Boy you have really great questions don't you?
First One I want to say that anything I write here is purely one man's view and there is a spectrum of opinions here on much of this stuff. Or was it spekulum Unclebuck?
Firstly big city vs country. From what I have seen you are not going to take a girl from Moscow and dump her in a cow pasture in Idaho or the highlands of Scotland. It just isn't going to happen. Once again watch the movie A Foreign Affair. That problem is highlighted there. However you probably can take a girl from a smaller city or a more rural area and bring her to the city within reason. There will be problems. For example she won't be able to drive. Her English will not be a good. Absolutely not showstoppers as you will see in answer to your 3rd question.
My experience with women from St Pete and Moscow is "hello nice to meet you when are you coming? Next week?? Come on for Gods sake my ovaries are drying up."
They will not want to get into a long drawn out email relationship before you visit.
See the movie. Visit Blockbuster.
Now Ekaterinburg is the 3rd largest city in Russia (and I am sorry for continually going on about Russia but it is all I know) after St Pete and Moscow but the ladies there have no problem writing first. Likewise all the other cities too. Ladies from Belorussia and Moldova will want to write also.
Not Latvia or Estonia or any of the Baltic states. It will be come and get it while it's hot baby. I had one in Riga that was drop dead gorgeous with that MO. It is not unusual.
Best place to stay is an apartment. Once you hook up with a lady let her assist with finding you a place to stay. If you get an apartment from the web you will pay the same for one noght as a week. She will now best, listen to the ladies.
If you get to know her first you might even be staying with her. hat is what happened to me and it was a very good thing from many points of view. Another subject a veritable can of worms.
Where girls seem more about love than by how much is in your wallet.
Back to the city versus country thing. The ladies in the cities are very worldly wise. They often speak good English and know their way around. They aren't going to waste time. That is why in my ever so humble opinion Moscow and StP are places best approached with a romance tour. A lady from Ekaterinburg will be far more tolerant and interested in you as a person not a walking wallet. There are no guarantees here it is all with a big pinch of salt.
Here is a rule of thumb and by no means written in stone. Big cities produce women who are more western, know what they want and are definitely going for it. They will expect you to turn up loaded for bear. They like nightclubs and nice clothes and restaurants and and and...... I think you get the idea.
Girls from the provinces are less likely to want your money. They are looking for romance and a husband. Which believe it or not is also a problem. I knew a lady from Odessa and it was all moonlight walks on the beach. She was lovely but wouldn't answer simple questions, she was caught up in the romance of it all. I set her aside for my Marina who is also romantic but tough as nails. Can't clean a fridge to save her life but is loyal and commited. Take your pick.
Some cities have in my opinion ujust reputation for scammers. i.e. Lugansk - don't worry someone will talk about that place. At one point it was Kiev. Lets face it it could be anywhere. It's all lies in the listings and letters anyway. They aren't going to say "hi over here".
They hide in the internet. It doesn't matter anyway they are easy to spot. I really don't mean any offence to anybody reading but you really have to be an idiot to fall for their crap.
I personally love them. If it wasn't for scammers I wouldn't be here now. I suspect that what happened to me also happens to others and brings them down this path too. They are a lot of fun are scammers. They can offer hours of entertainment and I thoroughly enjoy screwing with them. The biggest ones I knew of were a husband and wife team working out of - wait for it - CALIFORNIA. Yes Americans ! :-)))
Ok David you wore me out it is somebody elses turn.
ID, JMO, TD, UB, Maxi where are you?
first you must have the girl define what is a big city. My lady is from what she calls a small city, 500,000 people. Don't let the city
decide what you are looking for. In Kiev I recomend the Sherbourne
apartments, also UA apartments have some decent places. Larissa wanted to stay in Kiev for a few days to see things she doesn't get to see in Mariupol. Kiev has a bit of a western flavor, but go see the Cathedrals and WWII museum there. Many interesting things to do in
Kiev. Czars Villiage Restaurant is a good place to eat. In Ukraine you will have a difficult time finding a bad meal. I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere of Kiev. Mariupol is comparable to a steel town in the states. Not much there just a lot of people because of work. Yes they have the Azov sea and many people spend time walking there.
Nas
I want to ask you a question. How did you hook up with Larissa and what is her city? I have often wondered if I did the right thing looking for a woman so much younger than myself. I am 49 Marina is 37. You are only 4 years older than your lady and both of you seem very happy. Was that deliberate or did it just work out that way?
I have seen many, many beautiful women who are in their 40's. Not so in the States but over there they are beautiful.
I highly recommend the Sherborne if you want to walk 45 minutes or ride the subway down to where the action is . LOL It is a nice place Oksana said but too far from Kreshatyk. Okay , mike , tear me a new ass .
It was somewhat deliberate. I was talking with a lady in the beginning that was 35 she was sweet but started to show her true colors. I don't think 12 years is an issue for you Izi. Larissa is from Mariupol Ukraine. The thing I find magic about here is her intelligence. I think I'm a smart guy, but she buries me. Many of her friends that are in their late 30's and early 40's are stunning women. Larissa's attitude and optimism really won me over. She is extremely beautiful women, well at least to me and that is all that matters. We've also had some similar life experiences that really helped in our relationship. I was never one to buy into the soulmate
thing, but she is as close as it gets. We anticipate each other very well, we have similar interests and tastes in life. So yeah it was a little bit of luck that it worked that way, but I have corresponded with her for over a year, seen her twice going back for the third and fourth time this year. I call her everyday. She is absolutely the love of my life. It was her second letter that really caught my attention. She told me from the very beginning she did not write her introductory letter. Her honesty is a great trait. She has a very kind and gentle heart. I really wasn't looking for someone younger. Basically two reasons. One I wasn't going to spend a lot time trying to understand a younger woman and two I have a daughter that is 22 and I couldn't see saying, hey Michelle this is your step mom who is 26. Michelle is excited to meet Larissa in the fall, I've tried to get her to go with me but she has a fear of flying. Also a statement from my daughter saying I never saw you this happy with mom. With the cultural differences I wanted someone who had similar life experiences as I. At least that would be a good bond to help overcome some of the difficulties she is going to embrace when she comes here. She is as sweet as sugar, but can be tough as nails also. She has a shitload of backbone for a tiny woman. I knew through our writing and phone communication she was an exceptional lady, but nothing compared to meeting her in person. First time she didn't want to take me to her home, She was a little embarassed about her living conditions. I told her not to worry about it, the second time we spent a week at her place and travelled about Mariupol. Her level of appreciation for the simplest things I do for her is unrivaled by any woman I have ever met in my life. I am so blessed to have her in my life now. I told her that the only thing I would ever want to change in my past life is that I had met her 20 years ago. Her faith and belief in me humbles me to no end. So I tell anyone here, don't discount a lady that is just a couple of years younger than you. Yes there are going to be some tribulations with her age and her adaptability to adjust, but I've prepared for that. She has put her heart and soul into getting her visa, selecting the decor for our home that I am remodeling, preparing herself mentally to relocate. The big thing, I have never, ever been treated with the kindness, love and affection and respect that she gives to me freely. I hope everyone here finds the woman that lights up their day like Larissa does for me.
Nah, I won't do that. I am taking a kinder gentler approach. Also Jmo you forgot to tell the rest just around the corner is a casino and titty bar. Larissa asked me if I wanted to go in, I said why? She said don't you want to see naked women, I said hell if I want to do that an gamble, I just take you back to the apartment and play strip poker with you and cheat my ass off. Jmo you should go back and visit Anna.
Izi, I met Larissa through fiance.com Forgot to mention that in my previous post.
Hey Nas I wrote some questions on other post and could of just read your above note. You know To hear your daughter say that about how happy
you are with Larissa is wonderful. Your a lucky Man and I hope you and her
A life of nothing but Joy.
mike,
No bullshit, Me and Oksana went into that casino and titty bar . It is a tall round tower shaped building on the other side of the street . I was sitting with her pounding their best Vodka in the upstairs bar 10 feet away from the little door to the strip club inside that casino. The dancers were showing up to go to work and i was falling off the barstool tieing one on . She says in her good english, is it me or is it them ? I said how about both !!!!!!!! So we went for a few routines and then we went back to the our very downstair apartment at the Sherborne. That is when i let her unwrap some of Victoria`s Secret`s finest . She wears it well .
Izi
Nothing to add. You covered it really good. Liked reading Nas's story above. Very nice and I think I might be on same track Re: Happiness - Trust - Intelligence and humour etc with my Lenochka. She is a Kiev Gal. But she spent every summer vacation on a farm outside Moscow as well as all over Russia -Latvia - Germany - Siberia with her Fathers Army career. She will (and wants) too adapt to my country lifestyle.
I personally would recommend to others to steer clear of Moscow – SPB – Kiev. As a general rule, they are more westernized and up market with tastes and wants.
But I am sure there are many exceptions to this rule.
The way to deal with the big city-vs-small town issue is to be honest with them from the start. Tell them where you live and what your lifestyle is. If they don't want that lifestyle, they will remove themselves from the list.
I told my fiancee that I do live in the country, but I'm only an hour from Philadelphia and that is is no great distance to me. There are many things to do there and we can go every weekend.
exactly because of that general rule (which you described) I have my big doubts in longlasting east-west marriages.
If you describe, that the chances in cities like Moscow, St. Peter and so on are fewer than on other places, because the girls there are already too much westernized, this will bear a danger:
girls from smaller cities or rural areas will sooner or later after marriage also westernized and become to those ones of today Moscow etc.
Another provocative question:
Why is it better to concentrate on girls from smaller cities or rural areas....because they have less money and living standard than those ladies living in the bigger cities.
So the decision for them to marry a western man is in the main case an economical decision, or lets say, money!?!
Yes very good post indeed! And isnt logic that girls who are more "westernized" manage well in western society than these rural girls? Does somebody wants extra probems in marriage what might be complicated anyway?
I have experienced an agressiveness from StP and Moscow girls that I have not received from elsewhere.
"Come on then. Are you coming over or not I haven't got all day you know. Damn it"
I don't need that.
That is the issue not really whether they are westernized or not. When I brought that up it was to highlight the liklehood of having to spend a lot of money visiting them. They have more sophistcated tastes than somebody from a more rural area.
Frankly I don't care where she is from. If she has gone to the trouble of taking photos, listing herself and constantly checking in at an agency possibly spending her own money in the process she is serious. That doesn't include trying to learn English and at least trying to process the fact that she will probably be leaving her homeland FOREVER.
That means that almost all these girls are dead serious. They are not messing around. I remember a girl from Moscow who told me point blank that she wanted to meet me as soon as possible. She wanted a decision quickly because she wanted to have a baby as soon as she could. Deadly serious.
I agree with Izi about the agressiveness of StP and Moscow. I wrote to a girl from StP just once -that was more than enough- and she told me to come and see her but if I came between X and X she would only have a few days for me so I would be better to come in Y. She was wrong: actually it would be better not to bother...
An apartment is definitely the way to go
As for myself, Anna is from Odessa and she seems genuine enough and she doesn't pressure me. I'll be visiting her this summer actually. All of this to say that I have a bias for ukrainians, less 'phony' than russians in my opinion.