Why not just plan a trip over there and look around for yourself? If you are a self-sufficient traveller why would you need a service to plan things and probably charge you more? Just a question.
litho:
in answer to your question,it's precisely because most are not self-sufficient travellers that services like this exist.....info,travel advice,FAQ's.......they provide the info,it's up to each person if they take it...or buy it.
My goal is to meet a few female friends, perhaps love interests, so I will have social outlets when I get over there. I plan to travel throughout the region extensively in the next few years. Fiance.com seems to be a great way to meet women from over there--it seems difficult to turn it into a romance. But maybe sparks will fly with some of these "friends" when I hang out with them in their cities. Sound like a good plan?
Atllawyer
After you have found 2-3 ladies that you like and want to pursue further you will be surprised at how intimate you can get in your letters. Since you do not have the physical presence that is part of a normal dating process, you use the written word to convey more feelings. Like you I tend to write a certain way in business, but when writting to a lady in the FSU you cannot do this.
Why am telling you this is because when I went to Ukraine to meet my lady, we knew more about each other and after the initial ackwardness of the first day, we were inseparable. This made my 2 week stay more enjoyable than if I would have meet her for the first time while I was there.
I know that some guys will make a case for the tour thing but this worked for me.
We have :-
A)
The tour. As in A Foreign Affair.
Good but expensive and a bit embarrassing. However tons of guys swear by it and many marriages are generated each year.
B)
Writing to one woman, getting to know her and then going and spending time with just her. DANGEROUS!! Warning warning Will Robinson !! Do it but you had better have a backup plan. Do not believe what they say in letters or calls. You will not know until you look in her eyes. Retain your independence. Do not stay with her.
C)
Taking complete control and setting up meetings with many women from the websites. Organize your own apartment and all the other services you will need. Excellent idea but expensive. Read about it on www.firstdream.com. Jack has the scoop he took 5 years that way and met 100's of women. I stress 'met' not wrote to.
D)
Same as C but using a trusted local agency. Much cheaper and intense. You will get more for your money and be protected in many ways. Your job - buy a ticket.
Go to RWG and read .. You can either get enough INFO to do it yourself including apartments ect or you will find good contacts to help you out. I did it myself and had a blast.. I also had some private emails from folks here giving me contacts ect... worked out great. GOOD luck!
If I wipe out I will do as Free says. I would use Kherson again, assuming it isn't a complete dump. Only last night I shared dinner with someone who was recently there and knows where everything is so I don't think I will be disapointed.
First time is orientation and hookup the next time I am on my own. It is nice having a one stop shop though for everything from apartment to phone.
well i met 1 woman in moldova and have been writing and calling her since december 04 and when i was in momdova for 3 weeks i stayed with her and it was a blast i just payed the lawyer to start the k-1 process and if all goes well she will be here by december
Izi, Kherson is closer to a Dump than Ekaterinburg for sure. A small dusty, hot town. My advise is to arrange a trip with one of your candidates to the near Crimea: Yalta, Sebastopol, Eupatoria and so on. It is very close to Kherson but the scenery and life there is absolutely different. besides in September it is a Velvet season there! Mountains, sea, grape and peach fields, small villages and towns on the hills of the mountains, what can be better!
Felicedate
I agree with all you say. However I do not expect much this first trip. Actually I am becoming more and more drawn to this woman Tanya. Sooooo if she and I hit it off at the start and I decide to end my search maybe Yalta would be on the cards.
I could go there and meet some people and sign a peace treaty or something. Anything to keep out of trouble.