I ve visited Ukraine on 5 occasions and have been to Russia twice, for the purpose of finding a bride, I find that these two week excursions are way to short to truly get to know a future bride. I am considering a relocation to the FSU for long term, maybe two years or more, this way I can get to know the culture and people very well, I have not yet decided on a location, I have considered Sevastopol, Yalta, Krasnodar, Samara, and Volograd. Would anyone have a recommendation on a good city to reside in for long term, with friendly people, much to do, and of course many girls interested in marriage, thanks
I think in terms of friendly people, and girls interested in marriage-any of those city will be good. Lots of girls and nice people. So you better choose a city where you think you will not be bored in a short time. Two week excursions and living there all the time-its a great difference.
Timmy,
My fiancée is from Kharkov, Ukraine and I have also visited Kiev. I can give you some good info on Kharkov. Use it only as a data point since I haven’t been anywhere else in Ukraine or Russia.
Large, industrial city (second largest in Ukraine). Big plus: there are many gorgeous women (of model quality) and they do like foreign men. Big tradeoff: very cold winters. I was there last December and experienced temperatures 10-15 below freezing (this is Celsius) during daylight. Girls are approachable in public sites. If you speak some Russian and are a social type guy, it shouldn’t be difficult at all to get acquaintances. There are also numerous local marriage agencies where you can get a jumpstart on your search. People like to walk for fun and seemed friendly and social. Even in the middle of the winter you could see many people in Svobody square, which is the central site in Kharkov, at 8 or 9 o’clock at night. There were many young girls around talking and laughing and a festive atmosphere due to the coming of the New Year. My fiancée told me that it is like this during most warm days in the winter (warm means temperature just below the freezing point). A foreign looking man would definitely get the looks in Kharkov. Women are very beautiful. You have to try hard to find a young woman who would be even a little chubby (incredible bodies!). Nice, exotic, Russian looking faces. Not too many natural blonds, mainly brunettes with fair color skin, feminine girls. I met quite a few of my fiancee’s girlfriends (she is 19 and goes to college). We went to her school. Engineering school, you’d expect to see many dudes right? Wrong! There were about 3 women for every man. Yulia told me that there are too many women in her city (I would add too many beautiful women!). In fact, I am hooking up one of her girlfriends with one of my friends here in the States. Based on my own experience with my Yulia, my acquaintance with her girlfriends and what I was told from them about Kharkov women, I would make the general statement that Kharkov women are the traditional type, unspoiled, family minded women that we all dream about.
We stayed in a luxury type, 2-bedroom apartment for $50 a day, which was a steal! We are talking about very nice, spacious, fully equipped, tastefully decorated, with good view, centrally located apartment. We also stayed in an apartment in Kiev for the same money, one bedroom, good, but not nearly as good as the one in Kharkov. There are many stores, supermarkets are well stocked with everything. You can even find exotic fruits, which are apparently very appealing to women there (most produce is imported in Unkraine). Life is cheaper than in Kiev and definitely cheaper than in the U.S. You can even get very good deals for traveling outside Ukraine from local travel agencies.
There is a large, newly built theater that features opera, ballet or theater productions daily. Comparing it to the Shevchenko theater in Kiev I would say the Kharkov theater is better. There is also a comedy theater. People go to the theater just like in Kiev (it’s an “in” thing to do). There are a few nice restaurants including ethnic Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexican, French. Kharkov does not have as many old, historic buildings like Kiev and definitely does not have Kiev’s character and cosmopolitan, big city atmosphere. If you are into dance clubs and night clubs, there aren’t many and I didn’t find a single jazz club even though I searched and asked people around. So, western type entertainment options are limited and if you don’t get a girl quickly or don’t create a local social circle, it can be quite boring. Overall, people are friendly and approachable and the place is very safe to walk at any time day or night. There is very good and efficient metro (Kiev and Kharkov are the only cities in Ukraine with good metro) and cabs are easy to find and cheap (a thirty minute ride would cost about $3).
Overall, Kharkov exceeded my expectations. I expected to see a city in a state of disarray. It’s not quite like this and if you are the type of person who doesn’t bother about little inconveniences here and there, then you wouldn’t have any problems. One thing is for sure you would be at the center of attention since there aren’t too many foreigners in the city and girls do like and admire, I would say, foreign men especially Americans. If you are strictly going to CIS to find a good woman to marry, I would suggest that you consider a city similar to Kharkov. Girls in touristy towns like the ones you mentioned in Crimea see foreigners more often than girls in less touristy places and as a result they may not be easily impressed by foreigners or they may even have been infected with some of the spoils of western lifestyle (which we all try to stay away from). Kharkov could be a good candidate in your list since it is a large city with about 4 million people, very friendly atmosphere and many good looking, generally family minded women. However, think seriously about the cold weather!
Hope this might be of some help, again use this info as a data point. By the way, you’re my envy; I wish I were in a position to do the same. CIS is a magnificent place to live for a while and not only because of the women. I wish you good luck in your adventure!
Thanks so much for your input, it is greatly appreciated. In March of 02, I spent two weeks in Kharkov and I must say, I fell in love with the place, I had an exceptional flat located in the city center, near the McDonalds, I could walk to th Argus disco as it was only 10 minutes away, I also loved to bowl as do many girls from Ukraine, and I had many dinners at the Florence Restaurant, a very nice place with good prices. I also visited discos on the outskirts of the city the Disco 2000 and Disco Manhatten, real nice places and I must say the best thing about Kharkov are the many, many beautiful girls, and they are friendly. I considered to live in Kharkov, I could find a flat in the center for about $300 a month, western standards, i felt the price was resonable. The girls I met in Kharkov talked so much about visiting Yalta and Crimea during the summer, that's all they talked about this is why I think Crimea would be a nice place to reside, plus the mild winters, I think girls from throughout Ukraine and Russia would be more than happy to travel to Crimea to meet a man esp. if the visit is during the summer months. And the beauty of the landscape is unmatched anywhere. But I tuly loved my visit to Kharkov, and as you say the city has many many beautiful girls, and very friendly as well. I may still consider Kharkov, the city has much to offer.
hi there. I loved what you wrote about kharkov and Kiev. I am definitely looking in to Russian ladies. I am from IRAN and I live in los angeles. am very sick and tired of the blond type in here. they are mostly living with their dreams. I love Russians. mainly because I studied a lot of Russian literature in high school when I was in Iran,. you know, there is like 1500 miles of boarder between Iran and Russia. so , I need to know where can I learn Russian? I mean , I saw you wrote knowing Russian is a key and then I must learn it. do you know any other sites that I can get better education about this? regards, Kevin . los angeles
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