart I was using for sizes was correct. She just did not believe I knew my sizes, but I remeasured myself, converted the inches to centimeters and she was convinced.

Posted by: Pin Boy

are you talking about activities at the motel??? just kidding!

pb

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

By way my friend and I figured the chart I was using for sizes was correct. She just did not believe I knew my sizes, but I remeasured myself, converted the inches to centimeters and she was convinced.

What were you 're-measuring????'

and were you truthful in giving your lady the actual correct size?????

Posted by: disculmawsu

My friend decided I needed a new shirt (pull over type) and we had difficulty figuring out how translate the generic sizes used in the US to exact European/Russian measures. I used the conversion chart in my guidebook to Moscow and she felt the size was not correct. So, she asked me to measure my chest and covert it to cm and she would find out the correct size.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

Five weeks until my friend arrives in the Detroit area. We are very excited about meeting again. Even through we Skype everyday it is not the same as being together.
I have motel for her near my house and list of activities for us do when she arrives.

What part of Detroit are you located in? I'm up in the Detroit area 2-3 times a week delivering to the Kroger stores up there.

Posted by: AkMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chillidog

What were you 're-measuring????'

and were you truthful in giving your lady the actual correct size?????

LMAO get your mind out of the gutter!

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

What part of Detroit are you located in? I'm up in the Detroit area 2-3 times a week delivering to the Kroger stores up there.

I am technicially in Lincoln Park.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

I am technicially in Lincoln Park.

No kidding? I just delivered to your Kroger store on Dix Rd on Monday. I use to work for a trucking company just off 75 at exit 41 a few years back. They went out of business in 01.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

No kidding? I just delivered to your Kroger store on Dix Rd on Monday. I use to work for a trucking company just off 75 at exit 41 a few years back. They went out of business in 01.

When you wrote made deliveries in the area I immediately thought of either the Meijer on Dix or Kroger on Dix - small world.

Posted by: disculmawsu

My friend from Moscow is due to be here in two weeks! Both of us are very excited (she is more excited than I - she can hardly contain herself when we Skype). For my part, I obessesed about the cultural program and making sure she is entertained.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I can't believe that my friend from Moscow will be here in 48 hours! I am feeling a bit nervous about her meeting her even though we talk everyday. We are reviewing itinaries, plans, custom and passport control procedures etc.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

I can't believe that my friend from Moscow will be here in 48 hours! I am feeling a bit nervous about her meeting her even though we talk everyday. We are reviewing itinaries, plans, custom and passport control procedures etc.

We expect a full account now. Is the house SPOTLESS? Did you shine ALL of your shoes?

Seriously, have a great time.

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

you appear to be crossing all the T's and dotting all the i's so I am sure this will turn out to be a wonderful visit. Good luck, relax and enjoy!

Posted by: redhawk

good luck disc,im sure all will be great.i know how you feel,mine will be here in 10 days.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Thanks all for the good wishes.
I hope my friend will have a good time while she is here. I have an ambitious cultural program laid for her. Plus, my mother, stepsister and my step sister's cousin have a shopping day planed for her.
My friend is very through woman and is prepared for every possible situation. I talked with her on Wednesday and she told me she just finishing reviewing the rules for baseball.
House cleaning is not my strong suit (and I warned my friend about it). However, the main floor and the upstairs bedroom are almost spotless. The basement is another story mainly because of the boxes and boxes of papers and books I needed to move from my office.

Posted by: azamuner

Good luck!

And just like Buckeye said, we want a full account.

Posted by: disculmawsu

My friend arrived in Washington D.C. a few hours ago. I will be leaving to pick her up at the Detroit airport in about two hours. Am very nervous. It will seem very strange to be with her in Detroit.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

I see you are on-line ... how did the meeting go? Is she sleeping now and you have a few minutes to update us? My fiancee arrives Thursday and was wondering how things went and what to expect?

Posted by: disculmawsu

GTR et all,
My friend has arrived safely here in Lincoln Park.
She is sleeping happy at the motel near my house. She approved of my choice of motels (whew!).
We finally got to motel about 2:00am (the flight from Washington D.C. was late by almost two hours) and check her in. She seemed to getting her second wind about 4:00am because she won't let me go (I had been up 20 hours by that point) and finally told her I needed to go home and get some sleep.
One thing that bothers me about her personality is she won't let me do anything for her (except to help her with her computer) including traditional male things - like to help her suitcases (when I in Moscow she insisted she carry my bags -she is a little of bit of woman, but has the strength of 10 men! We reached a compromise she would carry my briefcase

) She doesn't like me to hold the door open for her (she will do it for me).
I offered her a cell phone with a service to call home with -- no! no! she has her own cell phone. I told her it would important to have in case of the emergency because she contact authorities and my family (this made sense to her).

Posted by: disculmawsu

GTR,
Congratulations on your fiancee arrival in US! I am so happy to hear that all the paperwork and bureaucratic procedures have finally acheived that result!

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Thanks for the update. Have you told her how you feel about her? It sounds like she is not yet comitted to this relationship. Maybe she needs to hear what is on your mind. You might want to wait a few days before you act. Maybe things will progress natually. If you want, PM me with your number and she can talk to Larisa when she arrives on Thursday.

Good luck and keep the faith!

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

Thanks for the update. Have you told her how you feel about her? It sounds like she is not yet comitted to this relationship. Maybe she needs to hear what is on your mind. You might want to wait a few days before you act. Maybe things will progress natually. If you want, PM me with your number and she can talk to Larisa when she arrives on Thursday.

Good luck and keep the faith!

GTR,
Thanks for the advice. I tell her how much I love her every day. In addition, we are filling out the finacee vista forms during her stay. We both have researched the process - my thanks to you and the rest of the RMP posters for guidance - and will not marry until next year proably in March.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

disc.

I have yet to meet any woman that does not like to be treated like a lady. Irina is the same way, but I just do it anyway and she does appreciate it, make no mistake about it. When it comes to being a gentleman, don't ask, just do it and watch what happens.

btw, does "my friend" have a name?

Glad she's there and you two can build something beautiful together.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I am little hesitate about giving my friend's name. She is intensely private person (complains that I little too free with telling poeple about us), but let's called her O.
O met my family yesterday. My mom just loves her so much. There was bit of culture clash. My family tends to be on the informal side and it was very hot. So, I dressed in shorts and T-shirt and she dressed in a dress and heels. So, I went to back home and changed in a better shirt and a better pair of shorts.
O tends to be a very confident person on the outside, but is extremely insecure (this partially a situational factor being a strange place, and trying to impress and being a bit tired).

Posted by: Buckeye5704

"O" it is.

You know you got a keeper when Mom loves her on the spot. It's a very sweet thing to see them together, eh?

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quick update on O's visit.
Monday, I took her to our local Apple Computer Store (she is a Mac user) to purchase a cleaning kit for the her iMac. Apparently, the cleaning kits are not yet available in Moscow so this was an important purchase for her. She looked at clothes and discovered that just about all clothes in the US are made in China (even in Norstrom's had several dresses she liked were made in China, she refuses to buy anything from China).
After shopping, I took her to meet some of my former colleagues at my former job - everyone was eager to meet her and once again she charmed the socks off all of them. I also took her to Belle Isle (an island in the middle of the Detroit River which a city park - it is similar to Central Park in NYC). She was very amazed at the number of the birds (geese mostly) and squirrels on the island. You would think that were a in world class zoo way she reacted with excitement when these animals.
We got into a small argument about my kitchen which she felt I did not know how to keep clean. So we cleaned together to her specifications.
Tuesday, we went to the Detroit zoo and argued about who was going to pay for admission. I reminded her that she paid for all the admissions to museums, metro passes and opera in Moscow (as well as all of my food during my stay) and it was my turn to the same for her. She gave in. She enjoyed to the zoo tremendously. It was interesting to watch with the animals. While she enjoyed the exhibits, she seemed to take delight in the volunteer residents of the zoo even more like the squirrels and chipmunks. She had sharp eye quickly found bird perched in tree that other visitors did not see. We walking down a path from the amphibian exhibit and she stopped suddenly and pointed to mother bird feeding her young. She tried to take a video but the other visitor kept making noise and scaring the mother bird from her chick.
In the evening I took to a baseball game and she found it interesting, but not compelling.

Posted by: disculmawsu

O's impressions of US are very interesting. One observation is that Detroit is in some ways not much different from living Moscow. She like me, made the observation, that if signs were written in Russian, she would not know whether she was in Russia or the US. To her the only notable difference between Russia and the US is the lack of public transportation.
She surprised how spread out our communities are in the Detroit and the lack of high rise buildings (she commented driving through Detroit reminded of provincial towns in Russia). The irony of her comment is not lost on me because like many towns and cities in the former FSU are past their heyday.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

It sounds like the both of you are having a good time disc.

I know what you mean about the China made goods. Mine doesn't like it either, but there isn't a lot of affordable choices sometimes.

Wait til she gets introduced to our healthcare system. THEN she'll see some differences.

Posted by: Spakoyna

Yeah,Their ochen doraga!(very expensive)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye5704

Wait til she gets introduced to our healthcare system. THEN she'll see some differences.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

O's impressions of US are very interesting. One observation is that Detroit is in some ways not much different from living Moscow. She like me, made the observation, that if signs were written in Russian, she would not know whether she was in Russia or the US. To her the only notable difference between Russia and the US is the lack of public transportation.
She surprised how spread out our communities are in the Detroit and the lack of high rise buildings (she commented driving through Detroit reminded of provincial towns in Russia). The irony of her comment is not lost on me because like many towns and cities in the former FSU are past their heyday.

What did she think of the roads in Detroit compared to Moscow? Detroit has some of the worse roads in the country. I am up in that area 3-4 times a week and by the time I get back I have a headache from being beat to death in the truck.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

Sounds like Maine has the same conditions BC. I quit driving bus partly because of the beating I took over the winter here.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye5704

Sounds like Maine has the same conditions BC. I quit driving bus partly because of the beating I took over the winter here.

I thought you drove a school bus now?

Posted by: Buckeye5704

I thought Irina and I would be in CT by now, but she missed out getting her drivers license. We're waitng til the end of June to move now and will put our stuff in storage til we get back from Russia the end of July. I called the office and offered my services as a little extra cash now will keep us out of the travel funds, but I kinda hope they don't call.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Disculmawsu: Tell "O" that Detroit is very similar to Samara or Ulyanvosk and she will get the idea. They are very similar.

Russians do have a strong negative view on Chinese made items because there are totally different quality controls for items exported to the USA vs exported to FSU. There are plenty of clothes made in the USA or European, inside the major department stores, just shop around.

Baseball game??? Wow, you are a brave soul.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Her review of the roads is mixed. When we travel to around Lincoln Park and Oakland County she is impressed by quality of the roads compared with Moscow. However, she is not impressed by the roads in Detroit.
Yesterday, we went to Ann Arbor to visit a colleague of mine and to visit the Museum of Natural History. She liked an Ann Arbor.
Last night we meet my parents for dinner in Mexican Village (a the section of Detroit dominated by Mexicans and other immgrants from other Spanish speaking countries. O and I were not very hungry but shared a meal (O is not used resturant sized portions in US) because we had huge lunch at a Cuban resturant in Ann Arbor.
Today we are off to the Detroit Insitute of Arts and Detroit Historical museum and to the mall.

Posted by: disculmawsu

[QUOTE=EasyTarget]Russians do have a strong negative view on Chinese made items because there are totally different quality controls for items exported to the USA vs exported to FSU. There are plenty of clothes made in the USA or European, inside the major department stores, just shop around.

[QUOTE]
O has a strong dislike of Chinese, she calls them "ants". She is a little more kind to Vietnamese.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

My girl doesn't care for Chinese made goods either. She doesn't seem to have a problem with portion sizes here though.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

Did you take her on the section of M-39 between I-75 and I-94? I didn't see any roads in Moscow that was that bad.....LOL

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye5704

My girl doesn't care for Chinese made goods either. She doesn't seem to have a problem with portion sizes here though.

Funny story, while in Egypt and in this one little shop, the owner was bragging about nothing in his store was made in China. Jenya, right on cue, reached over picked up this little trinket, turned it over and lo and behold what did it say? "Made in China"

Funny thing to see an Egyptian turn red....

Posted by: Chrismc

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Funny thing to see an Egyptian turn red....

They can smell Chinese gear at fifty paces

the fact is the Chinese stuff they get is usually inferior to the Chinese goods we get. Most well known brands are now made in places like China, but, their experience of Chinese goods is usually a bad experience.

Posted by: matt235

I was in China about 6 or 7 years ago for work. I was in a food manufacturing facility doing some training and testing of their processing equipment. The facility was old, however, they were constructing a new building that they would move into in about 6 months. The reason I bring this up is that in their old plant, they would have to shutdown the equipment, clean it out and restart it with additional quality equipment whenever they were to process the product for the US/Canada. This was a big pain in the butt for them which is what prompted them to build the new building. At the new facility, they were installing a process line specifically for the US/Canada market and then another for pretty much the rest of the world. I quess the quality controls implied by the governments (US/Canada) were dictating what they would produce. And to be honest with you, a person could easily see the difference in the product (different types of nuts-walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc).

Thus I do not blame the ladies for pointing out the issues with "Made in China"

(When I say the US/Canada, they may have been shipping it to Western Europe as well. They just did not say that was the case or either I did not understand them. My Chinese never was very good).

matt235

Posted by: blucatz

I really don't care where anything was made (except auto's), as long as it doesn't fall apart the first or second time I use it. Its almost impossible to find anything that is 100% not "Made in China".

Posted by: goforit

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

I grew up as a child in Detroit and didn't return until just a few years ago. I must say the city of Detroit seemed almost like a third world contry. I couldn't believe how much it had changed. Most of the people I grew up with who stayed in the area have moved way out from the city.

Posted by: goforit

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye5704

Sounds like Maine has the same conditions BC. I quit driving bus partly because of the beating I took over the winter here.

Detroit city and the entire state of Maine are like night and day, no matter the similarity of the roads.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Did you take her on the section of M-39 between I-75 and I-94? I didn't see any roads in Moscow that was that bad.....LOL

She must being very nice to me because even that stretch is better than Moscow according to her (I don't have a good sense of the roads in Moscow because I traveled mostly by Metro).
Only stretch of road we traveled which was equivalent to Moscow according to her was Fort from the Springwells to Schafer in the refinery district.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by goforit

I grew and went to high school in Detroit in the 1980s and reached the conclusion that Detroit rehabilitation is like the communism coming to the Soviet Union which was always just few years away everyone sacrificed, but never arrived.

Posted by: goforit

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

LOL! Well I guess it is not so funny if you live there. My dad was a professional athlete and fortunately for us he got traded before my high school days.

That is not to take away anything from rest of the state of Michigan, parts which are quite beautiful, but from what I saw when I visited Detroit proper, you couldn't pay me to live there.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyTarget

Disculmawsu: Tell "O" that Detroit is very similar to Samara or Ulyanvosk and she will get the idea. They are very similar.

O's mother is from a small village about 120 km from Moscow and O spent her summers there so she is OK with smaller towns. O loves my area - she commented on how nice it was hear birds singing and see squirrels. She loves Detroit Zoo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyTarget

Baseball game??? Wow, you are a brave soul.

She studied the game very closely and asked several questions about some of the plays. She had some very good observations about the game. She noticed it seemed to a great leveler in terms of social class and race. She noticed some folks were loud and drunk. She noticed some of the serious observers to the games who carefully took down the stats of the players as they batted and pitched. She enjoyed the view from the park (I like the upper deck on the first or third base line).
Today we visited the Detroit Insitute of Arts. O was impressed with the non-Western collection of art, but not terribly with the Western collection (she was surprised about collection of the impressionist art). I can't blame her with all the great museums in St. Petersburg and Moscow. I also realized the museum doesn't have art from Russia or Ukraine.
We also visited my local shopping mall where she did some shopping.
She also wanted to buy contacts, but discovered that she could not buy them without a prescription from US doctor.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I don't see much of O on Friday. My mother and step-sister took her to the Birch Run, our local outlet store. O was not too impressed because most of the clothes are made in China. O does like American cosmetics and purchased a fairly quality of them (they are about a third of the cost in Moscow).
My brother and his girlfriend arrived from Connecticut in the evening to meet O. My dad had a dinner for us with my brother, his girlfriend, my mother, stepdad, stepsister and my stepfamily's cousin. O enjoyed my dad's cooking (and said it was even better than her mother's cooking). My dad gave her recpies to give to her mother. She really enjoyed pork ribs, salmon, chocolate chip cookies and three bean in vinger salad.
Today, we are off to Greenfield Village with my brother and his girlfriend. Greenfield Village is special to O because she read about it in book by two Soviet travelers to the US, Ilf and Petrov who wrote Little Golden America in the 1930s. She is using it as a comparsion with what she is seeing on her trip.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

Hey disc! Come up for some air! What was on the plate for today?

Posted by: disculmawsu

I picked up O at her motel and went back to my place. O did some washing (Russians travel very light and wash while traveling). She slowly beginning to understand American washing machines and dryer (this seems the most concept for O understand American don't air dry clothes).
We turned on my laptop computer to Skype with her mother. (O has Apple computer with a webcam, which I discovered on my trip to visit her in December and decided we should Skype once week but has turned into daily event when we are apart. I suggested that she teach her mother how to use Skype so she and her mother chat with each other during her trip. O assured me that her mother was not interested in communicating with her while she was in the US and did not know how to the computer. However, I mentioned it one afternoon when her mother joined our conversation and her mother liked the idea. So, O taught her mother to use it, but was doubtful her mother could actually do it without her). I tried calling on the telephone to O's mother so O could talk her through the procedure. There was some difficulty getting using the service . I was looking up alternative telephone numbers for the service, when O's mother initiated a Skype call. O was very surprised that her mother able to do it without her help (O's mother was factory worker, but is a very intelligent woman who could have under the right circumstances could have a very good businesswoman or even a professional woman - very very smart woman, sometimes more clever than O gives her credit for).
O did a "memory dump" of her experiences for her mother. In meantime, my brother and his girlfriend arrived so O's mother could them.
After our chat with O's mother, we meet with my mother, stepdad, my dad and friends for Father's Day and celebrate O arrival in US.
O is very well received by my family and they love her so much.
Since O spent her summers in her mother's village with her grandma, we going to visit my uncle's orchard in Lexington Michigan which outside of Port Huron to show her a little about American rural life.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I forgot to mention that we went to a party that my colleagues gave us last night. O charmed the socks off everyone. Everyone wanted to know when O would be back in town. One of colleagues was all set to write her congress people to get Homeland Security and INS and State Department to speed all the paperwork so we could married. (she was a little drunk at the time, I think). Two of colleagues invited us over dinner - which unfortunately is doing to be impossible because O is due back in Moscow on the 22 for work.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

, we going to visit my uncle's orchard in Lexington Michigan which outside of Port Huron to show her a little about American rural life.

You want to show her rural Michigan, take her up to the UP, she would love it.

Posted by: matt235

Blue,

You are right about that, the UP is definately rural. Too many farms and the like for this converted city boy!

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt235

Blue,

You are right about that, the UP is definately rural. Too many farms and the like for this converted city boy!

Oh, but it is so beautiful up there. I used to run to Marquet MI twice a week to the Big Lots store up there. Never went during the winter tho, just a tad too much snow for this re-located gator.

Posted by: matt235

"Re-located gator", didn't know that, but hey I am still a newbie!!!! Anyway, spent lots of time in Michigan in years past for work. I do miss it and a lot of other places in the world (kind of land locked a bit these days with work). Anyway, traveling around the state of Michingan in June could be a very good welcome to the US!!

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

You want to show her rural Michigan, take her up to the UP, she would love it.

She was interested in rural in the sense of farming communities not forest. I would like to take up to UP in any case because I what to show her where I went to school.

Posted by: blucatz

She will love the big bridge, cant remember how to spell it so I won't try.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I would like to show her the Big Mac bridge, but we have run out of time. She is due back in Moscow on June 22, so it will need to wait until her next trip.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I am catching on O's visit to Michigan.
On Tuesday, my dad took O and I sailing on Lake St. Clair. Unfortunately, the wind was puffy and made the ride a little nerve racking for O. She discovered she did not like heeling of the sailing when there was a sudden gust of wind. However, she loved the ducks and geese that live where my Dad keeps his boat.
O ran into a bit of a problem with her credit card. She paid for her room in advance so she gauge her spending money for the rest of the trip. Unfortunately, the motel took additional $900 to cover telephone use and pay per view movies (neither of which she used and was promised that it would be refunded - I gave her a cell phone with international calling on it and we watched films at my house). She was not a happy traveler and was disappointed that she was unable to do some last minute shopping. However, she noted perhaps Fortune was actually smiling upon her because she realized she could proably afford to buy a ticket to visit me in December or January. In some ways this problem was a blessing because it ended the arguments about who was going to pay for things. The other nice thing is that O decided to stay with me next time instead of a motel.
Tuesday night a colleague had us over to dinner.
On Wednesday, we visited Pewbric Pottery (this a Detroit landmark and has a good national reputation since the beginning of the 20th century for cermic titles - many of the old houses in Detroit have it) and my mother bought some presents for O. Unfortunately, it was here we discovered the problem with O's credit card only because she inisited on paying for things for my mother wanted to give as presents. When the credit card was declined she gave into us. I bought her mother a broach. After Pewbric Pottery we went to lunch at new burger resturant in near my mother's house. O is not a big fan of burgers, but she really like this placement because she could create her own burger. After lunch we went to Cranbrook estate (if anyone travels to Detroit area and you and finacee/wife want a local guide, let know me by PM and I help with finding interesting places to see including those with connections to Russia and Eastern Europe) and walked around the grounds. O very much enjoyed this excursion. We went back to my mother's house and had dinner (pizza). After dinner, we went to see my step sister play softball. I think O is going to become a baseball/softball fan - she studies the plays carefully and makes notes "find out more about happened".
On Thursday, I had an interview in Port Huron and O went with me. On the way back we meet one of my friends for dinner. We stopped at my house for the rest of the evening.
On Friday, O began to pack for her trip home to Moscow. We went for ice cream at Sander's (a very popular candy maker in Detroit until the 1980s when it disappeared and has only recently reappeared under the control of another company). In the evening we went to my dad's boat club and had dinner with his friends.

Posted by: disculmawsu

On Saturday, O left for Moscow. I took her to the airport in the morning for the first leg of her journey home. She was a little worried because TSA searched her bags but there was no problems. We said good bye at the enterance to the terminal. There was a long kisses before she went through security. She did not really want to go home, but we both knew it would easier in the future if she did go.
She called from Dulles to let me know she had arrived safely. We sent several SMSes as she boarded the flight to Moscow. I sent her a SMS about 1:00am so she would get a message from me when she arrived in Moscow.
Today, we will Skype at our normal time.

Posted by: Buckeye5704

I enjoyed your trip report disc.

Saying goodbye really blows. I can't wiat to read about the wedding plans and that her k-1 is approved.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye5704

Saying goodbye really blows. I can't wiat to read about the wedding plans and that her k-1 is approved.

I hope O is able to come to US in December. We haven't a chance to live under the same roof with each other for a period of time to see how our lifestyles mesh.
K-1 process is the part I am most concerned about since I recently lost my job and am finding it difficult to find a replacement job.
We filled out forms, but dated them for the end of September because I will need some time to find a job (or get enough part-time jobs) to meet the income requirements.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

I sent her a SMS about 1:00am so she would get a message from me when she arrived in Moscow.

Are you able to send her SMS while she is in Russia? My lady and I have both tried to send SMS to each other and it never goes thru.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Are you able to send her SMS while she is in Russia? My lady and I have both tried to send SMS to each other and it never goes thru.

I SMSed her so when she arrived in Moscow, she would receive it when she arrived.
I have had no problems with SMS either receiving or sending. I SMS her from Skype because it cheaper and I haven't figured out how to use my long distance carrier to SMS her.
She SMSes me quite frequently with no problem.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I Skyped with O this afternoon. She arrived in Moscow about 4:00pm local time. She was in a very good mood despite having had an argument with her mother (they missed each other in the airport because Aeroflot lost or actually delayed transferring O's luggage from the plane to the terminal. O's mother doesn't like cellphones).
She charmed everyone she met and there is much anticipation about her return in December.

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Are you able to send her SMS while she is in Russia? My lady and I have both tried to send SMS to each other and it never goes thru.

Blu,

I ran into the same dificulties and was constantly on the phone with my cell company trying to get it resolved, but to no avail. So finally just gave up. have never had any SMS's go thru via my cell phone (to Russia that is)

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

I Skyped with O this afternoon. She arrived in Moscow about 4:00pm local time. She was in a very good mood despite having had an argument with her mother (they missed each other in the airport because Aeroflot lost or actually delayed transferring O's luggage from the plane to the terminal. O's mother doesn't like cellphones).
She charmed everyone she met and there is much anticipation about her return in December.

Great news, I am glad everything and everyone enjoyed this time together.
Does O travel to the US via a "Tourist Visa"? if so did she recieve a 2 year Visa?

Posted by: disculmawsu

She has a one year tourist visa which expires in February. I was surprised the US government issues a visa good for a full year.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Are you able to send her SMS while she is in Russia? My lady and I have both tried to send SMS to each other and it never goes thru.

Who is your mobile phone carrier?

As far as I know AT&T and TMobile will work with no problems or you can use Skype. I know for sure that Verizon can't send SMS's to Russia

Posted by: blucatz

I use Sprint/Nextel, Im not sure what carrier she uses, I don't get any of hers either.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

I use Sprint/Nextel, Im not sure what carrier she uses, I don't get any of hers either.

I use Sprint/Nextel and get all of O's SMSes. O uses MTS. Check to see what carrier your lady uses as that could be the problem.

Posted by: EasyTarget

BluCatz: You are most likely on Sprint/PCS which uses CDMA. CDMA can't talk to GSM. So the only way to send her an SMS is through the web.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyTarget

BluCatz: You are most likely on Sprint/PCS which uses CDMA. CDMA can't talk to GSM. So the only way to send her an SMS is through the web.

I disagree with you on your explanation.
I agree that CDMA and GSM are incompatiable celluar networks.
I disagree that this is cause of Bluecatz's issue with SMS. First, I use Sprint/Nextel service which is CDMA (we agree on this point). Second, O's provider is MTS which uses GSM. I receive regular SMSes from Moscow on my Sprint/Nextel service. For your theory to hold, I should not able to receive those messages because of the different types of signalling (the problem should be symmertical, not asymmetrical - GSM to CDMA should not work and CDMA to GSM should work , not GSM to CDMA works, but CDMA to GSM does not work). Further, if your explanation held then it would impossible for voice data to flow from CDMA to GSM networks. Once again my practical experience shows that is not the case.
Second, from several years as networking working specialist I know that the way the physically signal travels on a network is slighty irrelevant because the physical signal can be converted with appropriate equipment to another type of signal (e.g Ethernet to WiFi - one uses a wired connection , the other radio waves and an access point converts the physical signal).
Third, a quick search of the web reveals several sources which are state that SMS can be sent between GSM and CDMA. Originally SMS was restricted to GSM, but recent versions of GSM and CDMA have the capabiltiy of SMSing between the two system.
I am sorry if I went into academic lecture mode in my response EasyTarget.
Bluecatz - how old is your ladY's phone? Perhaps she has an older version of GSM.

Posted by: Sparky114

Hi Guys

Ok So I know I am not in the US but I use the free SMS services that the web offers here are some links.

For MTS
http://www.mtsgsm.com/sendsms/

For Beeline
http://www.beonline.ru/portal/comm/...le_send_sms.sms

For Megafon
http://megafon.ru/sms/
for these sometimes you will be asked to select the regoin you are sending too

And the best thing is these are all free, but you still need to be by a computer

Those guys in the UK can find our sites and give these to their loved ones to SMS us, i am sure that it must be possible in the US too

Mark

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky114

Hi Guys

Ok So I know I am not in the US but I use the free SMS services that the web offers here are some links.

For MTS
http://www.mtsgsm.com/sendsms/

For Beeline
http://www.beonline.ru/portal/comm/...le_send_sms.sms

For Megafon
http://megafon.ru/sms/
for these sometimes you will be asked to select the regoin you are sending too

And the best thing is these are all free, but you still need to be by a computer

Those guys in the UK can find our sites and give these to their loved ones to SMS us, i am sure that it must be possible in the US too

Mark

Thanks for these resources! I sure could them with I cannot access Skype.

Posted by: Sparky114

Hey Dis

No problem sure beats the hell out of paying for SMS and you can send as many as you like.

You just might have to brush up on your russian language skills on these sites, but it is nothing you can not google translate.

Have you guys ever thought about buying a mobile sim card over there, then getting yourselves an unlocked mobile gsm phone?

The benifits of this are that your loved ones can SMS you on a friends and family tarrif (as long you are both on the same network) for the same cost to them as a local SMS.

Elena and I do this all the time, She is on MTC and the cost for her to SMS me is less than 1 Rouble. and for me I just use the free links I posted earlier.But it does mean she can get hold of me when away from the PC

It is great to receive dozens of SMS from the one you love

Mark

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky114

Hey Dis

No problem sure beats the hell out of paying for SMS and you can send as many as you like.

You just might have to brush up on your russian language skills on these sites, but it is nothing you can not google translate.

Have you guys ever thought about buying a mobile sim card over there, then getting yourselves an unlocked mobile gsm phone?

Mark

The tariffs in US using Russian providers are very expensive. Something like 5.00USD to 6.00USD a minute. O made three calls when she arrived in US, one to her mother when she arrived in Washington (duration unknown), three minutes to me and four minutes to her mother - cost 40.00USD. I had the foresight to lend her my travel phone with access to international calling service during trip. She called her mother on it to have more money added to her phone.
When she returned to Moscow she checked with provider (MTS) and discovered the rates to Western Hemisphere are very expensive. SMSes are in the 3.00USD to 4.USD. O complained that three SMSes to me cost from Washington were about 11.00USD.

Posted by: Sparky114

Dis

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to get at.

Firstly I agree with you on one thing calling to Russia is exspensive. so we only use our mobile on emergency.

What I have hear is an unlocked Gsm phone with an MTC card in it on what they call roaming. so in affect it is a Russian mobile
this cost less than 1 rouble for Elena to SMS me on (we are both on the favorite numbers or family tarif)

If Elena SMS me on my UK mobile she pays the same as what you have quoted above, hence the reason for me carrying 2 mobiles when I am outside of the office.

I hope this clarifys what i was trying to explain.

Mark

Posted by: Sparky114

Dis

I see your Friend is on MTC this site is in English via the link I sent you works great just if you use this explain to O that it is from yourself as it sometimes only tells them it is from MTS

LOL ....... had a few laughs with this one ove the past year

Mark

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky114

Dis

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to get at.

Firstly I agree with you on one thing calling to Russia is exspensive. so we only use our mobile on emergency.

What I have hear is an unlocked Gsm phone with an MTC card in it on what they call roaming. so in affect it is a Russian mobile
this cost less than 1 rouble for Elena to SMS me on (we are both on the favorite numbers or family tarif)

If Elena SMS me on my UK mobile she pays the same as what you have quoted above, hence the reason for me carrying 2 mobiles when I am outside of the office.

I hope this clarifys what i was trying to explain.

Mark

I think I got it. I will ask O about her cell plan. We only use SMS or phone if we can't meet for our Skype date.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

This what I do. I buy a calling card, pennies per minute at www.enjoyprepaid.com. I can call at a pre determined time or she can call me and hang up after 1 ring. Then I use the calling card to call her back. She isn't paying anything for her call because no one answers.

If she is in the states and wants to call Russia, she can get a calling card or use yours.

Saves a lot of money this way!

I tried 3 different cell phone companies and only AT&T could make a SMS work.

Good luck with your girl Disculmawsu!

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

This what I do. I buy a calling card, pennies per minute at www.enjoyprepaid.com. I can call at a pre determined time or she can call me and hang up after 1 ring. Then I use the calling card to call her back. She isn't paying anything for her call because no one answers.

If she is in the states and wants to call Russia, she can get a calling card or use yours.

Saves a lot of money this way!

I tried 3 different cell phone companies and only AT&T could make a SMS work.

Good luck with your girl Disculmawsu!

GTR thanks for advice. I actually use a service, Discall which is .02USD/min and can be used from Moscow (I use when I visit to call home) but I cannot get O use it (she claims it too difficult use, costs me too much money and she doesn't trust it). I gave her a mobile with the service on it to call home during her trip all the access codes and service number were all pre-programed all she needed to type her home phone number and she would be connected even this was too difficult.

Posted by: Sparky114

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

OMG

looks like you have a techno phobe on your hands, OK i think you have your work cut out to convince her that all these things have been tried and tested over many years.

Good luck Dis

Posted by: EasyTarget

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

woooooooo! I wrote my comment a little too quick.

You are right it doesn't matter what the local carrier subsystem is, it all depends on the carriage agreements between the providers. If Sprint has a carriage agreement with MTS, you can send and receive SMS's between the networks. If Sprint doesn't have a carriage agreement with Megafone (I have no idea if they do or don't); then when you send to the Megafone subscriber it gets to the network bridge and just gets deleted since their is no carriage agreement.

A carriage agreement is signed between mobile carriers explicitly stating how much they will bill each other, when they bill, etc...

Either way, I would use the web links for sending SMS's since it is free.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

Bluecatz - how old is your ladY's phone? Perhaps she has an older version of GSM.

Her phone looks like its very new, has video camera, MP3, stores pics, does everything but pay the bill for her. My phone on the other hand is like 3 years old. I was looking thru the manual and everything in the menu on my phone, hell, I couldn't even find where to send an SMS from my phone...LOL, so maybe its me. Now I can receive SMS because I have gotten them before, there is a place in my messages screen for received SMS, but nowhere on the phone is there a place to send one, only simple text messages. But, when she tries to send me one, she gets a message saying something like its forbidden or something.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

If you want help with this problem, perhaps we should either switch to a more appropriate discussion or do through PMs.
I forgot to ask what service does your lady uses in Russia (e.g MTS, Megafone, beeline etc). As Easy Target points out in his post part of the problem maybe that your lady's service does have an agreement with Sprint/Nextel and so SMS cannot be routed.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

I forgot to ask what service does your lady uses in Russia (e.g MTS, Megafone, beeline etc). .

Not a clue as to what service, her first three numbers of the phone number is 913. I seen on this forum someone posted the services and the numbers, but I cannot find it.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky114

OMG

looks like you have a techno phobe on your hands, OK i think you have your work cut out to convince her that all these things have been tried and tested over many years.

Good luck Dis

My reading of the situation is little different. O has issues with being taken of by someone. My mother wanted to buy O a present at a store. O refused and tried to make the purchase on her credit card, but events prevented her from completing the transaction and my mother bought her the present.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Not a clue as to what service, her first three numbers of the phone number is 913. I seen on this forum someone posted the services and the numbers, but I cannot find it.

Text Message == SMS
913 == MTS
http://sms.mts.ru/ to send her an SMS for free.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyTarget

Text Message == SMS
913 == MTS
http://sms.mts.ru/ to send her an SMS for free.

I appreciate the link Easy, actually I found that I can send SMS from my comp to her phone via ICQ, yeah, ICQ. I havn't used that in years, she has it on her comp at work along with Yahoo so I tried it out, hey, it works. Still can't send it via my phone tho, I think its way too old.

Posted by: EasyTarget

ICQ for whatever reason is really popular in Russia. Anyways, just proves the old adage, when there is a will, there is a way. Keep talking...it gets better.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyTarget

ICQ for whatever reason is really popular in Russia. Anyways, just proves the old adage, when there is a will, there is a way. Keep talking...it gets better.

I think I have figured out why its so popular. After using it the last couple of days for just chatting instead of Yahoo, its actually more reliable and has a few more features than Yahoo. I think Yahoo has just gotten so big and everyone uses it, its just too bogged down and doesn't perform as quick or reliable as ICQ. Just my 2 rubles worth.

Posted by: EasyTarget

The other reason for its popularity I think is I am pretty sure you can type in Cyrillic and ICQ will properly send the characters. Skype chat can send Cyrillic too. I think some of the other chat programs like Yahoo and AOL initially had problems with Cyrillic.

Currently I only use Skype so I don't how reliable and capabilities of the other chat programs. Although I did have an ICQ account a long, long time ago. Everyone thought it was strange that my ICQ account number was only 5 digits in length.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I chatted with O as normal yesterday. She told me should bought her tickets to fly to US to visit me in December. She has also decided to stay with me at my house!
The thing that was the turning point for her was my advice about American Airline flies out of Domodedovo (which is closer to her apartment) to Chicago (she will connect to Detroit).
Thanks to the person here who mentioned this piece of information - please forgive my bad memory!

Posted by: disculmawsu

Well, the die is cast. I sent in my I-129 form with all of the other paperwork and documents this morning.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Congratulations! Hopefully the process will move quickly and she will be with you soon. Best of luck to you in the future.

Posted by: Chillidog

that is great news! could not be happier for you and as "Easy" said, I hope everything goes fast and smooth for you

Posted by: disculmawsu

I received the I-797 (Notice of Action) Form today from Immigration.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

CONGRATES Dis!

She should arrive before Turkey day but definetly before Christmas!

Take care and good luck!

Posted by: disculmawsu

GTR, thanks for the good wishes. I am a little anxious about living another person - this my first marriage and am not used to living with another person.
I am hoping there will some small issues so she can delay her coming until December (she has plane tickets to visit me in the U. S. on tourist visa at Christmas).

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

CONGRATES Dis!

She should arrive before Turkey day but definetly before Christmas!

Take care and good luck!

We may need to delay O's coming to U. S. because she wants to finish her driving lessons in Moscow before she arrives. Hmmm. Or this just my anxiety about living with another person.

Posted by: disculmawsu

I checked the USCIS Processing Time Information webpage and having some trouble interpreting the table. The way I am reading the table is the date in the right column represents the month and year petitions that were that USCIS is currently processing. Am I right in my interpretion of the table?
(The table I am refering to is found at https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/Pr...eviceCenter=CSC)

Posted by: GoingToRussia

They are usually not very accurate and are updated every week or 2. The date they give is a maximum, at least it was about 6 months ago.

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

They are usually not very accurate and are updated every week or 2. The date they give is a maximum, at least it was about 6 months ago.

Thanks GTR for the information.
O has been asking about when she should expect to hear about the interview part of the process.

Posted by: Raspberry

This is indeed good news!!

Posted by: disculmawsu

I checked the USCIS website today and the waiting period dropped to six months, so perhaps there will be quick catch up and O will be here by December.

Posted by: disculmawsu

No news on O's K-1.
She is very depressed about it. In addition, she feeling a little depressed because she did not have an opportunity to travel to sea this fall (she likes to visit warmer climates during November) because she coming to the U. S. in December.
In addition, now that I have a full time job in an office, we cannot communicate via Skype every day (restricted mostly Saturday and Sunday) like I was able during my period of unemployment (and under employment). I call from the cubicle on my cell phone but the conversation is strained.
Happy Thanksgiving all.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

When did you file the K-1?

Why didn't she go to warmer this month?

Posted by: disculmawsu

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoingToRussia

When did you file the K-1?

Why didn't she go to warmer this month?

My petition was received October 1st. So, it has only been about two months.
She is using her vacation time and money to visit me in the United States in December (she has a valid tourist visa).
I talked with her by Skype yesterday and she was in much better spirits. She passed her physical examination for a driver's license and will take to the roads of Moscow next week for her first driving experience.

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by disculmawsu

Hey dis,

first, it does suck when your communication (amount of time) changes. You guys have had face time there and here so it makes it doubly difficult to "cope" with a lesser time communicating.

second, what are your thoughts on her "already" having the "tourist visa" and the affects on this in regards to the "K-1" application. Do you think this is a plus-minus or should have no effect on your present application and how long the approval process will take?

Posted by: disculmawsu

I have no idea what impact tourist visa has application of K-1. In theory, K-1 should superscede the tourist visa since they are for different purposes. If there is a conflict then there should be a way to invalidate the tourist visa so the other can proceed.
If anything having a tourist visa should make easier because government should able to more quickly verify some of the required information and have have her fingerprints already on file. But who knows.
I am more worried about the issue of my underemployment during the time period in question than her tourist visa.

Posted by: AkMike

I think you're on the right track D... The K-1 should superscede the tourist...