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This post may sound kind of silly,but I need some simple advice,my friend from Moscow,again she is just a friend,she has been here many times,she works for a magazine there and travels often,she was in New York in December,lately Berlin,Egypt,so she travels often!
Just need some advice on what to do and what not to do! Is it rude to give her flowers at the airport after we meet,would she find that offensive? Should I stay away from discussions on politics even though she often talks about what she sees on CNN.Just give me some basic pointers so I can come off as a gentleman and not as rude or stupid,thanks!
We will visit Washington DC and of course the beach here in Virginia Beach! I will take many pictures and share them with all of you.I will admit I am a little nervous,she will stay with me and my brother at our place,I have never talked to a RU woman for a long period of time in person,so this will be different and a good learning experience for both of us,her friends in New York are Russian,they live in Brighton Beach.She said she is excited to see a different part of America,so I think she will like Virginia and Washington,wish me luck!
Posted by: Pin Boy
joe i replied to your pm...also try williamsburg, maybe colonial tour..or she may like the amusement rides at busch garden (i refuse to go, they closed the brewery tour and free samples) or she may like water country usa...in DC, your options are so many...can never go wrong with the smithsonian
whatever you do, get pics of her on the beach in her bikini and post them here ASAP!!
pin boy
Posted by: Virginiajoe
Pinboy you got it brother,I told her make sure you bring your bikini.She said don't be silly I wouldn't come to Va Beach with no bathing suit Joe,then she said,Joe you ask silly questions sometimes! Thanks so much for the advice man! I gave her web sites about Va Beach and told her to tell me where she wants to go.
The reason I ask for the advice is Irina is classy girl ,she has the dacha ouside Moscow,I asked her to show to me her dacha,I think it's the word for countryside retreat,it's great Russian people really seem to know how to work hard yet have a good time,my mother told me to bring her over to her house to meet Irina,I told my mum,it will be my pleasure,she is a classy women,unlike the Virginia women I have dated,she has a great job in Moscow,she told me she would not want to live anywhere else besides Moscow,hell it's got me thinking about starting up a business in Moscow!
She is arriving at the Newport News/Williamsburg Airport on the 14th from New York,her girlfriend lives in Brighton Beach,Brooklyn,New York,she will be there on the 10'th.
I have to admit I am excited about seeing Irina! I just don't want to be too romantic,like giving her flowers at the airport. I thank you for the advice,since I started making Russian friends back in January,the way I see women is different now for the better,even the scammers taught me some stuff about Russia that is valuable.
I really appreciate the advice,take care and good luck to all! I will remember don't give her even number flowers only odd,man thanks,I did not know that! I really would like to thank this board for opening my eyes up to another world far away but yet so close,thank you!!!!!
Posted by: sidney
Joe if you want a small taste of russia without leaving the country then visit Brighton beach. We were there yesterday. Many of the signs are in cyrillic, the people speak russian more then english. They have the foods, music, videos, clothing and more from the motherland. Never did make the beach but did a lot of looking around. One disappointment was they didn't have cavair at the restaurant we visited even though it was on the menu. It is a long subway ride from timesquare/ broadway at one hour or more.
Sid
Posted by: Virginiajoe
Wow Sid,thanks for the tip,I was in New York City last month to see U2 over in Jersey,I didn't have time to go over to Brighton Beach,it's kind of funny,that's where Irina's friends live!
I will go there next time,it's such a small world! I really appreciate the advice,I sent Irina a picture of the Russian Federation flag in Philadelphia on the Ben Franklin Parkway,she loved it,maybe we will go to Philly too,Philadelphia is one of my favorite cities,so much history,culutre!
Posted by: wavetossed
Joe,
Make sure that you DO bring those flowers. It is not over the top. Russians don't just present flowers to guests in a romantic context, it is also a sign of honour. In Russian films I have even seen men present flowers to other men where the recipient is a guest that has travelled to visit.
At this time of year there are so many nice flowers available that it would be a shame not to present her with a bouquet.
You might want to start getting some Russian DVDs to watch them and see what Soviet and Russian society is like.
And when you are in Russia, you can go into one of the underground tunnels leading to a metro station and find kiosks selling 2-in-1 and 4-in-1 DVDs. No subtitles of course, all Russian. They will also sell TV series and these are GREAT for learning the language because you get to see and hear of each actor. Once you are acclimatised to a character's voice, it is easier to understand.
Also, there are great series that tell you a lot about Russia's past and present society. Moskovskaya Saga and Deti Arbata show you what life was like under Stalin. Pyatiy Angel shows you a lot of modern Russian business culture and even though it includes some of the darker side, you can see how Russian men interact and do business. Soldaty and Soldaty 2 show you the experiences that molded many Russian men in their military service as well as the Russian brand of machismo. It is definitely not the same as the American or Latin machismo, i.e. the tough drill sergeant telling the young recruit that he shouldn't be ashamed of writing poetry and should share it with everyone. And the other soldiers genuinely appreciate listening to his poems.
In any case, if you are thinking of doing business in Moscow, then it is never too early to start learning the language and the culture.
Posted by: Virginiajoe
Here's a update,Irina is taking the Amtrak from Penn Station tomorrow morning.I can't believe how much airfare from New York to Virginia Beach is! It's only a 350 mile trip and they want $200 and up for a one way ticket! At first she wasn't sure about coming down here after she found out how much the tickets were but last night we talked about the train,it's only $84 to Newport News,VA.
To be honest with you,it has been kind of interesting to say the least dealing with her,she seems to wait to the last minute to plan things,is that typical of Russians?I guess I can't blame her,it's her money she is spending.
Personally I like to plan things ahead of time,and now I have some cleaning to prepare for her arrival plus work on top of that!
This should be a learning experience to say the least.Her English is good but she misunderstood me on the phone the other night,I told her I just finished dinner and she thought I said I was eating and didn't want to talk to her,she apologized after I explained.
Wow,she just called me,she will be at the train station at 12 noon tomorrow!
I am a bit nervous,I can't lie.I will be calm and try to be a gentleman to her! I will keep you updated and will take many pictures!